Corner of Lonsdale St & Caledonian Ln
Shop 31A, Ground Floor, Emporium
287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Victoria, Australia 3000

@caliacollective

CALIA began in 2016, bringing both a restaurant and retail experience to eager Melbournians who were not deterred by hour long queues. The group has continued to expand over the years, including two new stores at the shopping capital Chadstone Shopping Centre. Originally located within Emporium Shopping Centre, their relocation to a street facing location in September 2020 has allowed for longer trading hours and more space in both the upstairs restaurant and basement retail areas.

In line with the modern Melbourne dining scene, the atmosphere is modern, sophisticated, and awash with neutral tones. It is the perfect place to escape from the busy bustle of Melbourne’s city life and laneways. DON’T FORGET to check out their connected shop in the basement to find all your favourite Japanese snacks, ramen, drinks, and much more.

TL;DR 4/5 stars

• Price 3/5 stars
• Taste 5/5 stars

Price (3/5 stars)

Let’s get the price out of the way. You’re certainly paying for quality, but it’s not the most student friendly. It’s definitely one of our go-to places for a ‘treat yourself’ meal though.

• Most starters range from $10-20
• Most mains are around $20, except for premium dons like unagi, crab wagyu, and chirashi (sashimi)
• Speciality drinks average around $6-7 per drink

Prices of above picture:

• Umami Fries: $9.90
• Salted Egg Yolk Chicken: $12.90
• Salmon Aburi: $19.60
• Spicy Mapo Tofu: $19.60
• Matcha Latte: $6.00

Taste (5/5 stars)

On the whole, everything we tried that is featured in this post was really good! Let’s break it down – 

Mains

ABURI SALMON – flamed-seared salmon brushed with sweet soy-based sauce on rice. The quintessential Calia dish, simple and no fuss

SPICY MAPO TOFU – the Japanese spin on the Chinese Sichuan classic, with a well-balanced flavour profile of miso and spice. A very warming dish, perfect for cold Melbourne winters

OCHAZUKE SALMON – ‘ochazuke’ translates to rice with tea poured on it. If you’re looking for a unique Japanese dining experience, this is the one to try. Just pour the flavourful broth (served in a teapot) into your rice bowl, and enjoy. Trust me, it’s good

Sides

SALTED EGG YOLK CHICKEN – if you thought the salted-egg craze in Melbourne is over, it is not. By far my must order side dish at Calia – crispy and juicy chicken tossed in the rich salted-egg sauce. The taste of egg is most definitely prominent here

UMAMI FRIES – the perfect amount of umami seasoning to jazz up the classic shoestring fries; so simple yet so good. It is most definitely another must order at Calia. Guaranteed you won’t be able to stop eating them

Drinks

MATCHA LATTE – if you’re a Melbournian and still haven’t heard of matcha lattes yet, are you really a Melbournian? The strength of the matcha is well-balanced, perfect for anyone who drinks it occasionally or trying it for the first time. Personally, I would have preferred a stronger taste of matcha, but that’s coming from someone who enjoys strong and bitter matcha to match my soul 🙂

HOUJICHA LATTE (not shown) – the lesser known brother of matcha, houjicha is roasted green tea. A slightly smoky and nutty flavour, Calia’s houjicha is definitely worth a try! Personally, I found it to be sweeter than many other places that have houjicha

Verdict (4/5 stars)

A modern Japanese dining experience, bringing you flavours of Japan in an aesthetic environment.

Delicious and quality Japanese dons with classic side dishes and drinks, but definitely not your everyday student meal.