Where Chefs Eat: 23 Top Chefs on Melbourne’s Best Late-Night Dining

Melbourne’s late-night dining scene got a boost this month with the opening of The Frog Club, the Gilson team’s new bar, grill and dining room on Chapel Street. It’s a welcome throwback to the kind of sumptuous, no-holds-barred style of restaurant where you can order a $380 côte de boeuf till midnight any day of the week. But there’s always been plenty of places to get a feed after most kitchens have closed. And who better to ask than chefs?

Khanh Ong, The George on Collins

Gimlet! For the cheeseburger – to be honest Gimlet any time of the day for anything.

Saavni Krishnan, Saadi

Pizza Pizza Pizza. It’s on our walk at night after work, to where we park our car. When we’re starving, we stop by and pick up a slice (usually two slices if I’m being honest). My go-to is the peri-peri and the original margherita. Every now and then if we organise ourselves really well and plan in advance, we’ll call and place an order for a whole pizza while we’re cleaning down and it’s ready by the time we’re done. It makes the drive home so much nicer.

Sriram Aditya, Saadi

We were recently introduced to Hanbaobao. They make this Chinese-inspired fried chicken burger which uses a hand-rolled sesame bun that’s more like a flatbread. So good!

Shannon Martinez, Smith & Daughters

Seven Star Pocha, open until 2.30am. Nothing quite as good as spicy tteokbokki and kimchi jjigae after a few too many drinks.

Michael McAulay, Yiaga

I love a late dinner reservation at France-Soir. The atmosphere on any given night is perfect, great for a date or a large group. Classic French food done well, with service that is charismatic and sincere.

Kate Reid, Lune

Gimlet. The burger comes on the menu at 10pm – you’re welcome.

Sofia Levin, Masterchef judge

Nana Thai in the CBD. This is mookata hotpot at its finest, and the kitchen doesn’t close until midnight. It’s a bustling, street food-esque atmosphere with a menu to match. Aside from the hotpot, I order larb, grilled ox tongue, grilled pork neck, funky som tum, lotus stem salad with raw prawns, and sticky rice. My mouth is watering just listing those dishes.

Esca Khoo, Tyga

Butchers Diner in the CBD. I get the bacon cheeseburger or the blood pudding egg burger and the crispy handcut chips! So, so good with a can of spritz. It’s the way to end the night after walking all over the city.

Aitor Jeronimo Orive, Basque Txoko

China Bar on Russell Street is great for Cantonese fare and stays open until 4am (although I’m well past the days of staying up until those hours). Before coming back to Melbourne, I lived in Singapore for eight years, which has a huge Cantonese community and really great cuisine from street food to fine dining. I’d always love to get dumplings or Hong Kong-style barbeque for a quick fix after work, and China Bar takes me back to those days.

Ravi Presser, Ruzia’s

As a chef, we would often finish work in the city after midnight and venture down Chinatown for a late-night feed. Sometimes 20 of us would pack into the original Ling Nan. We would order up an absolute storm: XO pippies, roast duck, crispy quail and drink Tsingtaos till the early morning. I still frequent the new venue on Lonsdale Street. All the classics are still amazing, and they have all their original staff as well.

Nat Thaipun, Masterchef 2024 winner

Bar Bellamy. Oysters that you can order late at night in my hood? Yes, please.

Hyoju Park, Madeleine de Proust

Mr Lee’s Foods City. The soondae gukbap and the suyuk are the definition of late-night comfort food. Imagine having a hot boiling soup served in a ddukbaegi, an earthenware pot, on a cold, rainy night. Nothing can beat that.

Hendri Budiman, Juni

Supper Inn. It’s an old classic that’s been around the Melbourne hospitality scene for as long as I can remember. They make the best sweet-and-sour pork ribs, in my opinion.

Robbie Noble, Residence at the Potter

Late night after service I always crave something salty, fatty, spicy and delicious. Beers aren’t necessary, but often welcome after a week of work, so I’d go for Dosirock just off King Street in the CBD. There’s hot rice, kimchi, tofu and pork belly and good quality fried chicken if you so desire. I spent a long time working in the city and it’s a bit of a hidden gem where my chef friends and I would go to eat well and blow off some steam.

Junda Khoo, Ho Jiak

Nana Thai for pad mama and Hong Dae for the pork soup and the cheesy omelette. Supper Inn for the pig’s blood and skin, too.

Ross Lusted, Marmelo

Butchers Diner is the only place for a late-night steak. It is a hospo favourite, so you always bump into someone.

Mino Han, Alt

It has to be Gimlet. I’m always proud to take friends there who haven’t been before. They’re amazed by the atmosphere and the classic flavours. Somehow, it just gets better as the night goes on.

Nornie Bero, Mabu Mabu

Supper Inn. It’s one of those classic spots that’s been around forever and never lets you down when you need something satisfying after hours.

Sarah Chan, Past Port

My go-to is Butchers Diner. They’re open till 2am and when I’m there late, I get the duck heart skewers, and steak and eggs. This is where we got the inspiration for our Early Opener Minute Steak on our Waterside Pub menu.

Audrey Allard, Holy Sugar

Ozzie Kebabs in Preston is open until 3am. I get the lamb kebab and the spinach-and-cheese gozleme, which is my favourite.

Andreas Papadakis, Tipo 00

For something proper and a glass of wine, France-Soir serves every day until midnight. It never fails to cheer me up. For something really tasty, quick and cheerful, it would be Nana Thai in the city.

Charlie Duffy, Small Batch

This one’s probably shown up on a few lists, and for good reason. Butchers Diner hits the spot, and, for me, it’s the steak sandwich every time.

Scott Eddington, Arnolds

It’s pretty much always been and always will be Ling Nan.