Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Drinks: Where To Eat in Southbank

The NGV and Crown have long drawn visitors to Southbank but, with an influx of new residences and a growing mix of restaurants, bars and cafes, there’s more reason than ever to visit – especially for locals.

As Melbourne Square prepares to open Aura, a 67-storey residence with Japanese-inspired gardens, outdoor barbeque and even a tea house pavilion, a new slate of retail is also set to join the precinct. Just a stone’s throw from the CBD, the suburb is starting to feel like a natural extension of the city, with plenty to offer beyond its main attractions.

Whether you’re visiting for the day or call it home, here are a few of the area’s standouts.

Breakfast and lunch

Start your morning at Olmate’s, a sandwich shop serving deli staples like chicken salad, tuna melts, and ham and cheese toasties alongside more inventive options. One standout is the rogan josh-spiced roast beef paired with coriander, mint chutney and provolone on sourdough, with a side of curry sauce for dipping. There are also breakfast options like an egg frittata tucked into an English muffin, served until 10.30am.

For something different, head to Tatik’s Delights, a small Armenian bakery and cafe on Moray Street. The 12-layer honey cake is a drawcard, made with house-baked honey biscuits and fresh cream. On the savoury side there’s khachapuri (cheese-filled bread from Georgia) and a warmer full of piroshki, doughy hand pies filled with minced beef or potato. 

Dinner

Over the past few years, the riverfront has welcomed a steady stream of new openings, drawing on influences from Australia and further afield. Grant Smillie’s Marmont looks to southern California with a menu that moves between Baja-style fish tacos, buttermilk fried chicken, cornbread with apple butter, and a list of classic cocktails. The space is open air and breezy, with a pastel palette and views across the water.

Inside Crown, Mischa Tropp’s Kolkata Cricket Club takes cues from India’s members clubs with nods to old-school sporting culture paired with spacious, timeless interiors. The menu centres on Bengali flavours, reworked with local produce and often finished over wood fire, with dishes like tender goat curry and zesty seekh kebabs.

For a more intimate setting, Dom Cantonese offers a 10-seat dining experience built around a rotating set menu. Dishes change, but might include Wagyu tofu skin rolls, crispy duck leg with taro, or a sweet, fried egg white soufflé finished with milk tea cream.

Meanwhile, Bar Bouni offers a relaxed take on Lebanese dining within Southbank’s Arts Precinct. The menu is geared towards sharing, with smaller plates like fried whitebait and lamb sambousek (a crunchy fried pastry with meat filling), followed by larger dishes such as charcoal chicken with assorted condiments. There are also daily specials, perfect for locals seeking an approachable mid-week feed.

Drinks

Set on the river, Yarra Botanica is a floating bar pouring exclusively Victorian wines, beers and spirits, alongside a short menu of snacks and pizzas that also highlight local producers. Ponyfish Island, tucked beneath the Evan Walker Bridge, offers a similar waterside vantage point. Cocktails are available on tap and by the jug, making it an easy stop for groups.

If you prefer your spirits neat, Patient Wolf Distilling Co offers tastings and masterclasses centred on its house-made gins, with bottles available to take home.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Melbourne Square.