Vegan
International
Beer/Wine
Take-out
Casual vegan restaurant and wine bar. Menu includes small and large dishes as well as sides and dessert. Drinks include wine, beer and cocktails. A degustation option is available. NOTE: Closing time is flexible, so check ahead. Open Tue-Thu 6:00pm-10:00pm, Fri-Sat 6:00pm-10:30pm, Sun 5:30pm-9:00pm. Closed Mon.
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 12 Jul 2023 by Tiggy
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Added by Kittybiscuit on 15 Jun 2019
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48 Reviews
First Review by Kittybiscuit
Loafysophy
Points +25
Amazing - Edit
Been following Ballards on Instagram for a while after some friends raved about how good the food was, and we finally visited last month.
Read moreAll the dishes were delicious (big love for the roast potatoes and the agnolotti). The prices were really reasonable too.
The menu changes regularly so you can check Instagram or Facebook to see what’s on offer.
If you want to book just send a text to secure a table.
Pros: All Vegan, Good price for the quality of the food , Great atmosphere
Guest
DebbieBlacker
Points +117
Amazing maybe we should make sure not too many know 🤔 - Edit
Was honestly best vegan food around. A few of us find a different place each month and this food was a stand out!
Read morePros: Feed me
Cons: No cons just fabulous
Guest
Rah_B
Points +94
Quality and unpretentious - Edit
One of my favourite places to eat in Melbourne. If you get tired of the regular vegan faux meats and burgers this is such a great alternative. Suprisingly unpretentious, which is a welcome change from what often comes with vegan dining.
Read moreConstantly changing menu, interesting flavours and really good value considering the quality of the food.
Also, the Sunday roast is a massive winner. Hearty and healthy, while also being indulgent
Guest
jazzy.g
Points +380
Great Vibe! - Edit
Great vibe and the food was great! My mum literally licked the plate lol
Read morePros: Vegan
Guest
ampallang
Points +365
Wonderful - Edit
Small menu but good choices and went in Feb 2021.
Read moreHad the cauliflower dish and my friend had the mac n cheese. All very tasty with good flavours. Nice wine too.
Small place but we'll see out and staff were lovelY.
Pros: Tasty and weLl presented food, Good menu, Helpful staff
Cons: Small venue, best to book
Guest
hungryvegan23
Points +738
Overpriced and underdelivered - Edit
Vegan degustation here is really not worth it. Plus the staff seemed pretty uninterested in us.
Read moreThey should probably stick to the $3 tacos.
Guest
beancurdled
Points +1657
special - Edit
Finally dined at Ballard’s this week and it’s going straight on my list of local favourites! Worth noting that the menu changes daily so the dishes listed in the blurb here are only indicative of the kind of delicious creations that might be on offer when you visit. The website notes that there is always at least one gnocchi available, because everyone loves it! And you’ll see why when you bite into those pillowy clouds of potato. We shared 2 gnocchi and 3 small plates between 4 people. The charred broccoli in one gnocchi dish imparted a delicious smoky flavour, while the pumpkin gnocchi was sweet and creamy. Popcorn cauliflower was crisp and light, salt and pepper mushroom calamari was predictably delicious, and fries came with a very herby dill mayo. Our group comprising 1 vegan, 1 vego, and 2 omnis enjoyed everything equally. Can’t wait to try more!
Read moreGuest
AshPanjwani
Points +18
Yes - Edit
Best vegan food in the area. Gnocchi was delicious, soooo soft. Roast cauliflower was so brilliant, and all the wines we tried was so yummy. Thank you!!!
Read moreGuest
willtravelforfood
Points +889
I love everything about this place - Edit
Ballard's is an absolute joy and a testament to plant-based restaurants. Great social media, wonderful staff, nice indoor and outdoor set up - and best of all, delicious food. I am picky and have high standards and Ballard's don't disappoint.
Read moreThe Roast = delicious
$3 Tacos = delicious and super cheap
Gnocchi = so gooood (it's homemade and dumplingy and not like store bought, so maybe some of the negative gnocchi reviews just aren't used to that style?)
Degustations = an almighty treat and celebration of food
All vegan wines and drinks - we're so lucky to have Ballard's in our lives.
Some people have said the staff are grumpy - but I respect a boss who looks after his employees and honestly, I've always found them to be relaxed, fun and great to communicate with.
I recommend Ballard's to everyone - and have a lot of non-vegan friends who love it too.
Pros: Variety of menu, Delicious wines - and great wine recommendations, A restaurant owner/chef that really cares
Cons: None, But maybe this place isn't for you if you like US , style service?
Guest
lunadea
Points +252
I love this place - Edit
Found Ballard's by a happy accident once upon a time and have now been 3 times including with omni friends who also loved their meals. The gnocchi is so pillowy it's like biting into a cloud. I will continue raving about this place to anyone who will listen.
Read morePros: Everything on the menu so far is delicious, Great service
Guest
JamesZervoulias
Points +52
Incredible - Edit
Whole food vegan. A must try. I’ve been 4 times this week!
Read morePros: Highly recommended , Delicious , Great whole food ingredients
Guest
l0vec0urtney
Points +493
So Good! - Edit
I went here after seeing the venues hilarious Instagram posts of the owner/chef seemingly vomiting his thoughts into the captions and I absolutely love the raw honesty and it’s funny.
Read moreThe food was genuinely really good and for $25 a head for all you can eat there was zero complaining. They had a couple of $5 tinnies and a really good wine selection so overall I have nothing negative to say!
Pros: All Vegan, Good price , Wine selection
Guest
MorganHaynes-Mannion
Points +30
Go Go Go!! - Edit
Brilliant, delicious, exciting and amazing vegan food.
Read moreEverything is cooked to perfection always!!
The wines are delicious, and well paired with the Menu. The bartenders are so friendly and always have excellent recommendations!! Trust them they know all the secrets!!
They are always running specials, where you can have all you can eat for $25!! unheard of value!
Pros: All Vegan!
Guest
BradJ
Points +69
Amazing! Not to be missed! - Edit
The reviews here almost turned me off... But the place I was going to eat at fell through. And I'm so glad it did!
Read moreGreat vibe! The people working there wonderful! And the food was absolutely amazing!
My favourites were the eggplant dish which had an amazing texture, and the gnocchi with mushrooms.
For $100 we got enough food for 2 people, and 2 glasses of wine each, which is a great price for a nice meal out!
I'm already planning on my next visit!
Guest
leahreb
Points +121
great food, drink, and service - Edit
delicious food, excellent service, and a nice selection of booze
Read moreGuest
ajv
Points +16
disappointed - Edit
Pretty disappointed eating here, the eggplant steak was dripping in oil (inside and out), the potato side salad was actually quite nice. The gnocchi seemed more like mashed potato dumplings, rather than gnocchi.
Read moreThey did have a pretty decent wine list, however the staff did seem very disinterested.
overall the food was quite flavourless.
Pros: completely vegan, good wine list
Cons: oily food, flavourless, disinterested staff
Guest
AAJ
Points +76
Incredible vegan food, lovely staff! - Edit
We headed to Ballard’s for the 8 course degustation in a Friday night and enjoyed every second! Cute bar, and we sat in a booth. The staff were so lovely, friendly and funny. The food was the best vegan fare I’ve ever had. Simple yet so different and just delicious. Brinner, 2 deserts and the lentil pate were my faves. So much value for money and I’ll be back!
Read morePros: Delicious vegan foods, Friendly staff, Great beer, cider and wine options.
Guest
PamelaLouise
Points +18
Extremely delicious food, very welcoming, super friendly staff - Edit
I love this well lit, lovely casual dining restaurant and wine bar. Completely vegan, delicious flavours, lots of hard work clearly spent on the menu and meal design. It's a small restaurant so I always make a booking (I'd recommend booking by phone if it's last minute or via Facebook if booking in advance). Great vibes and love taking my vegan and non-vegan mates.. they all love it!/
Read morePros: Amazing and delicious food, Good tunes, Super nice staff
Guest
Tofulicious
Points +1337
Nil ‘Customer Service’ - Edit
I have to agree with the previous reviewer re the attitude of the staff (and/or manager) towards (potential) patrons. The staff member (owner/manager?) who take bookings was so rude, arrogant and hostile that I wouldn’t have gone near this place if it weren’t for the fact that my dining companions were already set on it (at my suggestion no less!)
Read moreNevertheless, the food was fairly good (personal favourite was the eggplant turnip dish), if not spectacular; and the $30 banquet pretty good value. My main qualm with the ‘banquet’ (only option that night) was that they brought out all the bready carby stuff first, so that by the time the *good* food arrived, there was almost nowhere to put it. And the chef, whilst placing the first dish on our table, stood there scratching his greasy hair with the same hand that had just deposited said bowls on the table 🤢
TBH the best thing about this restaurant is the words they use to *describe* the dishes 😂 far, far more mouthwatering than the actual meals themselves.
Pros: some deliciousness in some of the dishes, semi-schmancy alternative to Smith & Transformer, great to have vegan options in Thornbury!!!
Cons: terrible bedside manner, no customer service, poor communication and attitude towards patrons
Guest
Glenzee
Points +16
Unwelcoming, Uninterested and Underwhelmed - Edit
Happy Cow AP stated this was a wine bar and restaurant that opened until 10pm. Three of us caught a cab from the airport, arrived at Ballard around 9 PM only to be told they were closing and kitchen was shut! The staff member was rude and unsympathetic. I advised that info on Happy Cow should be updated and she spat some venomous reply and walked off!
Read moreGuest
PotatoesTho
Points +13574
Roasted - Edit
We chose to try out Ballard's on their Sunday roast night ($20 per person); it's all too rare to be able to sit down to traditional dinner fare in a vegan restaurant as opposed to a bowl or burger, and it was a welcome change.
Read moreMy favourite elements were the smoked dutch carrots, cauliflower cheeze (although not of the traditional variety), parsnip cream, fennel salad, and the mushroom jus. I found the Lentil & mushroom wellington to be too earthy, and the green beans were almost raw.
Worth a visit for something different.
Updated from previous review on 2019-08-05
Guest
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