Forget the day. It’s going to be Father’s week at the subterranean Japanese fine diner Yugen. From Wednesday, it’s serving $45 whisky flights, including a collab with Suntory. Upstairs, Yugen Tea Bar is offering $48 tea and whisky flights on Saturday and Sunday.

The flagship of celebrated chef Andrew McConnell’s restaurant empire is a lesson in refined elegance. From the leather booths to the chic front bar, it’s a perfect spot to celebrate with dad. Experience McConnell’s renowned fine-dining experience with the degustation.

Andrew McConnell’s signature flair is all over this grand bar and dining room – from the exacting service to the comforting European dishes. Dine with dad at the marble bar on wood-roasted rock lobster on a saffron rice bed, or an O’Connor T-bone steak, followed by the namesake cocktail.

If the dad in your life loves meat, La Luna Bistro is a fun and fire-fuelled spot to celebrate. Its three-course menu ($125 per adult, $35 per child) ranges from prosciutto, porchetta and its signature succulent steaks, to a cracking crème brûlée.

Lagoon’s menu takes most of its influence from Chinese cuisine while drawing on Thai and Malaysian dishes and techniques. Book some seats for its Father’s Day snack menu ($45pp), which includes salted cucumbers with shiitake mushroom, spruced up fried chicken and more.

Bring dad to Shane Delia’s moody restaurant for interesting takes on Middle Eastern classics. Go for crispy burek buns filled with duck fesunjun (a classic Persian stew) and the signature Pomegranate Sour cocktail. Its siblings Maha North and Maha East are also worth your time.

This Vietnamese-style diner is all about smoke and flames. But your old man’s off smoke alarm duty today. Dad jokes aside, there’s a fire-fuelled and reasonably priced Sunday lunch here. A set price of $59pp buys a feast of charcoal chicken with burnt chilli nuoc mam, squid noodles, greens, grilled oysters and fries. Tack on $35 for bottomless booze.

Tell dad to bring an empty stomach to this upscale American barbeque joint. That way you can both make the most of the signature share platter, which might include hearty beef brisket or pork shoulder. Pair it with the beer tasting of Australian and American lagers.

In a heritage-listed south-side building, this alluring bistro does Chinese favourites in new ways. And on Sundays, it serves $59pp yum cha all afternoon. Enjoy a Father’s Day feast with 12 dishes on repeat, like char siu bao (pork buns), prawn dumplings and roast duck pancake. There’s an alternative vegan menu, too.

Whatever the weather on Father’s Day, this waterfront diner is an excellent spot to mark the occasion. Book a table for a four-course feast with unobstructed ocean views. There’ll be lamb belly skewers, scallop crudo and duck confit with tangy tonkatsu. Lap it up.

Book a couple of seats at this reinvigorated St Kilda icon for its hearty steak specials this Father’s Day. Order plates of tomahawk rib-eye steak or slow-cooked Scotch fillet prime rib, with pots of ale on the side. Or head to its smart all-day diner upstairs for express lunches starting at $59 all weekend.

At Andrew McConnell’s classy Gertrude Street bar and bistro, the food is just that bit better than dad might expect from a trip to the pub. Throw back easy-drinking lagers and cocktails with a burger, rotisserie of the day or the semi-famous fish pot pie.

This buzzing food and beer hall is inspired by Singaporean and Malaysian hawker centres. Bring Dad and work your way through a hit list of market dishes. Expect prawn spring rolls, grilled barramundi with punchy sambal and fragrant herbs, striploin steak and sticky honey-date pudding.

With a family-friendly restaurant, shed-like dining area and cellar door, this 100-acre winery has something for your whole crew. Order woodfired pizzas, pasta and Italian desserts. Dad gets a free wine with lunch and the seat with the best views over the vines.

Bluebonnet’s owner and pitmaster Chris Terlikar learned his craft in Austin, Texas. So naturally, he smokes a mean salt-and-pepper brisket. But everything else on his menu is gold, too – from smoky lamb ribs marinated in coffee rub to corn bread with bone marrow butter. Book a spot in the brick-clad dining room for fine American barbeque.

Roll up to this big burgundy boozer for its mix of crowd-pleasing pub classics and bistro-style fare, courtesy of the Marquis of Lorne team. The grand old pub has plenty of dining nooks, a robust wine list and a bustling vibe right through the weekend.

A Sunday roast at this pub built in 1874 is just as comforting as a home-cooked one – especially if you bring your family along to help you down its share-friendly dim sims, sizeable pies and cheesy parmas. Every meal here comes with a side of west-side pride.

Follow the neon-red glow to find this low and slow diner, where fire and smoke make magic with meat cuts. Pork ribs are cooked over three days then glazed with caramel, and there are the famous meat doughnuts, an unholy pairing of sweet and savoury. Back them up with ales from local breweries or, if Dad's feeling daring, a round of pickleback shots.

This double-decker haunt is full of cosy nooks. This Father’s Day, sink into a leather banquette or gold velvet couch and order zhooshed-up hotel classics. The $95pp feast includes stout-pickled mussels, beef tartare with salted egg yolk and roasted pork loin with gremolata. Bookings essential.

This all-day diner at Tullamarine’s surfable wave park is putting out all the stops for Father’s Day lunch and dinner. Book a table and order share-friendly chargrilled prawns and lamb shoulder, before finishing with whisky-cream eclair. Naturally, bring your boards for after.