Frank Camorra’s MoVida is the restaurant responsible for setting off Melbourne’s ongoing fixation with modern Spanish tapas. What started as a casual tapas bar has, over the years, developed into an in-demand comedor (dining room), and bookings, often months in advance, are now essential. The gap left for a more relaxed tapas bar has now been filled by sister restaurants MoVida Next Door and Movida Terrazza.

Dinner at MoVida can quickly turn into a pricey occasion as it can be hard not to get carried away here. The menu of tapas and racion is designed to be shared – but avoid overdoing it early so you can leave room for desert. If you’re feeling adventurous, let the kitchen order for you and sample a cross-section of signature dishes and seasonal specials.

The MoVida empire continues to expand with a third Melbourne restaurant, a second cookbook, rumours of a Sydney location and a growing off-site catering service. Regardless, it will only take one visit to MoVida to reveal why it is universally acclaimed as one of the city’s best.