Ella - Darwin

Name: Ella - Darwin
Address: 12 West Lane, Unit 20, Darwin, AU-NT, Australia, 0800
Telephone: 0498 369 021
Price range: $41 to $100
Rating: 4.6

4.6

569 Reviews

$41 to $100

Sri Lankan

Top Tags:

At Ella by Minoli, we nurture curiosity, have no fear in the kitchen, and love pushing the culinary boundary.

We use seasonal local produce, modern cooking techniques, and the deep and rich flavours of Minoli’s Sri Lankan heritage, to bring you flavour packed Sri Lankan food like you’ve never tasted before. Minoli’s insatiable need for travel has enriched her food knowledge and she has no boundaries when it comes to flavour.

Sri Lankan food has Ayuverdic properties and origins, and this perfectly balanced menu will leave you more enriched than when you walked in, guaranteed to keep you wanting more, long after you leave. From your first bite to your last, your tastebuds will come alive, and we welcome you to take this new-age Sri Lankan culinary journey with us.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 4, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 19 times today

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Sri Lankan
Hours of operation
Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am
Phone number
0498 369 021
Website
http://www.ellabyminoli.au/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Minoli De Silva

Location
12 West Lane, Unit 20, Darwin, AU-NT 0800
Neighborhood
Darwin City
Parking details
None
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Wine

What 569 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.4Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

569 Reviews

MC
MelindaC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Fancy and the best in Darwin. Expensive for what you get but worth every cent. Would go again.
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DD
DebbieD
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The whole dining experience was amazing. The waitress was helpful and guided our food choices and the flavours blended so well together. The presentation and taste of the food was a delight. A little expensive but well worth it for a special celebration.
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SD
SDeg
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
overall2food4service1ambience2
Nice food but terrible service. We felt forgotten and ignored.
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DR
DebR
Sunshine Coast
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is the second time I have visited Darwin and Ella’s is a MUST each time. The food is delicious and inspired. Good cocktails. Friendly professional service. Ella’s is perfect for special occasions such as a birthday or anniversary.
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DB
DamienB
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall3food4service4ambience1
Eggplant was amazing - maybe some parts a little underdone Cauliflower 65 was not what was expected - but still good Deviled Potatoes we felt was too salty
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KO
KevinO
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service4ambience4
Snapper & Kangaroo entrees were to die for & the Pork Belly was a clear winner of the Barramundi & Chevron dishes but they were not to be scoffed at as they were also extremely tasty and thoroughly enjoyed with a full body Henschke Shiraz.
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HB
HannahB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing flavours every time! Current fave Darwin restaurant
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S
Star
New South Wales
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall4food4service5ambience5
Lovely ambiance and service. Food was beautifully presented and tasted good but flavour was mild and the food was almost cold which was disappointing. Dessert menu did not appear to have anything special. Could only book a table at 5:15 but the restaurant was empty when we arrived and left which was strange as we would not have wanted to eat this early but didn’t want to miss eating at Ella’s while in Darwin.
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RM
RebekahM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing mouth watering food and fantastic service
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AC
AlanC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Superb food. Great variety in tastes. Food light and not overfilling. All four of us loved the pumpkin and eggplant dishes - even the carnivores! We also all loved the lamb cutlets. All plates of food almost licked clean. Will be back.
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R
Romi
Sydney
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
We so much enjoyed our meal with different and special flavours in each dish. Congratulations on creating such a successful experience for your diners.
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IB
IanB
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on September 23, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience3
Food was superb, service was friendly and attentive but one part of the meal was forgotten and late which was a bit disappointing but didn't detract completely the enjoyment of the food. Good wine list. A bit expensive.
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M
Mariana
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience3
Delicious Sri Lankan food. Very good service, would definitely go back
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J
Jojo
Melbourne
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on September 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food and balance of flavours. And wonderful service - perfect balance of being just attentive enough.
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S
Sally
Canberra
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on September 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food and wonderful service. It was our first time in Darwin and at Ella, we will definitely be back!
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J
Josephine
New York Area
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on September 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This was our second visit during our 3 week stay. We ate the Entree of snapper in coconut milk and betel leaf oil again, super delish with some pappadams and then the cauliflower starter rather than the crispy pumpkin that we had last time. We preferred the pumpkin, but the cauli was tasty. Then the excellent and generous serving of chicken curry with rice. Plenty of food for 2 people. Highly recommend. This time Kailin was our server, she was outstanding.
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C
Chez
Brisbane
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The staff are super friendly and professional Fab food and relaxed groovy setting.
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K
Katie
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a wonderful experience at Ella! Food, service and atmosphere was great.
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KR
KirstenR
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on September 20, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience3
Service - outstanding Food - excellent Venue - stylish and great atmosphere Only downside was the noise. My husband and I were celebrating our wedding anniversary and our table was in a very noisy location. It was too noisy and we ended up leaving quickly.
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SC
SummerC
NT
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Certainly, one of Darwin's finest dining establishments, this restaurant seamlessly marries the captivating flavors of Sri Lanka with the tropical ambiance of Darwin, resulting in an enchanting and unparalleled culinary experience. The impeccable quality of their ingredients shines through in every dish, delivering a taste that is unrivalled. Coupled with outstanding service and a vibrant atmosphere, this restaurant comes highly recommended.
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NM
NathanM
NT
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Ella's is our favourite Darwin restaurant. The food is always amazing, so full of flavour. Nice setting and the staff are attentive and courteous.
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HQ
HuguetteQ
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
After having tasted most of the food that Darwin had to provide and out of at least 12 venues that we attended during our 2 week stay ,Ella stood out as being most original and each dish seemed to blend in together. We visited twice and had it been open for lunch we would have also tried the dishes offered as well. The staff were absolutely fantastic and cost was affordable
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J
Jxxxxxxx
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 19, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience5
The first time I visit there, I had the roasted pumpkin, kingfish and pork belly. And I ordered the routee, it tastes very good with the sauce from the mains. However, I visit there again and order lamb and barramundi. The sauce come with the fish taste over-salty, my mouth feeling unwell even though after brushing teeth at home. The meat on the lamb taste good, I like the fat in the meat and the way they cook it. However, it comes with yogurt! Now it becomes salty but over-sour, I'm not into this kind of combination. There are a few options on the menu I didn't try, but I will not visit there again or introduce it to my friends.
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GS
GrahameS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Very innovative food.very unexpected fresh flavours. Many great dishes. Great attentive service. A distinctive and special dining experience.
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BR
BikkyR
Sydney
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We visit Ella every time we come to Darwin ,always excellent food and service ,highly recommended
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KC
KierahC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Awesome food and cocktails! Would recommend to anyone wanting a special night out.
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VS
VickiS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had the barra and the eggplant. Both amazing! Ella never disappoints!
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L
Laura
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Staff were amazing, food fantastic! Definitely worth a trip
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W
Welshbrat
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was stunning, great ambience & wonderfully efficient, friendly and attentive staff… we shall return when next in the Top End!
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H
Hardy
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience3
Good food, cocktails and service. Tables a lil bit close together.
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A
Alen
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 14, 2023
overall3food3service5ambience3
Quantity of the food per serve could be higher for the value of money we spending, we understand its a fine dining, but considering the pricing you charge, expecting bit more quantity. Staff is amazing and friendly.
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SP
StevefromParkrun
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outstanding service, the food was delicious. A good selection of meals left me wanting to return to try the other dishes. Next trip to Darwin I will be stopping in to try some more of Minoli's signature dishes.
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LL
LindseyL
Exclusive
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We really enjoyed our meal and thought the flavours were very good. Our cocktails were great too. Although it doesn't look much as you approach the restaurant it has a lovely ambience.
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DT
DarwinTourist
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 12, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
One of Darwin’s top restaurants, would definitely recommend
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RF
RichardF
Melbourne
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 9, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience4
Good Morning, We dined there last night at 8.30. We arrived at 8 and a gentleman suggested a venue to have a pre dinner drink. (Hanky Panky) . Not only did he suggest this venue but he escorted us the the front entrance. This is outstanding service. This generation needs to open his own business! We are up from Geelong and have dinner twice. This is the best restaurant in Darwin! Thanks
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JB
JessicaB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Delicious! Great service and great food. Lamb rib entree was a standout and the eggplant curry was so good.
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J
Jess
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Beautiful dining experience in Darwin. Delightful
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RC
RobC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 8, 2023
overall5food3service5ambience5
The menu has changed from my last visit and I didn't feel that the same quality was presented.
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MA
MARLENEJ
Adelaide
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great place to dine although a little tricky to find. Nestled in a laneway off West Lane this little gem is full of delicious treats. We started with roast pumpkin and then had the chicken curry and kiwi fruit curry. Both delicious! Finished with a really tasty and interesting crème brûlée. Meals are not heavy and abound in flavour!
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AL
ALISONM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience3
Food flavors were amazing. Great place for shared meals - lots of different tastes to experience. Plenty of vegetarian options.
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FAQs

Ella - Darwin is rated 4.6 stars by 569 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 4, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 19 times today

12 West Lane, Unit 20, Darwin, AU-NT 0800

Dining areas

Additional information

Neighborhood
Darwin City
Hours of operation
Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am
Cuisines
Sri Lankan
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
None
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Minoli De Silva
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Wine

Website
http://www.ellabyminoli.au/
Phone number
0498 369 021

Ella - Darwin

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Menu

What 569 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

How is Ella - Darwin restaurant rated?

Is Ella - Darwin currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information