The Best Restaurants in Melbourne’s CBD
There’s an enormous concentration of restaurants in Melbourne’s CBD. Many, like Reine and Gimlet, are high end, catering to business people and affluent theatregoers. But the big student population also means an abundance of more affordable places, from the late-night Butcher’s Diner to the group friendly Malaysian restaurant Ho Liao.
Whatever your budget, occasion or preferred cuisine, this guide can help. The next time you’re on Flinders Street with hunger pangs, hit this list of the city’s best restaurants, curated by Broadsheet’s expert food and drink editors.
Chinatown
East End
West End
Legal District
Fed Square
Chinatown
Restaurant
Flower Drum
If you’re after the gold standard for Cantonese cuisine in the city, look no further. Flower Drum’s been serving it since 1975. Its low-lit, seductive ambience and consistently impeccable service are reasons to visit alone.
Restaurant
Askal
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.
Restaurant
Boonchoou
Pulling from lesser represented culinary corners of Thailand, the chefs behind Boonchoou are showing just how varied Thai cuisine can be.
Restaurant
Taqueria Sin Nombre
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.
Cafe
The European
Classic, charming and welcoming are the three best words for this perennially popular bistro opposite Parliament House. Order snacks, a bottle from neighbouring City Wine Shop, and watch the city go by.
Restaurant
Grill
Florentino’s downstairs sibling is a casual, Tuscan-inspired steakhouse powered by a Josper grill. Grill dials down the formality and grandeur, yet retains the mothership’s passion for outstanding produce and Italian values.
Restaurant
Longrain
Longrain started in Sydney in ’95 and came to Melbourne a decade later. Since then, it’s been at the forefront of contemporary Thai dining here. Order a banquet and try favourites like caramelised pork belly and som tam salad.
Restaurant
Bomba
You can choose your own adventure at Bomba. Come for tapas and imported Spanish wines at the restaurant downstairs, or escape to the fifth-floor rooftop for cocktails and DJs every weekend. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
Restaurant
Dom’s Social Club
A three-storey Italian joint geared for good times. Head to the first floor for a woodfired pizza feast, or up again to the public bar for lambrusco and pool. The rooftop is one of the city’s best spots to drink with a view.
Restaurant
Soi 38
This Thai street-food spot is a cult Melbourne fave. Brave the queues for pad krapow, aromatic boat noodles, spicy papaya salads, crying tiger (slow-cooked and grilled beef brisket), mixed Thai hotpot and more.
Restaurant
BKK
Small, lively and theatrical, this barbeque-powered Thai restaurant is a top spot to try dishes from all over the country, paired with highly complementary beers, wines and cocktails.
Restaurant
Her Bar
Open till very late on weekends, this swish, marble-clad bar and diner is your first port of call at the five-storey Pacific House building. Come for Mediterranean-inspired plates and tapped cocktails before hitting the rooftop.
Restaurant
Punch Lane
This wine-slinging laneway bar was one of Melbourne’s first. Since 1994, it’s developed a loyal following for its expansive wine list, reliable service and Euro-leaning share plates (including an off-menu Portuguese fish stew).
Restaurant
Thai Tide
A neon-lit Thai diner serving dishes rarely seen outside the country. Order punchy betel leaf wraps, caramelly mackerel and ant larvae soup. Plus, there are lo-fi Australian wines and disposable cameras to capture your night.
Restaurant
China Chilli
Bring a group and choose your adventure at this moody, red-lit Sichuan diner. Feast on all-you-can-eat hotpot cooked at your table. Or order go-to dishes like Sichuan lamb ribs, kung pao chicken and dan dan noodles.
Restaurant
West Lake
A Chinese institution, West Lake has weathered the test of Chinatown's high turnover rates for decades. There’s excellent all-day yum cha, then tasty classics like scallops in XO sauce and stir-fried vegetables until well past midnight. Late-night cravings? Satisfy them here.
Restaurant
Secret Kitchen CBD
You can’t walk past the live seafood tank – one of the largest in the city – without doing a double-take. This Cantonese joint specialises in fresh seafood and seats up to 150 people. Aside from the seafood, the rest of the menu has the usual dim sum favourites. You might eat Peking duck pancakes, fried rice in an omelette pouch, and steamed buns decorated like piglets.
Restaurant
Hutong Dumpling Bar CBD
Its revered xiao long bao has drawn crowds since it opened in 2008. Other favourites include spicy wonton and pan-fried dumplings. A reliable classic for no-fuss, high quality dumplings.
Restaurant
Mr Ramen San Midcity Centre
A bastion of exemplary Hakata-style ramen in the city centre. Visit for house-made noodles, consistently excellent broths and a creation known simply as the “cocktail draft beer”. If you drink too many, do as the shop prescribes: keep calm, eat ramen.
Restaurant
Yulongfu
This Shanghai-style restaurant’s recipe for xiao long bao has been passed down through the family for more than a century. Get the black truffle and pork version, plus pan-fried pork buns, chicken wontons in chilli-sesame oil and more.
Restaurant
Bottega
The tables at Bottega spill out onto the footpath much like they would in Rome or Florence, luring in passers-by with an energetic atmosphere. Mains usually feature produce from owner Denis Lucey’s farm, while an expertly curated wine list offers around 150 bottles from both Australia and Italy.
Restaurant
Shandong Mama
You’ll find some of the best dumplings in town in an arcade off Chinatown. Don’t let the long line deter you. The staff at this stripped back, all-day Chinese diner keep the queues moving quickly. Shandong is known for its seafood so be sure to add a plate to the order.
Restaurant
Supper Inn
Supper Inn is a BYO Melbourne institution. Just ask Melbourne’s top chefs – especially after a closing shift. Cantonese food at its best, and least pretentious. Come for chicken congee, XO pippies with Chinese doughnuts and roasted suckling pig.
Restaurant
SPQR Pizzeria
An award-winning woodfired pizza joint from one of the guys behind Movida, Rosa’s Canteen and Lee Ho Fook. The pizzas have a sourdough base that’s fermented overnight, then blasted in the custom-made furnace for peak crispiness. And its gnocchi is also worth your time.
Restaurant
Chef David
This 160-seater used to be a hotpot spot, but now it's a grill-yourself Sichuan restaurant. Come for sizzling skewers, whole grilled cod and dozens of side dishes.
Restaurant
Lupino Bistro
The retro feel – complete with macramé and terracotta accents – is part of what makes this classic CBD bistro so great. But it’s the crowd-pleasing menu of pizza, pasta and secondi that keeps diners coming back for all manner of occasions.
Restaurant
Thai Town
This grand Thai restaurant wears a few colourful hats. It aims to bring the street food cultures of Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai to one 200-seat space. Get pantry staples such as salted egg cakes and durian crisps, or grab a seat for charred pork skewers, tom yum soup, boat noodles and Thai beers.
Restaurant
Dragon Hot Pot
Cheap, delicious and fun, as all great malatang joints should be. Fill your golden pot with meat, tofu, noodles and vegetables from the self-serve fridge, then bathe your spoils in hot-and-sour Sichuan-style broth.
Restaurant
Pepe’s Italian & Liquor
Pepe’s is a New York-inspired Italian restaurant. The space has all the terrazzo floors, plump leather booths and dim lighting you could ask for. So grab a Martini, take a seat in one of those booths and scan the menu. Clams Casino? Veal parmigiana? A hot-fudge sundae? It’s hard to go wrong.
Restaurant
Bodega Underground
This dim, characterful basement serves a wide range of proper tacos until 3am every night of the week. Do you even need to know more? Okay: there are over 70 mezcals and 20 tequilas on the back bar.
Restaurant
Ling Nan
Offering no-nonsense Cantonese dining in the heart of the CBD, Ling Nan has been satisfying Melbourne’s late-night cravings for around three decades. New location, same must-order XO pippies.
Restaurant
Bossa Nova Sushi
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.
Restaurant
Shujinko
Shujinko is as close as you’ll get to Tokyo in Melbourne’s Chinatown. At this unpretentious noodle house, you can enjoy Tonkotsu-style ramen until late seven days a week. Some gyoza, beer and sake also come recommended.
Restaurant
Ippudo
The world-famous chain has been perfecting its ramen since 1985. It’s loved for its signature hakata ramen (a rich, creamy, pork bone broth with chewy noodles) while its tonkotsu akamaru shinaji ramen is made from a 25-year-old recipe.
Restaurant
Ruyi
A high-end restaurant serving contemporary Chinese fare in a Melbourne laneway. Though many of these dishes aim to elevate tradition, there’s plenty of nostalgia to be found in xiao long bao and soft-shell crab.
Restaurant
Dainty Sichuan Hot Pot
Settle in at the north side counterpart to this South Yarra institution. The Chongqing noodles are legendary. Expect elastic, chewy noodles; baby bok choy; and a chicken and chilli broth with an incredible depth of flavour and spice – both numbing and burning.
Restaurant
Mesa Verde
This bar and restaurant inside Curtin House is all about agave-based spirits – but the food's no afterthought. Baja-style rockling tacos, achiote chicken quesadillas and Mexican doughnuts with salted espresso dulce de leche all go dangerously well with a margarita or the spicy riff on a pina colada.
Restaurant
Shanghai Village
This double-storey dumpling house is a Melbourne institution. Follow the vast red door to find its iconic pink walls and steaming hot plates of dumplings coming from the kitchen. There’s a sizeable menu of both fried and steamed dumplings, which you might order with Shanghai fried rice and Chinese broccoli drizzled in oyster sauce.
Restaurant
Nana Thai
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.
Restaurant
Khaosan Lane
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.
Restaurant
Khao
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.
Restaurant
Katsuretsu Co
Here, the couple behind well-loved tonkatsu spot Ton & Co serve crisp, golden panko-coated Japanese tonkatsu. Plus, find oyster and prawn katsu options.
Restaurant
Aunglo
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.
Restaurant
Muli Express
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.
Restaurant
Yaowarat
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.
East End
Restaurant
Gimlet at Cavendish House
Andrew McConnell's signature flair is all over this grand bar and dining room, from the exacting service to the comforting European dishes. It’s named after the classic cocktail, and the calibre of drinks here speaks to that. You’ll find us at the marble bar, Gimlet in hand.
Restaurant
Embla
Nominally it’s a wine bar, but Embla’s charms are far more profound than those two words suggest. Come here for some of the city’s best food, paired with an idiosyncratic wine list poured by staff who give a damn.
Restaurant
Movida
Frank Camorra’s flagship restaurant is responsible for igniting Melbourne’s love for contemporary Spanish food. The menu of tapas and raciones is designed to be shared. Order standouts such as braised beef cheek, air-dried Wagyu and anchovy with smoked tomato sorbet.
Restaurant
Movida Next Door
The little sibling to Movida aims to deliver a classic tapas experience not unlike what you’d find in Spain. Sit at the bar, have some sherry and work your way through the tapas and racion menu – without next-door’s big-room energy.
Restaurant
Saadi
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.
Restaurant
Ho Jiak
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.
Restaurant
Coda
It’s tricky to pin down Coda’s flavour-punching dishes. Modern Asian? Euro-Vietnamese fusion? Pop in pre-theatre for some scallops and a glass of wine, or do your next special occasion here. Coda is supremely versatile, and one of Melbourne’s best.
Restaurant
Nomad
This sequel to one of Sydney’s top restaurants has the same magic, but with the distinctly Victorian spin. Descend into the smart basement for fire-driven European cuisine, plus a renowned charcuterie program.
Restaurant
Supernormal
Beautifully executed Japanese (and other east Asian cuisines) by celebrated chef Andrew McConnell. Come for Melbourne's most famous lobster roll, steaming bowls of ramen at lunch, Korean-style barbequed meats and Shanghai dumplings.
Restaurant
Maison Batard
This sprawling four-level dining destination is where you’ll find a supper club, terrace bar and silver service French restaurant offering lighter takes on French bistro classics.
Restaurant
Grill Americano
Venetian elegance, New York energy and Melbourne nostalgia collide at restaurateur Chris Lucas’s lavish brasserie and grill. Settle into the grand dining room for charcoal-fired bistecca, show-stopping tiramisu, quintessentially Italian cocktails and lots of tableside theatrics.
Restaurant
Reed House
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.
Restaurant
Ho Liao
A contemporary Southeast Asian beer hall from Sydney chef Junda Khoo featuring riffs on classic Malaysian dishes at wallet-friendly prices.
Restaurant
Marmelo
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.
Restaurant
Kafeneion
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.
Restaurant
Kisume
This is one of Melbourne's best Japanese restaurants. It's certainly its most ambitious. There's a New York-style sushi bar at street level, a pumping izakaya-style basement and an upstairs private dining room – Kuro – for intimate kaiseki-style meals.
Restaurant
Society
At this sprawling restaurant by Chris Lucas, there’s an experience for just about every taste. Grab a seat at the marble bar for cocktails, sit in the chandelier-lit dining room to try the luxe European menu, or book one of the striking private dining rooms.
Restaurant
Lillian Brasserie
Set inside Chris Lucas’s fine diner, Society, this European-inspired brasserie retains the strong seafood focus of its sibling, but offers it in a more casual space primed for long lunches and late-night cocktails. Pull up at the bar for signature drinks and exceptional drops from Society’s peerless wine cellar.
Restaurant
Yakimono
Enter the cyberpunk facade to find Chris Lucas’s two-level Japanese diner. Watch chefs turn skewered meat over jumping flames, slurp your noodles and call it good manners (it is in Japan), and sip cocktails named after Tokyo’s neighbourhoods.
Restaurant
Tonka
Indian flavours are far too uncommon at the top-end of dining, an issue Tonka has been smartly redressing for years. The wine list is a cracker, but we're more partial to the smart cocktail menu and its wealth of refreshing, South Asian-inspired mixes.
Bar
Bar Lourinha
Matt McConnell, brother of Andrew, is behind this top-of-the-city bolthole. Calling it a tapas bar wouldn't do justice to the delicacy and thoughtfulness of what appears on either the short regular menu, the expansive specials list, or what's poured by the bar's excellent staff.
Restaurant
Lee Ho Fook
From the mind of acclaimed chef Victor Liong, this diner reimagines traditional Chinese flavours through a refined modern lens. Look for it down a graffiti-covered alley off Flinders Lane.
Restaurant
Mamasita
There were Mexican restaurants before Mamasita, but it was the first one to bring a faithful representation to Melbourne. The “hot babe” has been around since 2010, but its grilled corn and flavoursome tacos still attract queues.
Restaurant
Tres a Cinco
This lively cantina is all about home-style Mexican. Expect beef tacos exactly how they’re served in Mexico, prawn-and-chorizo tamales and a jiggly chocolate flan. Plus: eight different Margaritas and hard-to-find agave spirits.
Restaurant
Kenzan
Some of the city’s finest sushi and sashimi is served at Kenzan’s intimate 12-seat counter. And in the main and private dining rooms, à la carte Japanese standards ranging from sukiyaki to shabu-shabu. A Melbourne institution since 1981.
Restaurant
Ishizuka
At this elegant 16-seat Japanese fine diner, which is inside a giant paper lantern in a Bourke Street basement, you'll find one of the best kaiseki – a traditional degustation-style multi-course meal – experiences in town.
Restaurant
Philippe
Victorian-bred steaks fired over Japanese coals. A rotisserie chicken so good it’s never left the menu. And a wine list that eschews quantity for quality. Chef-owner Philippe Mouchel’s signature is all over this basement bistro in more ways than one.
Restaurant
Di Stasio Citta
The CBD sequel to restaurateur Rinaldo Di Stasio's St Kilda institution goes just as heavy on the hand-made pastas. But it also throws high art into the mix, with video installations and dramatic artworks lining the walls of the restaurant’s brutalist, contemporary interior.
Restaurant
Farmer’s Daughters
This three-storey love letter to Gippsland and its produce is by Alejandro Saravia, the chef behind CBD classic Pastuso. There's a deli with house-made pastrami rolls; a suave restaurant with a focus on cooking with flames; and a greenhouse-like rooftop oasis.
Restaurant
Magic Mountain Saloon
A neon-lit Thai joint serving fun, modern twists on the country’s cuisine. Whether you’re here for bottomless brunch or a late-night snack, there are plenty of versatile spaces to drink and dine in. The mezzanine hosts DJs most nights of the week.
Restaurant
Meatmaiden
This dim basement is a cross between a barbeque joint and steakhouse. From the former genre, there’s 20-hour Rangers Valley brisket smoked over ironbark. From the latter, steaks from O’Connor Beef and Rangers Valley dry-aged in-house.
Restaurant
Chin Chin
The fiery Southeast Asian diner Melburnians and tourists have been queuing for since 2011. So why's it still such a hit after all these years? The service remains fast and efficient; the energy is always high; and Benjamin Cooper's food continues to nail that sweet spot between flavour, tradition and fun.
Restaurant
San Telmo
Argentina loves beef like no other country on earth. Get a taste of its culture here, with help from O’Connor Beef fired on a custom Parrilla charcoal grill. There are usually a handful of steaks on the menu, alongside chicken, lamb, fish and creative sides.
Restaurant
Il Solito Posto
Choose your own adventure at this cosy underground institution. If you fancy casual Italian dining, pull up a table in the cafeteria opposite the bar. For a more refined atmosphere, make your way to the dimly lit trattoria lined with bottles of vino.
Restaurant
Il Bacaro
At this CBD stalwart, you'll find old-school service, a lengthy wine list and plenty of classic Italian charm. Dishes here have a Venetian focus, and include a zucchini risotto plus a signature Moreton Bay bug spaghettini. For drinks, opt for a classic Bellini or a parmesan-infused Martini.
Restaurant
Juni
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.
Restaurant
Cecconi’s
Luxury and tradition collide at Cecconi’s, where Venetian food is the star of the show. The kitchen grows its own herbs, fruit and vegetables to use across the board, be it a seasonal risotto or garlicky seafood linguine.
Restaurant
La Madonna
The Next Hotel's in-house diner makes a strong case for hotel dining. The menu skews Italian – with stracciatella, Wagyu bresaola, pan-fried gnocchi and a knockout Campari-glazed roasted duck. There’s also an intimate barrel room producing aged Negronis and Martinis, and a grandiose cheese-and-charcuterie cabinet.
Restaurant
Polepole Kitchen
The vibes are high as this African-inspired beer and barbeque joint. Go for its fried chicken ribs with turmeric sour cream and curried goat with pomegranate. Plus, plenty of refreshing lagers.
Restaurant
The George on Collins
A reliable drinking den for many years. Located in the iconic Georges’ Collins Street building, this spacious New York-style basement restaurant is all leather and velvet booths and classic cocktails served on an old school granite bar.
Restaurant
Ombra Salumi
Grossi Florentino’s adjoining bar is dedicated to the craft of aging and preserving fine meats. Order platters of salumi and cheese, before a round of pizzas and Italian wine.
Restaurant
The Waiters Restaurant
Starting in the 1940s as a place for migrant waiters to unwind after a shift, this Melbourne icon still serves reliably good pastas and desserts. There’s nothing fancy here – just good wine in glass tumblers, humble family-run hospitality, and a chalkboard menu of hearty Italian classics.
Restaurant
Sezar
A contemporary take on a less-familiar cuisine – Armenian. Order share-friendly lamb shoulder, spanner crab manti (handmade dumplings) and triple-cooked chips.
Restaurant
Pastuso
Pastuso brings Peruvian flair with a menu of ceviche, grilled meat and plenty of pisco. The dining room is a riot of colour, but we say grab a seat at the marble-clad bar and take in all the action, Pisco Sour in hand.
Restaurant
Cumulus Inc.
Andrew McConnell's all-day eating house combines the star chef's typically excellent food with smart interior design. While it's not his most famous venue these days, the polished service, considered wine list and inventive dishes at Cumulus Inc. are still worthy of celebration after all these years.
Restaurant
Nori Maki
Set menus start at just $34 per person, featuring made-to-order handrolls by a former Nobu chef in the old Tivoli Arcade.
West End
Restaurant
Vue de Monde
Vue de Monde translates to “worldview” in French – and that’s just what you’ll get at this celebrated fine diner. Perched 55 floors above the city on the Rialto Building’s former observation deck, it boasts an impressive 360-degree vista from Docklands to the Dandenongs.
Restaurant
Freyja
An upmarket New Nordic restaurant occupying two levels of Collins Street’s Gothic 1880s Olderfleet building. Stop by when the sun is up for various smorrebrod, or Scandi open sandwiches. Later on, you’ll find standout savoury waffles, not-your-average beef tartare and other dishes where simplicity tempers innovation.
Restaurant
Atria
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.
Restaurant
Aru
This sultry sibling to Sunda is every bit as stellar. The menu effortlessly blends Southeast Asian flavours, native Australian ingredients and ancient techniques.
Restaurant
Harriot
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.
Restaurant
Reine
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.
Restaurant
Chancery Lane
Scott Pickett's take on a mod-French brasserie brings old-world European elegance to a heritage-listed CBD building. There's ritzy deep-green marble, dramatic arched windows and candelabras throughout. Start with black truffle and foie gras toasties, then move onto French-style gnocchi, and finish with a gin-and-raspberry baba.
Restaurant
Maha Restaurant
The flavours at celebrity chef Shane Delia’s opulent Maha are familiar, but they’re assembled with more finesse than your average Middle Eastern restaurant. Vibrant mezze, a must-have lamb shoulder and an affordable wine list make this a winner for group dining.
Restaurant
Dodee Paidang Little Collins Street
Descend to the sprawling and busy basement for a menu that honours classic Thai food including pad thai, whole fish soup, seafood platters, papaya salads and plates of barbequed meat.
Bar
Waterside Hotel
There’s champagne and fancy hot dogs at the Waterside, but mostly it’s still just a local pub.
Restaurant
Trattoria Emilia
Taking cues from northern Italian trattorias, Emilia has you covered for all occasions, from casual pasta and tigelle lunches to long and luxurious dinners.
Restaurant
Akaiito
Sit at the omakase bar for robata-grilled marron with kombu butter; clam and miso soup; and fried rice amplified with Wagyu, shiitake and cod roe. All in a heritage-listed building full of original bluestone features and brooding black marble.
Restaurant
Makan
Tasia and Gracia Seger might be reality TV stars, but their Indonesian restaurant proves their talent is definitely not just for show.
Restaurant
Lollo
At the W Melbourne’s in-house restaurant, Coda chef Adam D’Sylva draws on his Italian-Indian heritage. His globe-trotting menu includes luxed-up lasagna, pasta-less cacio e pepe (a surprising triumph), and spicy duck curry. Plus, an excellent roster of theatrical cocktails.
Restaurant
Mr Huang Jin
A Taiwanese eatery specialising in soup dumplings. The menu lists plenty of traditional Taiwanese foods (noodle soups, stir-fries and rice dishes), but the famous handmade xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are the signature dish.
Restaurant
Natural History Public Bar
There’s nothing quite like sipping a beer amid a menagerie of taxidermied creatures at Natural History Bar. If you’re sticking around, the late-night diner also has steaks, oysters, natural wines and fruity cocktails.
Restaurant
Delhi Streets
This casual, colourful laneway diner transports you to the streets of India. Step inside for street food like pani puri and samosa chaat, against a backdrop of Bollywood posters.
Restaurant
Little Ramen Bar
Hearty ramen for all tastes – from the traditional to the adventurous. Enjoy a classic tonkotsu or spicy ramen, or customise your bowl to an equally impressive vegan or vegetarian option. Chase it all down with a frosty Sapporo.
Restaurant
Pa Tong Thai
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.
Restaurant
Ilza Izakaya and Snack Bar
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.
Legal District
Restaurant
Tipo 00
After all these years, moody Tipo 00 still attracts queues of people hoping for a taste of its simple yet meticulously assembled pastas. A couple of secondi and dolci also grace the menu, alongside salumi best enjoyed at the marble bar, spritz in hand. Make sure you arrive early – very early – if you don’t have a booking.
Restaurant
Osteria Ilaria
Tipo 00’s younger sibling stretches beyond the pasta bar concept with meat and seafood dishes straight out of a modern Italian osteria. An enormous cellar below stocks Italian necessities like wine and house-cured charcuterie.
Restaurant
The Hardware Club
Two childhood friends are behind this breezy upstairs Italian spot, which pays homage to the neighbourhood eateries of their hometown with textbook pastas, cacio e pepe toasties and a daily dessert that’s best paired with house-made amaro.
Restaurant
Doju
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).
Restaurant
Sachi
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.
Restaurant
Movida Aqui
This offshoot of CBD favourite Movida is just as noteworthy, with share-friendly Spanish plates and views out over Bourke Street. Come for refined tapas and paella alongside Spanish wines and cocktails.
Restaurant
+39 Pizzeria
The prefix for an international call to Italy is a fitting name for this tiny pizzeria (with big European energy). There’s enough pizza variety to satisfy any aficionado and an extensive antipasti selection, if you’re so inclined.
Restaurant
Palermo
An Italian-influenced Argentinian spot from the team behind San Telmo and Pastuso. Expect meat and fish cooked over the asado firepit – a specialty here. The layout is a nod to a classic steakhouse, plus there are private rooms for special occasions.
Restaurant
Lulu's Char Koay Teow
Owner Chee Wong quickly made his mother-in-law’s char kway teow (and the special sauce) a hot commodity. Choose one of the seven options of the popular Malaysian hawker dish (including original with prawns, and vegetarian) for a sumptuous midweek meal. No booking? No worries.
Restaurant
Funghi e Tartufo
Situated on Hardware Lane is this outstanding player in the city’s vegan dining scene. The owner-chef riffs on nostalgic Sicilian dishes using plant-based ingredients, served in a converted 19th-century warehouse full of old-world charm.
Restaurant
Rosa’s Canteen
Rosa Mitchell’s menu is a masterclass in simple and supremely effective Italian cooking. Forget luxe imported ingredients – her unpretentious eatery in the heart of the legal district is all about making local produce sing.
Restaurant
Pho Thin
This is the first Melbourne location for one of Hanoi’s most famous pho spots. Its signature is the “stir-fried up” rare beef, with lots of garlic in a steaming bowl of broth. There’s also beef brisket, poached chicken and a red-wine pho.
Restaurant
The Cellar Bar
This day-to-night spot, in a former 1900s wine shop, is the most modest of Guy Grossi’s city restaurants. Come by for the energetic breakfast rush, boisterous lunch hour, late afternoon espressos, or romantic dinner sittings at nightfall.
Restaurant
Mamak
Once an alleyway restaurant specialising in Malaysian-Indian street food, and now a multi-city chain famed for its roti. The Mamak restaurants are still some of the only places to go for roti that’s cooked for every order. Order that plus a few curries and some sambal – it’s all you need.
Restaurant
French Saloon
A very French city spot where you can snack and drink for hours on a balcony.
Fed Square
Restaurant
Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters
While sibling restaurant Farmer’s Daughters is all about Gippsland, this sophisticated eatery brings the best of the entire state’s produce to Melbourne’s epicentre. Find an interactive ingredients table, a 3000-bottle “wine library” and a terrace with river views.
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