Must-see restaurants in Melbourne

  • Attica

    St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick

    Attica is Australia's only restaurant on San Pellegrino's World's Top 50 Restaurants list. Ben Shewry creates contemporary dishes with native ingredients,…

  • King and Godfree

    Melbourne

    It took three years to transform King and Godfree, an Italian grocer since 1884, into this multi-venue wonder. There's Johnny's Green Room, with 360…

  • Lune Croissanterie

    Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford

    Good things come to those who queue, and here they come in the form of unrivalled pastries, from innovative cruffins to plain croissants often dubbed the…

  • Minamishima

    Melbourne

    Arguably Australia's best Japanese restaurant – if you care to empty your pockets and book two months in advance. It's hidden down a side street; the best…

  • Stokehouse

    St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick

    Striking contemporary architecture and floor-to-ceiling bay views set the tone at Stokehouse, a top draw for its waterside setting and modern, seafood…

  • Cutler & Co

    Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford

    Hyped for all the right reasons, this is Andrew McConnell’s flagship Melbourne restaurant and its attentive, informed staff and joy-inducing dishes make…

  • Maker & Monger

    Melbourne

    What was a small cart now has a shop complete with 40 seats, neon, pretty sage-colour tiling and Savignac-inspired posters. Cheap-eats favourite Maker &…

  • Smith & Daughters

    Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford

    This busy corner restaurant has an all-vegan menu and punk sensibility. Italian dishes like 'beef' ragu on 'cheesy' polenta will have you swearing it's…

  • Hellenic Republic

    Melbourne

    The ironbark charcoal grill at George Calombaris’ northern outpost works overtime as long-time staff serve and chat with ease. The slow-roasted lamb…

  • Sunda

    Melbourne

    This contemporary Southeast Asian laneway restaurant sits in a former car park. It's slick, with metal scaffolding, raw brick, a long communal table and…

  • Brunetti

    Melbourne

    The newest branch of Melbourne's favourite pasticceria chain occupies sleek, central digs right near Flinders St Station. Try not to drool as you walk…

  • Navi

    Melbourne

    Seating 25 people, chef Julian Hills serves an eight-course tasting menu (five courses for $85 on Wednesday and Thursday), expertly prepared using local…

  • Hakata Gensuke

    Melbourne

    The original of four locations, Gensuke only does one thing and does it extraordinarily well: tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen. Choose from four types – …

  • Serotonin Eatery

    Melbourne

    This plant-based cafe (eggs and feta are on the menu, but a lot is vegan) on the cusp of Richmond is centred on happiness – the joy that comes from seeing…

  • Chin Chin

    Melbourne

    Insanely popular, bustling Chin Chin serves Southeast Asian hawker-style food with big flavours, designed to share. It's housed in a glammed-up warehouse…

  • Higher Ground

    Melbourne

    Melbourne's most impressive cafe looks more like an industrial designer hotel as it's housed in a former power station. Within 15m-high ceilings are nooks…

  • Abacus

    Melbourne

    Big, breezy eatery on Chapel St, with high ceilings, potted plants, and a touch of glam in its marble table tops and timber finishes. It’s a cafe during…

  • Miznon

    Melbourne

    Originating in Tel Aviv, Miznon is a fun and fresh option on iconic Hardware Lane. Book seats at tables outside, or sit on the 'steps' inside or on the…

  • Exterior of the restaurant Charcoal Lane on Gertrude Street, Collingwood.

    Charcoal Lane

    Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford

    Housed in a former bluestone bank, this training restaurant for Indigenous and disadvantaged young people is one of the best places to try native flora…

  • IDES

    Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford

    Word spread quickly when Attica sous chef Peter Gunn started his own establishment, where he implements a creative contemporary take on fine dining,…

  • Flower Drum

    Melbourne

    Established in 1975, Flower Drum continues to be Melbourne’s most celebrated Chinese restaurant, imparting a charmingly old-fashioned ambience through its…

  • Longrain

    Melbourne

    Get in early or expect a long wait – upstairs, Longsong is a beautiful holding space – before sampling this delicious Thai cuisine. Communal tables don’t…

  • Belle's Hot Chicken

    Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford

    Chef Morgan McGlone knew he was onto a good thing while honing his kitchen skills in the States. But since bringing Nashville fried chicken to Australia…

  • Cumulus Inc

    Melbourne

    Quintessentially Melbourne, Cumulus is famed for its generous slow-roast lamb shoulder. It's all about beautiful produce and artful cooking here, served…

  • Dainty Sichuan

    Melbourne

    A favourite among spice lovers and chefs since 2009, there's nothing Dainty about the numbing chilli effects of the food here. Among more challenging…

  • Matilda 159

    Melbourne

    Across from the Royal Botanic Gardens and beneath United Places, this classy restaurant focuses on cooking over flames, be it whole tiger flathead or…

  • Bellota Wine Bar

    Melbourne

    This handsome wine bar and bistro is an extension of adjoining Prince Wine Store, with an ever-changing wine list and seasonally driven dishes to match…

  • Harley & Rose

    Melbourne

    Named after a Black Sorrows song, this Italian restaurant is big on wood-fired pizzas and also offers refined pub grub and pasta. It somehow manages to be…

  • Simply Spanish

    Melbourne

    When a Melbourne restaurant repeatedly wins the title of 'Best Paella Outside of Spain' in Valencia, you know you're on to a good thing. This casual…

  • Grossi Florentino

    Melbourne

    Celebrating its 90 years in 2018, Grossi is an Italian institution. Gilded plasterwork, chandeliers and 1930s Florentine Renaissance murals engender a…

  • Etta

    Melbourne

    This neighbourhood gem serves a produce-driven menu that gives vegetables the attention they deserve, while still offering locally sourced meat dishes. It…

  • Ciao Cielo

    Melbourne

    Set in Melbourne's first courthouse, this romantic Italian restaurant has soaring ceilings with rustically peeling walls, powder-blue banquettes and a…

  • Cicciolina

    St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick

    This hideaway of dark wood, subdued lighting and pencil sketches is a St Kilda institution. The menu is Italian, with dishes that might see signature…

  • Bar Saracen

    Melbourne

    A more recent addition from the team behind Rumi, this restaurant-wine-bar 'of Middle Eastern appearance' is the ultimate pre- and post-show spot, just…

  • Spring Street Grocer

    Melbourne

    Join the queue at Gelateria Primavera for gelati scooped from traditional pozzetti (metal tubs fitted into the bench). Next door the sandwich bar serves…

  • Tulum

    St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick

    With Nigella Lawson singing Tulum's praise during her Melbourne travels, this contemporary Turkish restaurant uses Australian ingredients and modern…

  • Supernormal

    Melbourne

    From the man behind Cumulus Inc, Andrew McConnell, comes this creative selection of pan-Asian sharing dishes, from dumplings to raw seafood to slow-cooked…

  • Embla

    Melbourne

    From the school of Melbourne wine bars with fantastic food comes Embla, a no-reservations spot favoured by the hospitality industry and city workers…

  • Vue de Monde

    Melbourne

    Surveying the world from the old observation deck of the Rialto tower, Melbourne’s favoured spot for occasion dining has views to match its storied…

  • Rumi

    Melbourne

    A well-considered place that mixes traditional Lebanese cooking with contemporary interpretations of old Persian dishes. The sigara boregi (cheese and…