The new bar in the former Mid Air space has sweeping city views, eastern Mediterranean food from a former Cutler chef and a DJ series curated by Untitled Group.

Enter for whipped sorbet cocktails, vinyl albums played end to end and a sherry thread that spools through a room stamped with galloping horses.

Find seriously refreshing highballs, a retro rum and pineapple creation and more at this laid-back local in the CBD, founded by The Whisky Den team and a former Nomad Group bartender.

With fun drinks, a 3am licence and Funktion-One speakers (like Berghain), the three-floor bar and club has everything it needs for good times.

In a heritage building on Tattersalls Lane, this moody bar is all about late-nights, good times and killer cocktails. Come on weekends for DJs and a decent chance of a boogie.

The rooftop bar is another accomplishment from the brains behind Askal and Kariton Sorbetes. Find experimental cocktails highlighting Filipino flavours, plus snacky dishes like feijoa jam on a toasted Chinese doughnut.

Morena’s more casual offshoot by Peruvian-born chef Alejandro Saravia nods to Latin American wine bars where things get a bit more playful. You’ll find Chilean smoked mussels, Venezuelan spanner crab arepas and a drinks list showcasing the region.

Spain’s late-night dining culture is alive at this moody basement bar by two top Sydney restaurateurs. Come for Iberian snacks and a banging tomato and anchovy oil Martini.

A cafe by day and cocktail bar by night, from one of Melbourne’s top coffee roasters. Come early for brunch or later for coffee-spiked cocktails, Victorian wines and snacky plates (think roasted bone marrow on toast).

One of the city’s most prolific bar owners is behind this pint-sized bar and bottle-o. Like a mini wine library, Bijou invites you to grab a table, peruse its floor-to-ceiling wine shelves and settle in to watch the world go by.

The rooftop bar at the Quincy Hotel on Flinders Street offers 360-degree views of Melbourne CBD, all the way to the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay. Come for cocktails and small plates inspired by the punchy flavours of Southeast Asia.

Melbourne bustle meets upscale New York charm at this sprawling heritage pub. Across four levels, find upscale pub fare, mezcal-spiked cocktails, a rooftop, and a comedy cellar reminiscent of New York’s famous Comedy Cellar.

This tranquil bolthole amid the bustle of Chinatown is built on the motto “drink less, drink better”. It’s pouring small-batch whiskies and a tight list of cocktails. Why not stay for just one – or two?

This dark and moody spot celebrates a bygone era of late-night drinking and dining. Come for an inventive cocktail menu inspired by Beethoven’s fifth symphony, rare spirits and wild boar croquettes.

In a timber-panelled room that feels of another time, get ready for four types of Martini, a daily menu of shellfish on ice, and a stand-out crème caramel dessert.

This sake bar wants to make the Japanese fermented rice drink more accessible. Soak up sparkling, fruit-driven and more savoury sakes over ice, on a tasting flight or in a sharp cocktail. You’ll also find fried-fish sandos and gingery dumplings.

The dark, moody bar highlights American wines alongside greats from Australia and France. Stop by for a glass and bar snacks, and experience part of the historical CBD space.

Relaxed sushi counter by day, omakase by night - Sachi is at once accessible and precise. All ingredients used are either fresh from Australian waters or imported from Japan, ensuring the highest quality.

Set menus start at just $34 per person, featuring made-to-order handrolls by a former Nobu chef in the old Tivoli Arcade.

Pulling from lesser represented culinary corners of Thailand, the chefs behind Boonchoou are showing just how varied Thai cuisine can be.

Food truck Dingo Ate My Taco finally set up permanent shop as Taqueria Sin Nombre in 2025. You'll find rich Mexican eats and a tight cocktail list complete with mezcals.

People’s complaints about the lack of booze and seating at tiny CBD oyster bar Muli Express drove its owners to open Stop Whining, two doors down. It keeps the petite charm of its older sibling, with more seafood, wine and seats.

This pub peddles hearty – and affordable – fare from both sides of the English Channel, backed up by a cracking drinks list. That careful curation extends to the bottle shop, too.

Saadi was one of the city’s favourite pop-ups before it finally found a permanent home. Visit the space that once housed Sunda for a pan-Indian menu informed by chefs Saavni Krishnan and Sriram Aditya’s childhoods.

A contemporary Southeast Asian beer hall from Sydney chef Junda Khoo featuring riffs on classic Malaysian dishes at wallet-friendly prices.

This Thai Chinese restaurant is inspired by Yaowarat Road in Bangkok's Chinatown. Find street food like deep-fried corn and tofu skin rolls among kra paos and Thai-style congee.

Unlike its sibling Tipo 00, Harriot leans more towards France than Italy – courtesy of head chef James Kelly, who's cooked throughout Europe. Come for French-ish classical cooking starring Victorian produce and a deep and thoughtful wine list.

This wine house wants to make rare wines more accessible. Pick from 1500 wines in its tome-like list – most are available by the glass. And snack on the European-leaning menu and cheese offering.

This spot serves hard-to-find fiery curries, herbaceous stir-fries and pentai bean dishes – nicknamed “stink beans” – typical of southern Thailand. Plus, find comforting chicken and turmeric soup and other rare regional Thai dishes.

Pop into this nostalgic store for crisp and fluffy pizza by the slice, topped with produce from Queen Victoria Market next door. Don’t miss the crowd-favourite chicken schnitzel sanga with homemade pistachio pesto.

From acclaimed chef Michael Lambie comes this fun pan-Asian diner and cocktail bar. Come with a group and tackle classic Asian dishes, Lambie originals and cocktails riffing on Southeast Asian desserts.

The casual CBD diner offers a modern take on the Thai barbeque-hotpot hybrid moo kata. Find fatty pork belly, A5 Wagyu from Miyazaki and bingsu served in hollowed-out watermelons for dessert.

At R Harn, the duo behind beloved Thai restaurant Soi 38 have turned their attention to the Malay-influenced cuisine of southern Thailand. Come for stir-fries, dry curries and familiar noodle dishes with a southern spin.

Showing that Korean food is more than just barbeque. At Sot, an ex-Nobu chef serves inventive spins on Korean classics – like K-style beef tartare, ceviche in chilled gochujang broth and a panna cotta spin-off.

Inside an old bluestone home, two Ottolenghi-cred chefs are having fun with old-school British recipes. Think ramen Scotch eggs, Welsh rarebit crumpets and Yorkshire tea punch cocktails.

A Portuguese restaurant from a powerhouse Sydney hospo couple, with views out over Russell Street. Come for elevated takes on Iberian classics (with an emphasis on Victorian produce), then head downstairs to sibling bar Mr Mills for a nightcap.

Delicate broths and two-week-aged noodles are the specialty here, with styles ranging from asari clam shoyu ramen to A5 Wagyu ramen.

Since it first opened in 1981, this Malaysian fried chicken chain has gained a cult following around the world. At its second Melbourne spot, order sell-out spicy fried chicken, nasi lemak and its famous cheesy wedges with mayo.

Here, the couple behind well-loved tonkatsu spot Ton & Co serve crisp, golden panko-coated Japanese tonkatsu. Plus, find oyster and prawn katsu options.

One of Melbourne’s top fishmonger families is behind this crustacean haven. It’s about as close as you’ll get to an oyster bar in the city, and it’s also got congee, lobster rolls and more.

This restaurant specialises in Thai curry noodle soup khao soi. Find it topped with flame-seared salmon, Wagyu and the restaurant’s popular fried chicken. It’s also a dessert-lovers haven with Thai milk tea bingsu and more.

This is top Sydney chef Luke Mangan’s love letter to French cuisine. Enjoy New Zealand salmon cold-smoked in-house and a Calvados-soaked apple tarte tatin alongside a French-inspired cocktail list with eight Martinis.

This day-to-night brasserie, by two established cafe owners, has a breakfast and brunch offering that would fit comfortably at any of their other venues. But its French-style lunch and dinner menus feature steak frites and hamburgers.

Book well in advance for this 10-seat omakase spot, which breaks all the right rules of Japanese cuisine. The nigiri-focused menu mixes in Italian and Malaysian flavours, and includes a rare omakase cocktail pairing.

Two of Melbourne's top hospitality players are behind this not-so-average sushi train. Come and pluck plates of tuna nigiri, seared bonito and eggplant agebitashi as they travel around a 28-seat train.

Get celebrated Sydney chef Junda Khoo’s laksa bombs here – the last in Khoo’s trilogy of Melbourne restaurants. It’s not fusion or fine dining, but a playful and cheeky take on Malaysian food.

Lee Ho Fook chef Victor Liong turns his attention to flavours from central Asia, northern India and the Middle East in lunchtime salads, dumplings and rice bowls.

Il Mercato Centrale brings the best of Italy to Melbourne’s CBD with 23 food vendors selling fresh produce, pasta and booze. Come for the shopping, then stay for a market-style lunch of pizza, piadina, gelato and more.

Here, owner-chef Mika Chae (a distant relative of chef Jung Eun Chae) draws inspiration from top Korean restaurants and modern Australian fare. Come for marron with garlic butter, or Korean hwae (a Jeju Island-style raw fish dish).

A team of seasoned hospo pros, including ex-Lume and Sunda chef John Rivera, are behind this unadultered Filipino restaurant. Try elevated takes on Filipino mainstays including sisig, lechon and halo-halo.

This 25-seat restaurant is run by a husband-and-wife duo who met while working at Nobu. Order the signature hamburger curry udon, hibachi-grilled yakitori and salmon tartare alongside yuzu cocktails and sake.

Head down the laneway next to the GPO for Thai barbeque, towers of beer and hard-to-find bar snacks such as deep-fried duck beaks. Cocktail buckets, live music and a midnight license keep the fun vibes going all night.

This Indian diner walks the line between classic and contemporary. Enjoy extravagant dishes from Kerala in the south to Punjab in the north-west, set amongst luxe leather booths and gold ceiling lights. Its well-loved owner also runs Masti in Fitzroy and Eastern Spice in Geelong.

At this homely restaurant, find popular Thai dishes alongside lesser-known Phuket delicacies. Bring a group and order comforting dishes like pad thai and tom yum as well as specialties including snail coconut southern curry.

The first Australian location for the revered global ramen chain brings its signature tori paitan soup to Melbourne's CBD. Expect lines around the block for one of its 28 seats, and be rewarded inside with six different ramen options, snacks and sake pairings.

The espresso machine stays on till late. But coffee’s not the prime focus at this all-day Lebanese eatery, where you can tuck into a selection of house-made hummus, cured kingfish with toum, snapper with spiced tahini, and more.

You know the old-school, untouched-for-decades diners dotted all over the US? This CBD spot is a slick recreation of those retro relics. Go for syrupy pancake stacks, loaded brekkie muffins and filter coffee in classic diner mugs.

This sky-high bar – adjoining Atria in The Ritz-Carlton – harks back to the days when hotel bars were at their most fashionable. The elegant 30-seat spot shakes up antique cocktails using 100-year-old spirits.

Two hospitality veterans are behind this small but mighty Greek diner. Order hard-to-find classics like sweetbreads and slow-cooked lamb. Plus, ultra-thick traditional Greek coffee, carafes of wines and beer.

Led by a former Vue de Monde chef, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel’s glamorous 80th-storey restaurant eschews a set menu for the flexibility of à la carte. Come for vegetables cooked with love, a focused wine list, sharp cocktails and, of course, the views.

There are nearly 100 ingredients to choose from at this hotpot joint, and you’ll never lose them in the broth again – just press a button and a hotpot lift will bring all your Wagyu, fish balls and veggies back to the surface.

Descend the art deco staircase inside Melbourne's Le Meridien hotel to find a European restaurant imbued with the glamour of yesteryear. It's all about classic European fare, from a signature beef Wellington to bombe Alaska torched tableside.

Right opposite the Queen Vic Market, this vegetarian restaurant has its roots in Mediterranean wine culture. Enjoy the Burgundian-style beetroot sausage or empanada gallega (fino pastry filled with potato and tomato) with something from the mostly-vegan wine list.

There are still constant queues during the dinner rush at this buzzing Thai diner. The pay-off is some of Melbourne’s best (and spiciest) Thai food, including more than a dozen kinds of papaya salad, a crowd-pleasing tom yum with instant noodles and mookata, the signature hotpot-barbeque hybrid.

Soak up one of Thailand’s most-loved street foods at this laidback, family-run restaurant. It turns out nine versions of chicken rice, including the original with tender skin-on chicken, alongside fragrant rice, cucumber and tao jiew (fermented soybean sauce). Plus, find cold Thai beers, fun cocktails and Australian wines.

The sequel to Mr Ramen San's original flagship brings a condensed menu featuring all the hakata-style favourites. Order fast-served bowls of chashu-topped ramen in a silky 12-hour cooked pork broth, or a soup-less bowl of mazesoba ramen. Plus, free noodle top-ups and Japanese beers on tap. Kanpai.

An intimate omakase experience from a group behind Michelin-starred restaurants. Perch at the counter for nine theatrical courses or commandeer the eight-person private dining room. Dishes might include saltwater eel, green-tea soba noodles or decadent Wagyu and foie gras katsu – all expertly paired with Japanese sake.

The entirely halal diner specialises in Gansu cuisine from northern China. In particular, deeply comforting Lanzhou beef noodle soups with a clear, consommé-like broth and hand-pulled wheat noodles available in nine different widths.

A classy Italian restaurant complete with white tablecloths, private booths, and comforting Italian fare. Order saucy, spicy vodka fusilli with whipped ricotta and breadcrumbs for mains, and baked cheesecake for dessert.

A moody laneway pasta bar that well and truly covers the classics – think cacio e pepe pici and guanciale-studded carbonara. Yet it's by no means true to tradition, also serving bright-green seaweed pappardelle with abalone.

Gothic vaulted ceilings, stained windows and solid granite columns define this grand brasserie, in the former Melbourne Stock Exchange. Order freshly-shucked oysters from the raw bar, top-grade beef and cheese from the roving trolley.

Located in the heart of Melbourne's CBD, office workers are loyal to the second Tori's outpost for their fresh pastry and ceremonial-grade matcha fix.

Every cup of ceremonial-grade matcha is whisked-to-order at this CBD cafe. They are served alongside crepe cakes and tarts that incorporate French technique with Japanese flavour profiles.

The Cantonese rice rolls are better at the first Australian outpost for the popular Chinese franchise. Here, cheung fun is made-to-order and comes with fillings beyond the yum cha classics.

The creators of a future-classic puppy cake dessert have opened their third shop in the old Black Star Pastry site in Melbourne’s CBD. Come for the signature puppy cake, plus a surrealist mandarin number and an exclusive chocolate dessert.

Among a strong selection of Asian-inspired viennoiserie, you’ll also find focaccia pizza for lunch and specialty drinks that can be served with three baby croissants on a skewer.

This family-run spot has a big focus on single-origin brews. Stop in for a grab-and-go coffee and pastry, or nab a stool facing the barista station and soak up the morning.

Hector's Deli brings its North American-style sangas to the city suits at its fourth Melbourne site. Perch at the timber bench for signatures like the tuna melt, salad sandwich, or fried chicken potato bun. Or, opt for the meatball sub, a CBD-only special.

A Masterchef alum (and his family) is behind this popular dessert spot. Find more than 150 desserts – including cakes in flavours like pandan, coconut, mango and almond. Grab a seat by the kitchen and watch the team at work.

Hareruya is Japanese for “sunny shop”. Here, follow the billowing, traditional Japanese noren curtain inside for takeaway bento boxes, bouncy steamed buns, egg salad sandos and experimental gelato flavours.

It feels like your grandma’s lounge room – in the best way. And in true grandma style, it’s nailed the art of afternoon tea. Go for Japanese shortcake and Basque burnt cheesecake by the slice, plus topnotch matcha and matcha madeleines.

This spot, by a trio of Melbourne cafe legends, has a neighbourhood famiresu (family restaurant) vibe. Find katsu curry Benedict with house-made spam and Japanese curry hollandaise, AM Bakehouse pastries and whisked-to-order matcha.

Thai dining stalwart Longrain is behind this pop-up canteen. It’s all about grab-and-go dishes, including a caramelised pork bun and a hot and sour prawn salad. Plus, Thai desserts to go.

Move over froyo. This Tokyo-born dessert haven, backed by Le Bajo Milkbar's owner, serves soft kakigori. The cult shaved-ice dessert comes layered with syrup, crumble, foam and diced fruit (and includes a “Rare Cheese” flavour).

This Sydney-born bakery quickly became a Melbourne favourite. Try inventive croissants (think pina colada; rose and pistachio) and savoury bites like Japanese chicken pie. And, of course, the mega-famous strawberry-watermelon cake.

Sweet tooths luck out at this dessert cafe, which serves cloud-like Japanese soufflé pancakes. Come for fluffy stacks (in flavours like tiramisu or honey) topped with its signature custard-y mascarpone cream and house-made sodas.

First-time operators draw on “mindful hospitality” to create a calm and minimalist spot in the former Rustica space. Come for slow-cooked Japanese curry and a strawberry shortcake with a “cloud-like” cream.

Welcome to matcha heaven, where cookies, chiffon cake, babka and more are all given a splash of green. There’s also ceremonial-grade matcha and ice-cream from Kori.

Look for the rabbits to find this small bakery, which nods to Korea’s many self-service cafes. Head in for dramatic pastries and theatrical drinks. Think “lava” pandoros, matcha-chocolate canelés and purple sweet potato lattes.

This casual Korean eatery serves up hard-to-find dishes like yukhoe bibimbap and mandu-guk. The menu runs the full gamut of flavours and textures, from fermented and fiery to crisp, cool and refreshing.

The viral self-taught baker behind Raya has caught the attention of Vogue and MoMA. Come for singular cakes, jumbo cookies, and the signature kuih (petite, glutinous desserts with mung bean paste, coconut and more).

The ambitious cafe – by the hospo heavyweight behind Dessous, Hazel and Liminal – features a menu from 10 star chefs. Find cumin-lamb pancakes with chilli oil, a Portuguese pork sanga and an ube waffle with whipped Pepe Saya butter.

You might’ve noticed the fans lining out the door to try the internet-famous soufflé pancakes. Inside, try its famously rich and fluffy pancakes, including the bestselling Boba Brûlée Bomb, which is finished with blowtorched caramelised custard.

A day-to-night bakehouse and brasserie serving sourdough and laminated pastries in the mornings, and refined dishes by an ex-Gimlet chef around lunch. It’s by the group behind Sunda and Aru.

This Indonesian sandwich and coffee shop (by an ex-Navi sous-chef) serves Aussie cafe favourites with Indo flair. Find gado gado sandwiches, sambal-spiked Filet-o-Fish and sweets like kaya crullers. Plus, Dukes coffee all day.

The Filipino cafe’s fluffy, yeasted triple-ube doughnuts take three days to make. Plus, come for Caramilk crullers, ube bombolones, “Filipino banh mi” and a twist on a McMuffin.

Sift through archival Prada, Miu Miu, and McQueen in this light-filled sanctuary of pre-loved designer garments. It’s all expertly curated by a Melbourne-born graduate of New York’s Parsons School of Design.

Cup, cone or tub from the vending machine? You can have it all at Kori, a Japanese-inspired ice-creamery by ex-Tonka and Luxbite pastry chefs. Scoop up flavours like Hokkaido cheesecake, white-sesame, tofu-vanilla and more.

Find Filipino flavours at this playful dessert spot in Chinatown. Its menu is projected onto the curved, sky-blue ceiling. And it has flavours like ube (purple yam), mango float and champorado (rice pudding) – in scoops, tubs or pillowy bread buns.

This store has been selling American vintage clothes, shoes and accessories since the early 2000s. Find colourful staples, as well as more unusual pieces, from the ’80s through to the Y2K era, all set against the art deco backdrop of the iconic Nicholas Building. Its Brunswick Street store is also worth your time.