A very popular vegetarian joint. Food was great but definitely on the expensive side. Because it was Busy, and limited Staff, service was slow and we got quite impatient. Definitely worth visiting but perhaps try book for an earlier dinner, on a weekday when it is less busy.

Best vegetarian restaurant I have ever been too. I have had three different meals there now, and my favourite so far has been the Zen Latino.
The food is divine, and I love the service of the man who regularly serves me. He is so personable and into his food!

Approximate cost: $22

The food is beautiful here! Very different to most other vegetarian. Really creative dishes and lovely atmosphere with a beautiful little courtyard out back where you can enjoy a drink:) Really relaxing.

This place is super hard to find because the building it's in is so subtle but once you're in the atmostphere is relaxed and beautiful, I went with a big group of friends and we all got served promptly and attentively, between us we ordered everything on the menu and every single one of us were well impressed, the food is not only veg*an but wholefood and nutritionally sound, it makes you feel good eating there. Would go back any time.

This restaurant is housed inside a carlton terrace house. If you didn't know, you would walk right past and miss it!
Menu-wise, it is all vegetarian with vegan options and ranges from common dishes like green papaya salad and red curry (in dressed up names like scent of green papaya), to more creative interesting dishes like the Avocado Magic (avocado wedges, capsicum & eggplant involtini fried 'tempura' style with a sauce) and Quinoa Croquettes (crunchy patties of yam, potato, macadamias, vegetables).
The food was reasonable but nothing particularly impressive. The service is lacking (expectation for a restaurant of its price range) and decor is not worth commenting.
For vegetarian food of equal calibre, I would go to Vegie Bar for larger servings, same service levels, and a better vibe.

A truly wonderful dining experience and such a delight for a vegetarian to dine out and be able to choose ANYTHING from the menu!!! The food is also interesting, I wouldn't go so far as to say innovative but definitely interesting, which is another huge plus for a vegie ;-) My tip is to share a few of the starters, they were by far the stand out dishes of our night!

Approximate cost: $20-25

This is a beautiful restaurant. The decor has character and a nice feel. I find the staff friendly. The menu consists of very elaborate fine dining type dishes. Some dishes can be very rich for me. I have eaten here with non vegetarians and they are always amazed at how tasty the food is and how satisfied they are. The price is above average.

I've been going to Shakahari for more than 25 years, since the days when it was around the corner in Lygon St (where Brown's is now). I've seen some changes over that time, not all for the better, and, conversely, perhaps not quite enough changes.

The current site in Faraday St is certainly more spacious than Lygon St, but also noisier. Too many hard surfaces for the sound to bounce off. If you're after a quiet dinner, go early, and avoid Fridays and Saturdays.

The menu is a little larger than it used to be, but it also seems to change less often. The satay (a good choice for committed carnivores dragged here reluctantly) is firmly ensconced on the menu, as it deserves to be, and it has been joined by the Avocado Magic entree. That's my favourite dish at Shakahari, and one of my favourite dishes anywhere; the conception and execution are just spot on. It has a beautiful texture and just sings with flavour. Their Salad Shakahari is another long-time favourite; the apple and peanut dressing is delicious.

Their other dishes just don't excite me as much as they used to, although to be fair, I've never eaten a bad meal here. They just seem to suffer from a "sameness" across visits. For instance, there's always a croquette dish on the menu. The description may be different from what it was last time, but the dish always seems to taste pretty much the same as it did last time. There's always a curry on the menu. Again, the listed ingredients may be different from last time, but when it's put in front of me, and I taste it, I find myself thinking: didn't I have this last time?

Shakahari used to be the place I'd go when I wanted something really different, and I'd like to see them break out of their structure of "one croquette dish, one curry dish, one noodle dish, one tagine..." The avocado entree is an example of what they're capable of when they really try.

The portion sizes are smaller than you'd expect for the price. While I never leave hungry (in fact, I find the portion sizes in other restaurants usually too large), I do find myself wondering whether Shakahari is charging a fair price for the portion size, especially given that vegetables and grains are usually cheaper ingredients than meat and seafood.

I've found service to be generally good; waiting time has never been unreasonably long. But there's a waiter who has been there for years who is never impolite, but really doesn't look like she enjoys her job much. She has the same expression I have when I've got a bad headache. It makes me feel unwelcome, and I find myself hoping I don't have to ask her for anything other than ordering my meal. I wish she'd smile occasionally.

This is coming across as an overly negative review, and I don't mean it to be. I do like Shakahari - really I do. I'm always pleased when my friends suggest we go there. I guess I'm nitpicking a bit because I can see (in dishes such as the Avocado Magic) the talent that is in the kitchen here, and it frustrates me that they seem to be becoming a bit complacent. I'd like to see them raise the bar a little higher. They could easily become not just Melbourne's but Australia's very best vegetarian restaurant, if they'd just try a little harder.

Despite my criticisms, Shakahari is definitely a place I'd recommend to anyone who is a vegetarian, or anyone who doesn't think that a meal must contain meat in order to be complete, or even someone who does think that, but is willing to have their assumptions challenged. I think anyone discovering Shakahari for the first time may well be surprised and delighted by it.

Fantastic Vegeterian restaurant with designer dishes and cool atmoshpere. It is also very cheap for the quality of food that you get. Awesome place to go for first dates.

its a little at the pricey end given that its a vegetarian restaurant. however food is spectacular. this is where i discovered quinoa.

Approximate cost: $20