14 New Restaurants, Bars and Cafes To Sink Your Teeth Into This October

Openings

• Nina, Northcote. The team behind Fitzroy North wine bar Suze has launched a relaxed pasta restaurant in featuring tyhe famed focaccia.

• Toto Fish Bar, Glen Waverley. Melbourne's best new sushi counter is led by ex-Yugen omakase chef Yu Orita.

• Taho Tayo, Dandenong. Former Etta and Askal chef Matthew Paredes crafts made-to-order taho (warm silken tofu, palm sugar syrup and handmade sago pearls) at this Dandenong market stall.

• Wembley, Yarraville. Sweet and savoury Greek pastries are the star of the show in this full-service cafe, alongside coffees topped with the likes of olive oil cold foam and mastic cold foam.

• Hanoia, Melbourne. Joining a string of new Vietnamese restaurants in the CBD, Hanoia delivers specialties from the nation’s north, including bun cha – rice vermicelli with grilled pork, served in a light broth.

• Fitzroy Oyster House, Fitzroy. From Wednesday to Sunday, the blackboard at this casual Fitzroy wine bar displays up to five different varieties of oyster.

• Kenangan, Melbourne. Iga bakar kecap (eight-hour braised Angus beef ribs) and es puter (coconut milk ice-cream, here served with fermented cassava, black glutinous rice, brioche cubes and tapioca pearls) are just two of the standouts on Kenangan’s menu of Indonesian comfort food. 

• Stefanino Panino, Brunswick. The popular panini store has returned to where it all began after leaving the suburb for a larger shop in Collingwood Yards back in 2023.

• Hotel Sorrento, Sorrento. A suave new dining room and bar has landed in the historic Mornington Peninsula pub, and it treads the line between casual enough to stroll in from the beach and swanky enough to book for a special occasion. 

• Commercial Club Hotel, Fitzroy. Ex-bartender Jackson Morgan has taken custody of the Fitzroy pub, given it a refresh, and reopened with a “pretty simple pub menu” and a new deck in the beer garden. 

• Fluffy Torpedo, Richmond. Cherry Rainflower and Adam Semple are back with their third ice-creamery. Although the new Richmond store errs more serious than its Fitzroy and Brunswick counterparts, elements of whimsy remain.

• Itera, Brunswick. The couple behind CBD bakery Kudo have opened another gluten-free shop, this time with a dine-in menu.

• Bougatsaki, Brunswick. This dedicated bougatsa store serves a range of the flaky filo-based pie filled with semolina vanilla custard, which co-owner Kosta Kostidis describes as akin to “a Greek vanilla slice”.

• Better Now, Brunswick East. Jai Johns, the Cordon Bleu-trained chef who made history as the first vegan contestant on The Great Australian Bake Off, has set up shop on Lygon Street.

Closures 

• Tiny Bar, Brunswick East. As its lease comes to an end, the five-square-metre bar from Jamila Fontana and Zac Shearer has called last drinks and will close on October 9.

• Byrdi, Melbourne. After seven years and countless cocktails, co-owner Luke Whearty announced Byrdi “in its current form” has suddenly closed. 

• Mensho Tokyo, Melbourne. The famous ramen chain shut without warning in August, following what appears to be a dispute with the landlord.