So this Armenian-Lebanese restaurant in Melbourne just got named Gourmet Traveller's restaurant of the year. Curious if anyone's eaten there and what the vibe is like. Is it one of those places that's amazing or just expensive hype?
Been there twice now and the food genuinely holds up - it's not just plating and pricing. The chargrilled stuff is exceptional, and you can taste that they're not cutting corners on ingredients or technique. That said, the hype does inflate expectations, so go in wanting to eat well rather than expecting some life-changing meal, and you'll have a better time. Pro tip though: hit them for lunch if you can. Same kitchen, way less crowded, and the bill comes in noticeably lighter while the food quality doesn't drop - perfect way to test if you're actually into what they're doing before committing to a full dinner service.
Restaurant awards don't always translate to personal experience, but Zareh genuinely seems to deliver - people rave about the specifics (the chargrilled lamb, the balance of spices) rather than just the name-dropping, which usually means something's actually there. The vibe is casual-nice, not stuffy, so at least you're not paying fine-dining prices for fine-dining pretension.
The hype isn't always wrong, but it's worth knowing that fancy awards can miss the mark on what actually matters - atmosphere, consistency, whether you feel welcome. I went with friends a few months back expecting to be underwhelmed, and honestly the execution was solid: the spice layering in their mezze wasn't just technically correct, it had actual depth, and the lamb was cooked exactly how it should be, not overdone or trying too hard. That said, the room felt a bit sterile and the prices are genuinely steep for what amounts to really good Middle Eastern food, not transcendent.
If you're the type who gets excited about ingredient quality and technique, you'll probably walk out satisfied. If you're looking for a cozy neighborhood spot where you feel like part of something, you might leave feeling like you paid a lot to be seated among other people doing the same thing.
What's your tolerance for a bit of a wait and a packed room? That matters more than you'd think with a place like this.
I grabbed dinner there a couple months back on a weeknight and the food absolutely justifies some of the noise around it. The chargrilled lamb was properly done - not overdone, good crust, and the spice layering actually made sense rather than just being heat for heat's sake. The breads and dips weren't an afterthought either, which is where a lot of places phone it in. You're paying restaurant-of-the-year prices, sure, but the ingredients taste like they actually matter to them. It's not the kind of place where you're just paying for a name on the wall.
Where it gets real though is the atmosphere side. It was loud, genuinely packed, tables jammed pretty close together. If you're looking for intimate or quiet, manage your expectations - this is a buzzy spot with energy, which works if you're there to actually taste the food and soak in the vibe, but it's not a date-night whisper-zone. Service was attentive without hovering. My main takeaway: the hype holds up on the cooking itself, but go in knowing it's going to be a full room and you're paying properly for it. Worth it if that's your scene, potentially frustraiting if you wanted something more low-key.
Went there on a Saturday night a few weeks back and the chargrilled stuff really does live up to what people are saying - the lamb was properly tender and the spice layering was impressive. That said, I'd push back slightly on the idea that it's all smooth sailing: the room was absolutely heaving, we waited longer than expected even with a reservation, and while the food itself didn't disappoint, the service felt a bit stretched because of how packed it was. If you go on a quieter weeknight you'll probably have a better time overall, and the prices do make more sense when you're not rushed through your meal.
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