Must-see restaurants in Melbourne

  • Bibelot

    Melbourne

    Part patisserie, gelateria, coffee bar and chocolate shop – this one is for the sweet-toothed. It's hard to resist pressing your hands against the glass…

  • Auction Rooms

    Melbourne

    This industrial-chic former auction house turned North Melbourne success story serves some of Melbourne's best coffee, both espresso and filter, using…

  • Veneziano Coffee

    Melbourne

    Veneziano has been roasting coffee for nearly two decades, but the warehouse cafe opened in 2018, revealing one of the more impressive fit-outs we've seen…

  • Lanzhou Beef Noodle

    Melbourne

    Lanzhou has developed a cult following for its numbingly spicy, rich beef noodle soups. Pick up cold side dishes and interesting Chinese drinks from the…

  • Rockpool Bar & Grill

    Melbourne

    The Melbourne outpost of Neil Perry’s empire offers his signature seafood raw bar complete with caviar, but the star is the dry-aged beef. The masculine…

  • Colonel Tan's

    Melbourne

    In the back corner of pumping Revolver Upstairs, retro Colonel Tan's dishes out Thai-American fusion. Expect such creations as Wizz Fizz sherbet chicken…

  • Candied Bakery

    Melbourne

    An Australian bakery with an American twist: anything is possible here. Sit at the communal table or order from the concrete counter to go. Try a…

  • Milk the Cow

    Melbourne

    When a cheese craving strikes, head to this licensed fromagerie for baked camembert with a crusty baguette or a farmer's board of country-style bites. The…

  • Pellegrini's Espresso Bar

    Melbourne

    The Italian equivalent of a diner, locally famed Pellegrini’s has remained unchanged since 1954. There's no menu; staff tell you what's available. Expect…

  • 400 Gradi

    Melbourne

    Named for the temperature of the wood-fired oven, 400 Gradi stretches some of Melbourne's best Neapolitan-style pizzas. It's headed by pizzaiolo Johnny Di…

  • D.O.C. Espresso

    Melbourne

    Run by third-generation Italian Australians, D.O.C. is one of the best casual Italian options at the Carlton end of Lygon St. The espresso bar specialises…

  • Epocha

    Melbourne

    Set within a grand Victorian double-storey terrace, elegant Epocha serves interesting European-inspired dishes. Customers pick two or three courses (three…

  • Small French Bar

    Melbourne

    A quaint, understated restaurant with exposed industrial piping, red brick and a mix of metal and timber tables, the greatest flourish here is the …

  • Dinner by Heston

    Melbourne

    Heston Blumenthal needs no introduction, and while he's not in the kitchen here, his head chef and team serve creative takes on historical recipes, with…

  • Bomba

    Melbourne

    Two venues in one, downstairs at Bomba is reminiscent of a buzzing Spanish bodega serving tasty tapas and raciones for the hungry, while upstairs,…

  • Touchwood

    Melbourne

    There's plenty of space both indoors and in the courtyard of this light, airy cafe housed in a former recycled-furniture shop (hence the name). The coffee…

  • Mr Miyagi

    Melbourne

    Ridiculously popular Mr Miyagi (named after the fellow from The Karate Kid) has done everything right for its audience: an angsty, self-depreciating neon,…

  • Lickety Split

    Melbourne

    An outdoor hang-out from adjoining Back Alley Sally's, you're likely to see young, trendy parents knocking back craft beers and jugs of sangria while kids…

  • Killiney Kopitam

    Melbourne

    The first of these Singaporean hawker-style shops opened in the motherland in 1919. Today there are three shops (also in the city and Abbotsford), but…

  • Mamasita

    Melbourne

    Up a staircase above a 7-Eleven is the restaurant responsible for kicking off Melbourne's obsession with Mexican food. Mamasita remains one of the city's…

  • Brunetti

    Melbourne

    Bustling Brunetti looks like a movie set with its polished surfaces and staff in black waistcoats and bow ties. There are different sections, from a drool…

  • Gradi Crown

    Melbourne

    A branch of the Brunswick East original, this is a solid bet for a good, reasonably priced meal, in a complex that can be overpriced and underwhelming…

  • Stables of Como

    Melbourne

    This sunny cafe occupies the former stables at heritage-listed Como House. Nibble fancy sandwiches and salads with ingredients from the vegetable and herb…

  • Toasta & Co

    Melbourne

    After demand saw its food truck booked out for events, Toasta opened a cafe for the people. This corner shop with sidewalk seating serves Proud Mary…

  • Asado

    Melbourne

    With custom steak knives, cow hide fastened to room dividers and plenty of leather, Asado is a meat-eater's game. Dishes are cooked on a fire pit and…

  • Gazi

    Melbourne

    From George Calombaris of MasterChef fame and beside his upmarket Press Club next door, Gazi is set in a designer-industrial space and delivers a menu…

  • Atta

    Melbourne

    With a chapel-like roof complete with timber trusses and art on the walls, this is not your average Indian joint. White tablecloths and attentive staff…

  • Toodouri Korean BBQ Restaurant

    Melbourne

    Variety makes Toodouri our pick among North Melbourne's Korean BBQ restaurants. Opposite Queen Vic Market, it's cramped and smoky in the best way and…

  • Claypots Evening Star

    Melbourne

    This seafood spot at South Melbourne Market is bustling towards the end of the week. Diners pounce on outdoor tables and soak up live music Friday through…

  • KUU Cafe + Japanese Kitchen

    Melbourne

    This cute little cafe offers Japanese food with an Australian twist. Try one of a few matcha drinks with your smashed avocado (their version has edamame…

  • Colonial Brewery Co

    Melbourne

    This east-coast outpost of the WA craft brewery pours thirst-crushing suds in a huge warehouse decked out with steel tanks and a ping-pong table. There…

  • Duchess of Spotswood

    Melbourne

    In a former butcher's shop in the shadow of the Westgate Bridge, this long-time local was serving creative breakfasts when other cafes were learning to…

  • Dundas & Faussett

    Melbourne

    On a sunny street corner, locals sip rosé and specialty coffee – the latter sometimes from a chocolate-lined waffle cone. Umbrellas shade them from UV…

  • MoVida

    Melbourne

    MoVida's location in graffitied Hosier Lane is about as Melbourne as it gets. Line up by the bar, cluster around little window tables or, if you’ve booked…

  • Coda

    Melbourne

    Coda has a wonderful basement ambience, with exposed light bulbs and roughly stripped walls. Its menu leans heavily towards Southeast Asian flavours, but…

  • East Elevation

    Melbourne

    Part warehouse cafe and part chocolate factory, watch organic, fair-trade Monsieur Truffe chocolates come to life behind glass while you tuck into vibrant…

  • Laikon Delicatessen

    Melbourne

    This old-school family-owned emporium (established 1976) has outlasted all of the fashions that have risen and fallen along Bridge Rd, being a surviving…

  • ShanDong MaMa

    Melbourne

    At this unassuming spot where the dumplings are boiled rather than steamed, you can expect a wait around lunch. The mackerel dumplings are brilliant, but…

  • Ras Dashen

    Melbourne

    Looking for an excuse to eat with your hands? Order delicious Ethiopian dishes like doro wot (chicken with eggs) or tibs (seasoned, diced lamb with onion)…

  • Rocco's Delicatessen

    Melbourne

    Smiling faces await your order behind the counter at this panini bar. It's a newer branch of the original Yarraville deli, which opened in 1977. Here you…

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