Named after a Tom Petty album – and rocking an appropriate soundtrack – Lulie’s Cali-inspired rooftop bar is all sun, stone and succulents. Head upstairs for zesty cocktails from a cactus-shaped dispenser and a riff on the Hungry Jack’s Whopper.

Blending elements of Melbourne cafe, European wine bar and Tokyo-style “listening bar”, this buzzing spot hosts vinyl-only DJs five nights a week, with no cover charges. It’s one of the best places in town to hear recorded music.

Do all north-side first dates happen at Uncle Joe’s? It’s a fair question. You could boil it down to the simple and classic cocktails, fun vibe, and proximity to pizza from Mankoushe next door if things are going well and drinks turn into a casual dinner.

A rollicking good-times pizzeria from the Leonard's House of Love crew. It’s the kind of place you could accidentally spend hours in, and wake up dustier than you’d planned. It's almost always busy here (luckily you can book ahead) thanks to those standout pepperoni pies.

Despite the modern refurb, this charming all-day boozer feels like it’s been around forever. Park yourself in the sunny, plant-filled atrium or nab a spot out front for pub-style breakfasts and upmarket parmas. The knockout-style pool competitions here are a midweek spectacle.

Named after a classic Jeff Buckley song, this grungy warehouse wine bar feels like a dinner party in a New York loft apartment. Come for nostalgic dishes with a French bistro lean, music played on vinyl and plenty of interesting wine.

This spot just off St Kilda Beach is one of Melbourne's original Mexican restaurants, and it's still one of its best. That's thanks to an uncompromising commitment to quality ingredients. The drinks list, which includes a handful of Margaritas, complements the fun, shareable food.

Venue number two from the Mamasita crew introduces a careful element of kitsch but loses none of the attention to detail that made its older sibling such a hit. Take a seat at the bar, order a frosty Michelada and snack on some *huitalacoche* (corn fungus) tacos. Even if you've been to Mexico, you won't find the experience lacking.

Skip the wine list and pluck your selection straight off the wall at this friendly suburban spot. There are more than 200 bottles to have in or take away, plus wines by-the-glass and a solid range of craft beers. A menu of cheese, antipasto, charcuterie and pizza will see you through the night.

This suave cocktail bar is consistently recognised in global polls, and for good reason. There's no drink the staff here can't make to perfection.

Henry Sugar is the kind of wine bar every neighbourhood should have. It’s intimate yet communal; sophisticated yet relaxed. The mix of contemporary Australian fare, sharp cocktails and easy-drinking natural wines are a sure-fire bet your first time here won’t be the last.

A neighbourhood wine bar serving a mix of Australian and European drops alongside small grazing plates. Go for a jamon plate, build-your-own cheeseboard, or order woodfired pizzas delivered from the nearby Il Caminetto. Enjoy wines by the glass or take your pick from more than 250 bottles next door.

A 70-seater neighbourhood wine bar in a former antiques-restoration shop. Bathe in the chandelier’s buttery glow in the front room, or head out back to get toasty by the fire. There’s a 180-strong wine wall, plus hummus swimming in chilli oil and charcuterie hampers to go.

Right across from Prahran Market, the facade isn’t exactly attention-grabbing. But what’s inside certainly is. The stomping fried-chicken sanga and rotating pasta line-up make this communal wine bar a local’s favourite.

Head up the ridiculously colourful stairwell at this good-time bar (by a co-founder of the Moon and Milton Wine Shop) for a very drinkable "mistake" rosé; frozen Margs and passionfruit sours. For snacks, try one of the Reubens or a spicy Sichuan eggplant sanga.

An inclusive, accessible home for the music scene in the west. Grab a reasonably priced jug, see a gig, then plonk yourself down in the colourful beer garden.

After years delivering lasagne around town in a ’91 Holden Barina, owner Joey Kellock moved into a former pizza shop and started serving up the goods to his legion of followers. Now you can order a side of salumi and a spritz to go with his famous, saucy slabs.

If you’re really into burgers, tick Leonard’s off the list. This ’70s log cabin-themed burger bar serves some of Melbourne’s best. Expect American-style burger combos centred around beef, chicken, mushroom and vegan pattys. It’s also dog-friendly, so your furry friend might be begging tableside for a bite.

A Greek neighbourhood bar inspired by yiayia’s house. Go for comforting home-style plates, including pickled calamari and gooey vegan moussaka, backed by a tight list of Greek beers and wines; stay for the retro setting and vibrant vibes.

From the food to the decor, everything at this day-to-night cafe is simple and community-minded. By day, find pastries from Ovens Street bakery, comforting breakfasts, and rotating soups and salads. By night, expect DJs and good drinks.

This west-side wine bar and bottle shop, run by locals, is compact but comprehensive. Grab a bottle to go, or stick around for freshly shucked oysters, local beers and approachable wines in the colourful courtyard out back.

Walk down the nondescript staircase and let your eyes adjust. There’s no natural light at this New York-inspired French bistro – that’s why it’s so easy to lose track of time here. It's also home to one of Melbourne's most famous late-night burgers.

Gerald Diffey and Mario Di Ienno’s storied neighbourhood bar brims with nostalgia. Vintage books, yesteryear’s wine bottles and a glimmering disco ball decorate the space – but the thing you’ll notice most is warm, old-school hospitality. The menus turn on a dime, so you’ll always have reasons to keep coming back.

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.

The sibling of Neighbourhood Wine is cool and comfortable. Take a seat at the bar, or in front of an open fire, and enjoy the rotating share plates and easy-drinking wines.

It’s a tiny spot, but the romantic, elbow-to-elbow ambience at Thirty Eight Chairs increases the chances of getting to know your neighbours – and maybe even sharing a bottle of wine with them. Pastas pay homage to all the family classics and are made from scratch.

A neighbourhood favourite that isn’t hampered by its small kitchen. Instead, this buzzing wine bar sends out Mediterranean-inspired bar snacks, larger seafood share plates and complementary sides. Squeeze in a cocktail during happy hour – every day until 7pm.

This swish bar – decked out in emerald marble and plush velvet – was once a Bakers Delight. Now, it's a buzzy bistro and wine bar from a former Fitzroy Town Hall head chef and the owner of nearby wine bar Barkley Johnson. Visit for a caramelised-onion baguette, whole fish swimming in miso butter and a peachy aperitif cocktail.

A homey neighbourhood wine bar set in a Victorian-era building. Find filled-to-the-brim bagels and Reubens by day, and fancy bar snacks and wines that punch above their weight by night.

Everything is made from scratch at this wine bar from a young owner-chef with experience at Michelin star restaurants. The menu changes each week (but retains a nostalgic, familiar slant) and the walls are covered with Australian art.

This neighbourhood spot has an all-day cafe, diner, gallery space and courtyard with views of the Abbotsford Convent. It’ll take you right through your day, from your morning coffee to your late-night share plates and local lo-fi wines. As for food? Expect hearty veggie soups, charcuterie plates, mussels steeped in chilli and tomato sauce, and more.

A tribute to the owner’s Calabrian-born father, Umberto plates up cucina casalinga homestyle cooking and classic Italian aperitivi in a former shoe shop with a warm, local feel. It’s also home to Gigi, a tiny rooftop bar where you can sip a Negroni with one-of-a-kind views across Thornbury and Coburg.

Can’t get a booking at the Yarraville fine diner? Want an alternative to the stellar tasting menu? Go next door for salt-and-vinegar fish skins and “ducklava”, or small-batch aperitivi poured by their maker.

This sultry sibling to Sunda is every bit as stellar. The menu effortlessly blends Southeast Asian flavours, native Australian ingredients and ancient techniques.

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.

At this singular Korean restaurant, chef Jung Eun Chae cooks, cleans and serves for just six guests at a time – in the living room of her home. If you can score a hotly contested booking, expect a serene, wholesome meal underpinned by homemade ferments, including booze.

The hushed, reverent atmosphere here is well suited to owner-chef Koichi Minamishima's awe-inspiring knife skills. He works with both local seafood and fish flown direct from Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo to produce his peerless sushi. This is the best Japanese restaurant in Melbourne.

There’s nothing quite like eating seafood by the ocean, and Stokehouse is one of the best places in Melbourne to do it. The dining room is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows, so there’ll be uninterrupted (or knee-dropping) views no matter where you sit.

The follow-up to older sibling Tipo 00 stretches beyond the pasta bar concept with meat and seafood dishes you might find at a modern osteria in Italy. An enormous cellar beneath the restaurant stocks Italian necessities such as wine and house-cured charcuterie.

Anthony Bourdain called the original in Sydney “the most beautiful butcher shop in the world”. Its Melbourne outpost has all the same opulence: dark-green marble floors, a wall of solid pink Himalayan salt blocks and vintage 1930s slicers.

This restaurant celebrating nature, native Australian ingredients and craftsmanship hides on a quiet residential street.