We all love a recommendation from in-the-know people in our circle. Arguably, though, the most trusted recs of what to eat come straight from the kitchen. We’re always asking Melbourne’s kitchen talents where they eat, but this time we just had one question: what’s the best thing you ate this year?

Torre de mariscos, El Columpio, St Kilda

I’m a big fan of Ricardo Garcia Flores. El Columpio Fitzroy is the best Mexican restaurant in Melbourne, and Flores’s newly opened seafood taco kiosk on Jacka Boulevard is home to the greatest dish I had the pleasure of eating all year in Melbourne. The torre de mariscos [seafood tower] is so good I had to fight my mother-in-law – who I’ve never seen eat anything raw from the ocean in nine years – for the last mouthfuls of perfect local king prawns, the freshest blue fin tuna and jumbo scallops, dressed liberally with a wipe-your-tears-from-how-incredibly-delicious-and-spicy-this-is chiltepin salsa, balanced with cucumbers, Spanish onions and avocado, scooped up with tostadas and washed down with hibiscus agua fresca and horchata. Do yourself a flavour and finish it with the flan. – Tom Sarafian, Zareh

Crispy sesame prawn rice paper rolls, Cham, West Melbourne

These rice paper rolls are so delicate and fresh. The Cham team rolls them to order and the rice paper rolls weren’t too soft or dry – just perfect. – Narit Kimsat, Yang Thai

Salli boti, Saadi, CBD

Traditionally a curry, Saadi has reimagined salli boti and served it as a carpaccio, with the crispiest potato fries that remind you of the ones from the bag, but taken to the next level.  Tender, melt-in-your-mouth Southern Ranges beef is brushed with bone marrow and dressed with the traditional salli boti spices. Saadi is by far one of the most interesting new restaurants and I’ve been thinking about this dish a lot lately. It’s fun, fresh and tasty. – Frankie Hadid, Jamsheed at Clara Luna

Mussels, fermented fennel à la Grecque and sunflower cream, Barragunda Dining, Cape Schanck

This deceptively simple mussel dish inspired a lot of thought in me and, as a chef, I feel this particular plate helped me synchronise to the rest of my time spent at Barragunda Dining. Local mussels arrived lightly battered – almost tempura-thin – delivering a crisp shell that gave way to a warm briny pop. They sat next to a dollop of sunflower cream that was nutty, gentle and luxurious – lifted by fermented fennel à la Grecque that brought brightness and a precise, savoury acidity. It was a dish that showed real restraint. Three elements, perfectly executed, each amplifying the others. – Jett Alexander, Osteria Ilaria

Profiterole, Butter Days Bakes, Malvern

The best thing I’ve eaten this year is the profiterole at Johnny Demetrios’s new bakery Butter Days. It’s perfectly sized for two perfect bites, filled with thick, luscious vanilla custard and a crisp craquelin top hiding under a dark chocolate glaze. Just perfect, perfect. That profiterole is my Roman Empire. Malvern is a million times more delicious because Butter Days is here. – Rosheen Kaul, Secret Sauce author

Chilli crab, Ho Liao, CBD

I’ve always got my gloves ready for a saucy crab and, to me, Ho Liao‘s is one of the best chilli crabs I’ve had in years. Insanely fresh cracking mud crabs served with golden mantou ready to soak up all the spicy, highly addictive sauce. It’s messy and quite a spectacle. – Raymond Tan, Dua and Raya

Frilled oysters with kimchi butter, Doju, CBD

It may not ooze the glamour of New York’s two-Michelin-starred Atomix or three-Michelin-starred Jungsik, but Doju‘s Korean-inspired menu is just as exciting and exquisite. I love the stunning grilled oysters with kimchi butter. On paper, it sounds rather plebian, but when you consider the oysters are from the city’s best fishmonger, D&K Seafood, you know it’ll be memorable. Opened-to-order, the oysters are brushed with a whisper of gochugaru (Korean chilli powder), garlic, parsley and house-made kimchi and then grilled with butter, it is presented with a teensy-weensy splash of lemon juice. Why? Because chef Mika Chae knows kimchi, when cooked, loses its zest. Hence, it demonstrates the skill of this unassuming chef. Utterly memorable. – Tony Tan, chef and author

Matcha banoffee pie, Dua, Collingwood

I’m such a glutton when it comes to sweets and Raymond [Tan] never misses. However, I did approach this pie from Dua with some trepidation because I think matcha is overrated (or maybe just overused) but man, was this good! The bitter, herbal qualities of the matcha really complimented the sweet, aromatic bananas and that beautiful deep dark toffee. I almost didn’t share this with my wife. Please let Raymond know that I expect a year’s supply for shouting him out. – John Rivera, Askal

Whole King George whiting with roasted chicken and sesame sauce, Cordelia, Carlton

I think Josh [Norris] and the whole team at Cordelia are doing some of the tastiest, truly unique food in Melbourne. It’s definitely my go-to restaurant. This whole fish was perfectly cooked over charcoal with a complex and decadent sauce – can’t get much better than that. The only downside is that Cordelia’s menu changes so regularly you need luck on your side to actually get to taste it. – Michael McAulay, Yiaga

Tulumba, Suze, Fitzroy North

I had this Turkish doughnut – glazed with a black garlic caramel and served with nigella seed cream – for the first time ever at Suze and it was so good! As a chef, it’s always a treat when you get exposed to new food and flavours. – Sriram Aditya, Saadi

Flatbread with mussels and grilled mortadella, Daphne, Brunswick East

The best thing I have eaten this year was flatbread with mussels and grilled mortadella skewers at Daphne! I loved the food at Daphne because it was so honest. There were no gimmicks – it was just super delicious. Honestly, I’ve eaten so many flatbreads in my life, but the texture of this one was by far the best. – Eun Hee An, Moon Mart

Premium pork loin katsu, Katsumo, Glen Huntly

Katsumo in Glen Huntly is run by chef Jaejun Kim, formerly of Kazuki’s, and he keeps things refreshingly simple with just really good pork loin and chicken katsu. Sometimes the simplest dishes are the hardest, because everything shows. But chef Kim nails it, serving honest, great-quality food. – Jung Eun Chae, Chae

Porterhouse steak, Charcoal Grill On The Hill, Kew 

One of the best things I ate in Melbourne this year was the porterhouse steak special at Charcoal Grill on the Hill in Kew. Just salted and grilled – no sauce except some hot mustard. We had it with a bottle from Pommard. The quality of the meat, expert cooking, and confidence in its simplicity made it stand out. – Audrey Shaw, Carnation Canteen

Spagat krapfen, Vex Dining, Northcote

The pastry in this spagat krapfen from Vex Dining was memorable for me because it reminded me of the crispy end bit or corner of a rhubarb pie. When I had this dessert for the first time, it reminded me of that perfect end bite where you have the corner with a little bit of rhubarb and the last bit of cream that’s left on the plate. The tool Flo [Ribul] uses to make it is also quite unique and I’m a sucker for classical and traditional cooking tools. – Saavni Krishnan, Saadi

Scallop samhap, Doju, CBD

I loved how chef Mika [Chae] at Doju drew inspiration from the Korean concept of samhap. The depth of umami from the Wagyu tallow and jus lingered with me long after the meal. It was truly unforgettable. – Mino Han, Alt and Time After Time

Wood-roasted cockerel, Marmelo, CBD

Being of Asian descent, I’ve always enjoyed cockerel as a cold-cut chicken on its own or with a jellyfish salad. To be able to try this dish here at Marmelo, wood-roasted like a peri peri chicken but using cockerel, blew my mind. It also showed how good produce can be when cooked over fire. – Junda Khoo, Ho Jiak

Stockbrot with sunflower seed butter, Vex Dining, Northcote 

The stockbrot with sunflower seed butter at Vex got me really excited, and tapped into memories of eating damper around the campfire growing up. It’s cooked over a fire on a stick, resulting in less oily bread and a more pronounced crust. A great representation of progressive Euro-style cooking that we’re not seeing at too many other places in Melbourne. – Lorcán Kan, Etta

Slow-fermented flatbread, From Here by Mike, Docklands

I had this flatbread from Here by Mike fresh out of the woodfired oven – warm, fluffy, a bit smoky – and it just hit me straightaway. The almond ricotta and shiitake XO is such an interesting combination, and when you eat it, it comes together so naturally. And the best part … I didn’t even have to queue for this amazing bread. I kept going back for one more bite more times than I want to admit. – Mika Chae, Doju

Asparagus, broad bean leaf and pistachio pesto, carpa sarda, Osteria Renata, Prahran

This was one of the first asparagus dishes I had as the season began, and it was a moment of pure joy, signifying we were moving into spring. This dish from Osteria Renata is deeply savoury, while keeping things light and fresh. Gus [Cadden] is incredibly focused on seasonality, working week by week to bring the most flavour to his menu. – Diana Desensi, Daphne