Spread your festive cheer at these bars, restaurants and cafes.
Bit dusty? These places will sort you out.
Where to while away the dog days of summer.
Dodge the sales crowds and head to these spots.
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This sultry sibling to Sunda is every bit as stellar. At Aru, chef Khanh Nguyen is effortlessly blending Southeast Asian flavours, native Australian ingredients and ancient techniques. And while there are unexpectedly playful riffs on classics – like banh mi, Peking duck and mi goreng – they never feel gimmicky, just modernised and expertly refined.
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.
The Mornington Peninsula is flush with outstanding eateries. But this one, helmed by a former Lancemore Linderderry chef, is among the best-looking. Between the marine-hued dining room, casual aperitivo bar and in-house provedore, this handsome all-in-one brings a touch of Mediterranean living to Martha Marina Cove.
This colourful Seddon diner plates up a pan-Mexican menu of favourites. There's tacos al pastor (and plenty of other regional styles), Mexico City-style street snacks and a front bar stacked with stacked with mezcals and tequilas.
This three-level spot, from the guys behind Dexter and Takeaway Pizza, bears little resemblance to its former self (Peaches, Dexter). Go for focaccia-like pizza with house-made mortadella and garlic-fermented honey, chevre-stuffed potato skins, plenty of Aussie spirits and a pool table.
What began as a lockdown pasta-delivery service by a stood-down chef is now a swish restaurant and wine bar. Come for spanner crab ravioli, cacio e pepe-filled tortellini; Wagyu bistecca and standout desserts.
At the W Melbourne's in-house restaurant, Coda chef Adam D'Sylva is drawing on his Italian-Indian heritage. The star chef has created a globe-trotting menu that includes luxed-up lasagna, pasta-less cacio e pepe (a surprising triumph), and fragrant, spicy duck curry. Plus there's an excellent and fun roster of theatrical cocktails.
A long-awaited CBD cocktail bar by two of Speakeasy Group’s best bartenders, where oysters are served at least eight ways, and your Martini comes with a spherified olive in a tiny oyster shell.
An Indian(ish) wine bar on Flinders Lane, where cheesy flatbreads star.
A 24-hour nightclub with its very own bandroom.
A cafe-style restaurant on Hardware Lane inspired by – and using the special sauce from – the owner’s mother-in-law and her hawker stall in Malaysia.
Lune is synonymous with croissants. And world-famous ones at that. But Moon orbits around crullers – deep-fried choux pastry that’s twisty and crispy on the outside, and not at all what you’d expect on the inside.
Inside this banh mi bar from the Anchovy team, a woodfire hearth turns out turmeric chicken, jungle pork sausage and Manchurian pumpkin to fill the crusty baguettes.
To find this dimly lit Italian bar and eatery, look out for a flashing red neon hand in the window. Inside, you’ll find old-school breadbaskets (loaded with carbs to salsa-verde-doused burrata); garlicky spaghetti vongole swimming in oil; a cocktail list centred around Vermouth; and more.
The height of experiential wellness at the end of the Great Ocean Road. This hotel and day spa boasts rejuvenating geothermal pools, cutting-edge spa facilities, plus a restaurant and top-tier accommodation. Self-care never felt so good.
Wood-fire sourdough pizza is the star at this wine bar, which pours natural wine, wild brews and coffee. Plus, grab sourdough rolls for lunch loaded with fillings such as mortadella, or a fancy omelette on the weekend.
The follow-up to Neighbourhood Wine is cool and comfortable. Take a seat at the bar or in front of an open fire and feel the tension melt off your shoulders.
After years running lasagnes around town in a ’91 Holden Barina, Joey Kellock has moved into a former pizza shop. On the menu: lasagne, maybe a dirty Martini and little else.
This deli and sandwich spot is inspired by New York's old-school delis. The team behind the slick white-and-green spot includes co-owners of Leonardo's Pizza Palace, and Frankie's Tortas and Tacos. Go for 5 & Dime bagels smeared with whipped ricotta, cheesy pork-and-fennel-sausage muffins and a hefty eggplant-parm sandwich.
A microbrewery for modern-day Vikings.
The Next Hotel's in-house diner is run by former Saigon Sally, Tokyo Tina and Neptune chefs. The menu skews Italian – with stracciatella-stuffed oxheart tomatoes, crisp chicken-wing parmigiana and Campari-glazed roasted duck. There’s also an intimate barrel room producing aged Negronis and Martinis, and a grandiose cheese-and-charcuterie cabinet.
This schmick brewery specialises in hop-driven hazy IPAs and high-alcohol styles, but with 22 beers on tap, there’s something for every kind of drinker. The beer also makes its way into the food, from hop-cured salmon to malted cheesecake.
This lavish, split-down-the-centre space was designed with the spirit of 1920s Paris and New York in mind. Have a cheese trolley wheeled to your table, sip Ernest Hemingway-inspired cocktails, or settle in for a long lunch with free-flowing magnums.
Two French bakers are making classic sourdough, fruit loaves and three-ingredient baguettes and getting creative with banana-split croissants and blood-orange doughnuts in an airy, mint-green space.
Under the watchful eye of a 1.5-tonne steel dragon, Australia’s first outpost of international chain Panda Hot Pot is serving fiery DIY soup with a choice of 80 ingredients.
Japanese-inspired dishes in a modern space replete with marble tabletops and beige leather booths.
An all-day diner at Tullamarine’s surfable wave park from the popular cafe chain. Get spanner-crab scramble and a Bloody Mary for breakfast; pizzas, Portuguese-style chook and tomato-and-chilli mussels with garlicky Baker Bleu sourdough after midday; and non-alcoholic cocktails and beers pre-surf.
This rustic diner from the Mulberry Group is roughly halfway between Geelong and Torquay. The classic Italian menu uses produce grown at Common Ground, the onsite community farm and social enterprise.
A former McConnell chef is behind this intimate bar serving Texas-style brisket, pork belly, jalapeño kransky and four types of taco. There’s also a tidy selection of tequila, mezcal and bourbon.
This neighbourhood fishmonger sells top-quality seafood, deli items, pantry staples and a range of fish-focused takeaway meals – from salmon bagels to sashimi and nigiri lunch boxes.
Get pantry staples such as salted egg cakes and durian crisps, or grab seat among 200 other punters for charred pork skewers, tom yum soup, boat noodles and beer towers.
This casual offshoot of Charlie Carrington's acclaimed restaurant Atlas Dining focuses on healthy Mediterranean street food.
A spot from the team behind some of the city’s biggest cafe hits. They’re making brunches with damper, Vegemite, Kakadu plums, wattle-seed bacon and Milo mascarpone.
Experience a one-of-kind farm stay on the banks of the little Murray river. Wraparound verandahs, immaculate details and reams of white timber are reminiscent of the southern charms of a Mississippi country home.
Located on Lorne Beach, this ’70s-inspired taproom and beer garden offers views of the surf, cocktails, lobster rolls and plenty of easy-drinking beers.
From the team behind Small Axe Kitchen, this spot has a seven-metre terrazzo bar and floor-to-ceiling shelves stocked with Italian cold cuts, cheeses, pickles and take-home meals such as gluten-free lasagne.
This corner cafe specialises in modern takes on traditional Japanese sandwiches and excellent filter coffee. For dessert, grab a Mochinut (a mochi doughnut) or a black tea creme brûlée.
Yarn to the bartender over a cocktail, hot bird and vegan snacks while listening to ZZ Top.
It’s like a summer barbeque in your mate’s backyard – but with a charcoal-fired menu by a top Melbourne chef, 10 Hop Nation beers (and Negronis) on tap, and more.
Bendigo’s best and only rooftop bar. Pair the panoramic views of the city and surrounds with a classic cocktail and a spicy snack from the laid-back menu. Best of all, rain, hail or shine, Nimbus is primed for all weather types.
Everything you love about fresh Japanese cuisine and Australian seafood in a calm, casual room.
All-vegan kebabs, halal snack packs and boreks in Brunswick. Plus, there are gluten-free options, colourful salads, dukkah-dusted chips and cardamom-spiked Turkish coffees.
Get a seat at the bar for a view of the woodfire grill, its flames darting into your peripheral vision or reflected in your Negroni glass. On the menu, there’s flame-cooked barramundi and steaks big enough for two.
This compact 25-seater flips beef and plant-based cheeseburgers, and serves southern fried chicken and vegan Cocowhip sundaes.
A locally loved South American fusion restaurant in central Geelong.
A low-key neighbourhood cafe with unique decor and great play options for kids.
This laidback group-friendly bar and restaurant serves crowd-pleasing pizzas and a wide variety of tapas. Plus, there are eight taps of craft beers (including the house brew) to enjoy. Enjoy it all while you watch over the Newhaven Jetty and Mainland Bridge, from the toasty dining room or the sunny upstairs deck.
Plunge deep into Shiraz country at this stunning hilltop cellar door. It’s like something you might see on Grand Designs, but with punchy red wine and local charcuterie on the inside.
Craft beer brand White Rabbit’s buzzing South Geelong brewery.
An Abbotsford taproom from one of Brisbane's most popular breweries. The team ships its most in-demand beers twice weekly, fresh from Brisbane. Pick one of 12 pours, then order some food from local favourites, including Rita's Cafeteria and Kelso's Sandwich Shoppe.
