Victoria
Behind the heavy wooden doors at the old bluestone steam mill, you can tuck into authentic, affordable curries – classics such as butter chicken, coconut…
Must-see restaurants in Victoria
Melbourne
When he's not at Rockpool or in one of his Sydney restaurants, chef Neil Perry pays homage to the spicy cuisines of China's central provinces on the…
Geelong
Here at Bistrot St Jean they manage to pull off the Parisian theme, creating a delightful sense of joie de vivre minus stuffiness or tackiness. The menu…
Melbourne
Capitano is a New York–style Italian restaurant in Melbourne's most Italian suburb. That means it's fun, busy and delicious. The plain 'tomato pie' is a…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
It's ironic that 'Cibi' translates to 'little one' in Japanese given this incredibly aesthetically pleasing and zen cafe has expanded into a massive, airy…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
With something for both coffee and food lovers, this warehouse cafe tucked down a side street offers a coffee guide that takes you through speciality…
Great Ocean Road
Long-established Truffles does the lot: hearty breakfasts, homemade pies (go the beef rendang), pizza in the evenings, Southeast Asian curries, barramundi…
Victoria
Ballarat's most respected restaurant, Catfish, reincarnated as Mr Jones in late 2018. Looking for a new challenge, the proprietors turned their hand to…
St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick
'Eating Here Was A Huge Missed Steak', says the neon sign. This small, contemporary cafe is known for its creative, 100%-plant-based menu, as seen on its…
Melbourne
This tiny shop inside a multi-level city car park is straight out of Bangkok. DIY condiments adorn blue and red fold-away tables, where customers order…
Great Ocean Road
This rustic-chic cafe has the best vegetarian food in town, offering nasi goreng or mushroom ragout with poached egg for brekkie, and chunky homemade…
Victoria
One of Ballarat's best cafes, this smart, urban-chic space has dangling light bulbs and wood-panelled walls. Here you can expect an inventive brunch menu…
Melbourne
Tonka's dining room is long and elegant with billowy white mesh 'clouds' overhead. The food, however, is gloriously technicolour. The punchy flavours of…
St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick
Penta might be all polished concrete and muted tones inside, but the food here is a rainbow of colours, textures and technique usually reserved for dinner…
Melbourne
This industrial-chic former auction house turned North Melbourne success story serves some of Melbourne's best coffee, both espresso and filter, using…
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…
Victorian High Country
Originally the location of Beechworth's historic printing press, the Press Room is now a stylish and cosy Spanish tapas and wine bar. Seasonal menu…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
This cool all-vegan pizzeria with matte black walls breaking into bare brick serves a range of tasty vegan-cheese pizzas ranging from a spicy Puttanesca…
Bellarine Peninsula
Run by Italian-Australian owner Annie is this delightfully cluttered temple to food, with shelves crammed with quality goods. Peruse the drool-inducing…
Port Fairy
Here at Port Fairy's most atmospheric restaurant you can warm yourself by the open fire and enjoy superb dining with a menu that owner-chef Tanya…
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…
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…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
Messina is hyped as Melbourne's best ice creamery, and while purists might gawk at specials like peanut butter gelato with white-chocolate-covered potato…
Port Fairy
Hidden down a walkway in a modern lot, Farmer's Wife doesn't need a heritage building to impress, and instead lets its food do the talking. Overseen by…
Victoria
Utilising the region's rich bounty of produce, the menu here focuses on locally grown food and wine. There are all-day gourmet breakfasts, and bites like…
Victoria
Port Albert's historic pub burnt down in 2014, but the adjacent Leaping Frog Tavern has stepped up to assume duty as the town's watering hole. It's doing…
Victoria
The upstairs dining room at Miriam’s overlooks the waterfront, and the Gippsland steaks, local-seafood dishes and casual cocktail-bar atmosphere are…
St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick
This polished spot with service to match offers beautiful, home-style Cantonese with a few Sichuan surprises. Start with delicate dumplings and spanner…
Warrnambool
Feeling more Bondi than Warrnambool, this uber-trendy cafe has killer seafront views. Along with the usual cooked-egg options it does buttermilk pancakes…
Victoria
Halls Gap's best coffee and a sunny atmosphere are the hallmarks of this cafe. It does interesting breakfasts, including Spanish- and Asian-influenced…
Victoria
An iconic coastal pub, the Killy is worth a stop for a meal or a pint. Enjoy ocean views from the terrace or sit inside by the fire. The classy bistro…
Victorian High Country
Only open in winter, Black Cockatoo is the best restaurant on the mountain, doing shared plates in its architecturally designed space. Expect dishes such…
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…
Phillip Island
Chef Manpreet Singh Tung seems an unlikely candidate to be operating this place, as his cooking pedigree includes stints with acclaimed chefs Guy Grossi…
Bellarine Peninsula
For Ocean Grove's best restaurant, Napona has an unlikely location: off the main strip in a residential street. Its menu is big on local ingredients and…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
Atmospheric Italian deli-cafe with a tempting tiled front cabinet, exposed brick and a lovely rear courtyard. Fresh salads are piled high beneath…
Victoria
Hidden down a city lane is this Spanish cafe doing authentic tapas such as patatas bravas as well as bocadillos (baguettes) and a good menu of raciones…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
From the neon-pink pig sign out the front to the disco ball and red-gingham tablecloths, hip Lazerpig is where northsiders go to let their hair down. It's…
Great Ocean Road
Timboon's ice creamery produces a range of seasonal flavours using fresh local dairy products, as well as some vegan options. It also makes sorbets and…
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…
