Melbourne Restaurants

  1. A1 Bakery

    Turkish pizza and baklava!

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  2. Abla's

    Bring a bottle of your favourite plonk and settle in at homy Abla's. If you're here for the compulsory banquet on Friday and Saturday night, bring a couple of bottles to see you through the 13 courses. Steered by chef and proprietor Abla Amad (who comes around to check satisfaction levels), the kitchen produces a steady flow of Lebanese flavours. Leave room for a stiff cardamom coffee and baklava.

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  3. Añada

    Dishes such as mackerel with orange-blossom and pistachio are alive with hearty Spanish and Muslim Mediterranean flavours. There are big and little plates and a good selection of Iberian wines.

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  4. Aux Batifolles

    Francophiles flock here to be reminded of 'that little bistro in Paris' that they loved. It's a restaurant that can be a big occasion or a simple weekday night out. The red-meat dishes are particularly good and the chef's skills are especially impressive with duck. Desserts such as crème brûlée and tarte Tartin (French apple tart) are delicious and well priced. The modest wine list doesn't give much scope to splash out. Bookings advised.

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  5. Ay Oriental Tea House

    Yum cha (dim sum) minus the trolley, Ay is about eating lots of little Shanghainese and Cantonese dishes in succession - perfect for sharing. A slick, split-level fitout sees diners pincering seaweed salads and soy duck among packages of tea and other for-sale items on sleek display about the place. There's also an extensive tea menu and separate wine list to look after the liquid side of things.

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  7. Babka Bakery Cafe

    The heavenly aroma of cinnamon and freshly baked bread is a good incentive to hang around if waiting for a table or takeaway coffee. Pastries are sweet, buttery and warm, much like the smiles and service from the waitresses. A Russian influence is present, with borscht and blinis on the menu. Babka encompasses the wholesome values of 1950s nostalgia.

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  8. Baker D. Chirico

    So, the city isn't short of bakery-cafés, but the Baker's kill-your-granny-for-them loaves and pastries put it way ahead of the competition. Go in the morning for a coffee, a rhubarb Danish, a sugar doughnut oozing custard or all of the above. For lunch, try silver beet and olive calzone or a sandwich on casalinga bread, all wrapped up in a chic greaseproof paper collar.

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  9. Bar Lourinhã

    Matt McConnell's wonderful northern Spanish-Portuguese specialities have the swagger and honesty of an Iberian shepherd but with a cluey, metropolitan touch. There's an intriguing wine list sourced from the region too. Come Friday night, the sardines are not just on the plate. However, a lone spoonful of the Arabesque crema is worth the squeeze.

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  10. Basque

    Small Spanish offerings, by way of tapas and cute-kitsch religious iconography, have been something of a revelation to Chapel St devotees. They come en masse to sit casually chatting, drinking and nibbling. Breakfast is less lively - it takes every ounce of energy to digest a serve of chocolate y churros (long Spanish doughnuts). Service can vary from twinkly to truculent.

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  11. Batch

    Rubbing shoulders with St Kilda's stalwart kosher bagelry, Batch brings a Kiwi flavour to Carlisle St, with Supreme New Zealand coffee and juices. Nothing is overcomplicated, just straight-up fresh and self-assured meals.

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  13. Becco

    Sexy in the best possible taste, Becco is a long-established favourite for an eclectic mix of diners and bar babes from the business, art and fashion circles. Staff are invariably attentive, bringing to the table classic Italian dishes and drinks. After dinner, try the upstairs bar where you can keep an eye on the comings and goings through the video camera trained on the laneway below.

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  14. Bedouin Kitchen

    Meze (Greek hors d'oeuvres) plates and clay pots come out as they're cooked, so it's best to share dishes to avoid eating in shifts. The tight spaces between tables could even have you sharing with the neighbours. Walking glossaries, staff cheerfully interpret ingredients and recommend which dish goes with which. Low-slung lanterns and blush-coloured walls make a cosy hideaway for nomads wandering the wilds of Grey St.

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  15. Bhoj

    You'd be excused for being confused: your taste buds are saying 'frenetic India', but your eyes are seeing only sleek surrounds - all plumped banquettes and snappy linen, with nary a wayward cow in sight. Cool off a curry with a dab of raita, mop up a dhal masala with some charred naan and throw back a few Kingfisher beers - a meal that is worth braving the Docklands' bleak industrial chic for. And all at in-India prices.

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  16. Bistro Guillaume

    Sydney's famed Frenchman does bistro food with fine-dining flair, star local recruit Philippa Sibley is the pudding queen.

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  17. Blue Chillies

    The dark-wood shelving artfully stacked with Asian produce makes for ambient casual dining at Blue Chillies. For entrée try the ikan billis (fried whiting in sambal ) followed by a piquant, creamy laksa. Meals come in quick succession, so if you want to linger, let the obliging staff know. You can BYO wine or swill from the decent varieties on offer.

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  19. Bopha Devi

    The modern Cambodian food here is a delightful mix of novel and familiar Southeast Asian flavours and textures. Herb-strewn salads, noodles and soups manage to be both fresh and filling.

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  20. Botanical

    Capacious and chic, the Botanical is the darling of South Yarra. Its iconic location opposite the Botanic Gardens, bold menu and innovative approach consistently win praise from the foodie elite. Assured partnerings of prime ingredients, impeccable service and wines galore are what they come for. Bookings advised.

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  21. Brasserie by Philippe Mouchel

    Local chef's French comfort food is probably just what you need when the roulette table has got the better of you.

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  22. Breizoz

    An authentic, if idiosyncratic, charmer, with Breton buckwheat crepes and cloudy farm-fresh cider. There's no concession to bistro tastes; they are what they are, and that's a creperie. Its meringues, jam and ice cream can, and should, be taken home.

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  23. Brother Baba Budan

    Melburnians get anxious when there isn't a Gaggia hissing away every 20m, so you'll never be short of options. This is a favourite: a cute city outpost of fine roasters St Ali.

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  25. Brunetti

    Owner and pastry chef Giorgio Angelé migrated to Australia after entering the country as the pastry chef for the 1956 Italian Olympic team. Brunetti is famous for its exceptional coffee and authentic Roman pastries. Traditional European cuisine can also be experienced here, but alfresco coffee and biscotti (biscuits), tiramisu or delicious graffe (custard-filled doughnuts) is the way locals regularly visit.

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  26. Brunswick Street Alimentari

    Part deli, part fuss-free canteen, Alimentari stocks artisan bread, smallgoods and cheeses, as well as serving up delicious Lebanese pies with labneh, salads, bruschettas, meatball wraps and homemade cakes.

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  27. Cacao

    Set among the trees, Cacao creates award-winning chocolates with the best couverture. It also does a full French patisserie range.

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  28. Cafe Di Stasio

    White-jacketed waiters, a jazz soundtrack and subdued lighting provide moody ambience at Cafe di Stasio (not to mention the original Bill Henson photograph gracing the back wall). But it's the sublime Italian food, such as handsome meat dishes, that has kept this place at the top of the dining food chain for over 15 years. The weekly changing fixed-price lunch menu (two courses and a glass of wine) is great value.

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  29. Cafe Fidama

    With so many world flavours available, Fidama has thrown open the food-group classification to include influences from the Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia. Dexterous dishes are served up in sleek surrounds - all dark wood, banquettes and bentwood chairs. Locals love it here, so if you find yourself in the 'hood, it's best to book ahead.

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