Laneway Tacos, Penang Flavours and Iberian Feasts: Where To Dine (and Stay) in Melbourne This Winter

Melbourne’s restaurant reputation continues to grow, with new openings landing regularly. But the sheer scale of choice can make it hard to know where to start – particularly if you’re only in town for a short stay. Staying close to the action makes it easier to plan around key bookings, whether that’s a late-night taco spot or a laneway noodle bar. That’s why we’ve narrowed down the options to five of our favourite spots around Melbourne – along with nearby bars and hotels, so it’s easy to map out a night (or weekend) without overthinking it.

Taqueria Sin Nombre

If you’ve tracked down Dingo Ate My Taco during its earlier iterations – at the Mill, the Bendigo Hotel or even a Wellington Street service station forecourt – you’ll know these are tacos worth their lofty reputation. Taqueria Sin Nombre marks the team’s first standalone bricks-and-mortar space, although it’s still somewhat obscurely located (this time, a Chinatown bolthole). House-made tortillas are the starting point for birria and al pastor tacos that are as good as you’ll find in the city.

Kick on at: Solace

Ho Liao

Melbourne finally gets a taste of what Sydney has known for years: chef Junda Khoo’s flair for Malaysian cooking. His local outpost, Ho Liao, is styled somewhere around the beer halls of Malaysia and Indonesia, though the food leans towards Khoo’s Penang home. There’s an updated take on the deep-fried tofu-wrapped pork mince dish loh bak, distinctive versions of classics like beef rendang, and plenty more dishes designed to match those easy-drinking Southeast Asian lagers.

Kick on at: Stop Whining

Warabi


Inside W Melbourne, this intimate kappo-style restaurant brings a more considered, chef-led dining format to the CBD. The experience centres on a seasonal omakase, where a multi-course menu unfolds at the counter, with chefs preparing and finishing dishes in front of guests. This is available alongside a curated a la carte menu for dinner and seasonal bowls and bento boxes for mid-week lunch. Expect a balance of technique and produce – from delicately handled seafood to richer plates like Wagyu – with an emphasis on precision and restraint. The room is pared back and low-lit, designed to keep the focus on the interaction between diner and chef. Sake pairings are a key part of the experience, with bottles sourced from across Japan and matched to each course, though there’s also a tight list of wines, beers and whiskies if you’d rather choose your own path.

Kick on at: Curious

Atria

If you’re in Melbourne looking for a venue to celebrate, this sky-high fine diner on the 80th floor of The Ritz-Carlton promises a meal you won’t forget. Here you’ll find a menu that keenly focuses on Australian produce, from lesser-known seafood to top-quality steaks cooked on a woodfired grill. To drink, there’s a refined, globetrotting wine list – find something to sip while staring out the huge windows, with panoramic views from Port Phillip Bay to the Dandenong Ranges.

Kick on at: Cameo

Alt

The name Alt should be a clue; things are not strictly traditional at this pasta bar. Here, co-owner Mino Han riffs on Italian classics but rarely delivers them with a straight face. Instead, you’ll find scallops with Japanese yuzu ponzu, duck ragu dressed with black olive powder and rosemary crumble, and beef short rib with bone marrow jus and kimchi. It’s a menu that plays with tradition rather than sticking to it.

Kick on at: Three Horses

Where to stay

If you’re planning your itinerary around where to eat, it makes sense to choose a base that keeps you close to the action. Melbourne’s dining precincts are spread across the CBD and beyond, but a well-placed hotel means you can move easily between dinner, drinks and a late-night wander home.

Down by the waterfront, The Ritz-Carlton offers a more elevated stay, with sweeping city views and a quieter vantage point away from the busier inner-city streets.

Closer to the East End – one of the city’s most concentrated dining pockets – The Westin Melbourne and Sheraton Melbourne both make strong bases. The former leans classic and understated, while the latter brings a more contemporary, design-led feel, with bars and late-night energy built into the experience.

Up towards the theatre district, Le Meridien places you within walking distance of some of the city’s long-standing dining institutions, making it a practical choice if your plans revolve around a show followed by dinner or drinks nearby.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Marriott Bonvoy.