The definitive guide to the best bottomless brunches in Melbourne

Here’s my take on Melbourne’s best brunches. And by that, I mean the bottomless kind.

Is there a better way to spend your day than a long, leisurely brunch? Not if it’s also bottomless. Melbourne is a city that does bottomless brunches right. Sure, Sydney puts up a good fight with its extensive bottomless brunch offering, but Melbourne might just have them beat.

Find eight new additions to my pick of Melbourne’s best bottomless brunch spots, starting with seriously fresh oysters inside a former prison at North & Common, then there’s the Indian-inspired street food at Horn Please, or the Mexican fries and corn ribs go down a treat with spicy margaritas at Hotel Nacionale. As we prepare to say goodbye to winter and hello to spring, now is the time to start doing your own brunching – for research purposes, of course.

Hotel Nacionale

Hotel Nacionale is one of the most stunning rooftop bars in Melbourne. The Hardware Lane hang has a house party in Coyoacan vibe with a heavy focus on Mexican bar snacks such as corn ribs, Mexican fries, guacamole and potato croquetas. Head here with your gluten-free girlfriend for a few spicy margaritas, prosecco, house wines and beer. If, like us, you’re devoted to the taco, we recommend the pulled jackfruit or marinated pork. Hotel Nacionale is 100 per cent gluten-free.

Cost: $80 per person for a selection of bar snacks and 90 minutes of bottomless booze.
Available: Friday to Sunday, at noon and 2.30pm.
Address: 23-25 Hardware Lane, Melbourne

North & Common

You’ll find North & Common within the brooding bluestone walls of the former Pentridge Prison in Melbourne’s Coburg. The key thing to remember here is that a bottomless brunch experience hosted at North & Common doubles as a history lesson. Did you know, for instance, that the venue was previously used as a cafeteria for those detained inside? Melburnians take their brunch seriously especially in such an elegant space, which includes 10-metre-high ceilings, a sun-drenched courtyard and a palette drawn from the Australian bush. The fab bottomless brunch at North & Common includes options such as freshly shucked oysters, silky burrata or cured Spencer Gulf kingfish.

Cost: From $89 per person.
Available: Every Saturday from noon
Address: 1 Pentridge Boulevard, Coburg

Studio Amaro Piatti

Studio Amaro Weekend brunch offer, Windsor — Comforting Italian flavours take centre stage at Studio Amaro Piatti. (Image: Julia Sansone)

If my love of Italian cuisine is anything to go by, you’ll want to take my word for it that Studio Amaro Piatti is the place to go for a brunch to suit a special occasion, You can eat your weight in focaccia, which is bottomless, and used to great effect when dredged through eggplant caponata, whipped ricotta with lemon oil or rigatoni arrabbiata. The two-hour package includes house wines, prosecco, bellinis or Aperol spritz. Relax. You can return to your Melbourne hotel room to sleep it off.

Cost: From $76 per person.
Available: Every Saturday and Sunday from noon.
Address: 168 Chapel St, Windsor

Bottomless gnocchi at Mamma’s Boy Trattoria

an array of food on the table at Mamma’s Boy Trattoria — Pair soft pillowy gnocchi with refreshing cocktails at Mamma’s Boy Trattoria..

It seems every neighbourhood in Melbourne has a bottomless brunch offering. But bottomless all-day gnocchi? Prepare to fast before your feast of soft pillowy gnocchi paired with refreshing cocktails at Mamma’s Boy Trattoria . This rustic Italian eatery makes a trifecta of sauces just like Mamma used to make: pasta with a slow-cooked lamb ragu, classic Napoli sauce or a decadent mix of mushrooms and cream. Choose from refreshing spritzes, daiquiris and negronis.

Cost: $75 per person plus a booking fee
Available: Last Sunday of every month
Address: 6.10 Tripovich St, Brunswick

Bodega Underground

If you’re looking for one of the best bottomless brunches in Melbourne then proceed immediately to Little Bourke St. Mexican street food and a bottomless brunch is one helluva happy marriage. Bodega Underground’s bottomless brunch menu features tacos and an extensive list of Mexican-inspired cocktails. No gusta carne? There is an alternate vegan food menu on offer too and all the food is gluten-free.

Cost: $75 per person
Available: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am, 1pm and 3pm
Address: 55 Little Bourke St

Le Bon Ton

New Orleans-inspired bar and restaurant Le Bon Ton is in Collingwood, one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Melbourne. Indulge in endless cocktails and choose an item from the New Orleans-inspired Big Easy Bottomless brunch feast. There’s Southern fried chicken with Creole spice, cheesy jalapeno and mac poppers, and smoked brisket ‘burnt ends’ to choose from. The cocktail carafes include options like Mai Mimosas (passionfruit, orange, guava and sparkling wine) Big Easy Lageritas (tequila, triple sec, margarita mix and Carlton Draught) Bloody Marys, Hurricanes (based on Bacardi rum) and a Hugo Spritz.

Cost: $69 per person
Available: The two-hour package is available on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am, 1pm and 3pm
Address: 51 Gipps St, Collingwood

Magic Mountain Saloon

Dining out for a long lunch at Magic Mountain Saloon is a social occasion. Be it a romantic affair or feast with friends, the stylish saloon is so close to the city centre you will feel part of the action. But the colourful venue is also a cosy respite after a long day of shopping. The new ‘boozy brunch’ menu at Magic Mountain Saloon changes with the seasons but includes stellar options such as vegetarian cigars, garlic chive dumplings and Massaman curry. Add free-flowing drinks and it’s a guaranteed good time.

Cost: From $55 per person.
Available: From 11.30am to 1pm, every Saturday.
Address: 62 Little Collins St, Melbourne

Bang Bang

The boozy brunch offering at Bang Bang has a strong French-Indochine influence. The down-to-earth restaurant has a rustic aesthetic, with exposed brick walls and vintage shophouse doors and a menu that nods to the best of French and Asian cuisine. Proceedings get off to a good start with bottomless mimosas, spritzes, boozy Marys, wine, bubbles and beer paired with dishes such as tuna ceviche, charred edamame, and Thai BBQ chicken with a cucumber salad. Chuck in a caviar bump for an extra $12.

Cost: From $59 per person for a two-hour session with an epic Asian ‘feed me’ menu and bottomless bevvies. Pay $79 to pimp your brunch with non-stop espresso martinis and margaritas.
Available: Saturdays and Sundays noon-2pm or 2.30-4pm
Address: 294 Glenhuntly Rd, Elsternwick

Blacksmith Bar & Grill

Blacksmith Bar & Grill , on level 7 of voco Melbourne Central, is acclaimed for its bottomless brunch. And for that it owes a lot to its indulgent menu, which features a tantalising array of grazing and antipasto dishes. Expect twists on classics at the weekly bottomless brunch by Dal Zotto, which includes standouts such as beetroot-cured Atlantic king salmon, a rooftop tapas board, Korean fried chicken and a decadent waffle dessert. Bottoms up.

Cost: $75 per person for 90 minutes of free-flowing Dal Zotto spritzes, local wines, bubbles and beer.
Available: Every Saturday from 12.30pm.
Address: 30 Timothy Lane, Melbourne CBD

Tokyo Tina, Windsor

There’s some big-time sophistication happening in Chapel Street with Tokyo Tina’s take on a bottomless brunch . The attractive restaurant in the heart of the vibrant Windsor community would be equally at ease in Tokyo. Expect modern Japanese cuisine in a fun and energetic space where good times, good vibes, and good food collide. Get your bingo wings ready for Tina’s Bingo Academy which includes bingo alongside four dishes such as crispy chicken or corn fritters along with complimentary kimchi rice and edamame.

Cost: Bottomless drinks (Aperol spritzes, sparkling and tap beer) plus a food menu priced at $79pp or $55pp for food only.
Available: Every Saturday at noon and 2.15pm
Address: 66A, Chapel St, Windsor

Horn Please

Honk if you want to go to Horn Please . This much-loved modern Indian eatery in the fashionable Fitzroy North Village is named in honour of the chaos, noise and clatter of India’s big cities. But the bottomless brunch is about as far from the disconcerted honking of Mumbai as can be. Stave off any hangsiety by merging breakfast and lunch over Indian-inspired street food and ‘proudly unauthentic’ curries that might just represent the best-value brunch in Melbourne.

Cost: $69 per person
Available: Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 3pm.
Address: 167 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy

Pincho Disco

Dig out your disco get-up but make it athleisure. Dress to impress in platform shoes with vintage Adidas in this cool bar with the soft-pink surrounds that recall disco culture from the 80s. Pincho Disco is all pops of pink neon, patterned upholstery, textured walls and a kind of disco while you dine energy. While the semi-circular banquette can accommodate your entire entourage of woo girls, there are also tables for two that will suit a more intimate date night. Signature bites include chipa bread with goat’s curd and juicy lamb tacos.

Cost: From 75 per person.
Available: Saturdays from noon for 1.5 hours.
Address: 59 Cambridge St, Collingwood

Firebird, Prahran

The main attraction for chilli lovers at Firebird is the fiery theme that permeates this popular Prahran eatery. Head chef Nabil Ansari wields his tongs to great effect to ramp up traditional Vietnamese flavours over the custom-built chargrill and wood-fired oven. The 70s-inspired deco also says to hell with tradition. The venue was awarded one hat by The Age Good Food Guide Awards 2023. Brunch here is called The Endless Lunch and includes options such as charcoal chicken and papaya salad with peanuts.

Cost: Firebird offers a set menu for $69pp with endless oysters and frites and endless booze for $42pp; house wine and beers, Sometimes Always Prosecco and Davo Plum Spritz.
Available: Every Saturday & Sunday
Address: 223 High St, Prahran

Moonhouse

The menu at Moonhouse, a temple to yum cha on the corner of Carlisle and Nelson streets embraces the more subtle flavours of contemporary Chinese cuisine. Allow the staff at Moonhouse to guide you through the Endless Yum Cha Lunch menu, which offers comfort food on repeat such as seared scallops with XO butter and char sui pork buns and crystal prawn dumplings.

Cost: Yum cha Unlimited includes 12 dishes on repeat for $64pp; There is also a bottomless drinks package at $45pp for beers and wine.
Available: Every Saturday and Sunday at lunch
Address: 282 Carlisle St, Balaclava

400 Gradi

Johnny di Francesco’s 400 Gradi has taken out the World’s Best Pizza prize for his authentic margherita. And the award-winning pizzaolo has upped the ante on indulgence by bringing back the Bottomless ‘All you can spritza’ 400 Gradi offering. Indulge in (literally) one of the world’s best pizzas, along with pasta and bottomless drinks. After eating your weight in Italian fare, get your friends together for free-flowing jugs of Aperol spritz, house red and white wines, beer and soft drinks.

Cost: $59 per person
Available: At 400 Gradi venues in Brunswick, Eastland, Essendon, Mornington and Norwood. All venues offer a 3pm sitting and the Mornington venue also offers 11.30am and 1.30pm sittings.
Address: 25 Main St, Mornington

Half Acre

Feast and Flow is a fancy term for a bottomless brunch, which is fitting given the elevated take on the tradition at Half Acre . Make no mistake, this is a very refined affair. Dress for the occasion (in loose-fitting pants) to enjoy an indulgent buffet with favourites such as lamb kofta and mushrooms, falafel with tahini or hot smoked trout with fennel and radish. You’re welcome to go back for seconds, as the food and drinks are included. On top of this, guests can choose one made-to-order dish. And groups of 10 can arrange for a selection of chef’s picks to be served at the table.

Cost: From $69 per person for the bottomless buffet; and an extra $29 for the free-flow package.
Available: For two hours every Saturday from 10am to 3.30pm or on Sundays from 11am to 2.30pm.
Address: 112 Munro St, South Melbourne.

Baby

Baby has never been content to rest on its doughy laurels. A point of pride for the Richmond pizzeria is its Free-Flowing Fiesta, which skips along from starters such as focaccia with cherry tomato and whipped ricotta and cacio e pepe arancini and onto its much-loved pizzas. Like going to an AFL game, and sipping on lattes, going out for a bottomless brunch is a quintessential Melbourne experience. Oh baby, Baby … this fun fiesta is the place to get in your (free-) flow state.

Cost: $66 per person for 90 minutes of free-flowing sips from a selection of wine, beer and prosecco plus cocktails
Available: Every weekend, from noon till 3pm.
Address: 631-633 Church St, Richmond

Hecho en Mexico

a table-top view of tacos and burritos at Hecho In Mexico — Expect all things Mexican, from margaritas and burritos to tacos and tequila.

All 15 Hecho En Mexico venues have hard-launched their bottomless brunch 2.0 with everything from margaritas and burritos to tacos and tequila. The brand, which began in Fitzroy a decade ago, now has 11 in Melbourne and four in regional Victoria. Hecho in Mexico translates to Made in Mexico: expect unlimited tacos stuffed with poultry, pescado, prawn and pork, plus free-flowing classic margaritas, sangria and pink palomas as well as house beer and wine.

Cost: From $75 per person
Available: Every Saturday and Sunday from noon, 2pm and 4pm for 1.5 hours
Address: 299 Bay St, Brighton

Evies Disco Diner

Look the part at this 80s’-inspired diner by donning your favourite fluoro tights and painting your eyelids blue. This Fitzroy favourite is recognised in these parts for its rotation of New York diner fare. It’s comfort food as per all your fast-food faves. The Basic Bitch bottomless brunch at Evies Disco Diner includes items such as chicken waffles with maple, or a sausage and egg muffin which include plant-based versions. The Rich Bitch takes it up a notch with extra drinks included such as Aperol Spritzes and frozen margaritas.

Cost: From $69 for one brunch meal plus two hours of unlimited mimosas, bubbles, wines, beer, ciders or selzers; Plus $99 for more boozy options.
Available: Saturdays and Sundays
Address: 230-232 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

Rice Paper Scissors

If you’re in the mood for day drinking (in a responsible manner), then Rice Paper Scissors will satisfy. The vibrant Southeast Asian diner has two locations, one in Fitzroy and one on hip and happening Hardware Lane. It’s the Fitzroy venue that serves the boozy brunch aimed at those craving a spicy kick of Asian fare and bevvies to boot. Here, $79 will buy you a healthy amount of shareable plates and an endless pour of free-flowing cocktails, wine and beer. Rock off for who’s going to be the designated driver.

Cost: $79 per person.
Available: Every Saturday noon to 2pm or 2.3pm-4.30pm.
Address: 62 Little Collins St, Melbourne

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Winding down in the Yarra Valley, where ‘work from home’ becomes ‘work from wine country’.

Steam from my morning coffee curls gently into the cool valley air, mist-veiled vineyards stretch out in neat rows below me. Magpies warble from trees, and the morning’s quiet carries the soft bleating of lambs from a nearby paddock. Midweek in the Yarra Valley has its own rhythm. It’s slower, quieter, with more empty tables at cafes and cellar doors, and walking trails I can claim all to myself. It’s as if the entire region takes a deep breath once the weekend crowd leaves.

walking trails in the Yarra Valley — You’ll find walking trails are less crowded during the week. (Image: Visit Victoria)

I haven’t come here for a holiday, but to do a little work somewhere other than my home office, where I spend too much time hunched over my desk. Deadlines still loom, meetings still happen, but with flexible work evolving from ‘work from home’ to ‘work from anywhere’, I’m swapping the view of my front yard to the vineyards.

A quiet afternoon at Yarra Valley Dairy

holding a glass of wine at Yarra Valley Dairy — Wine time at Yarra Valley Dairy, where you can enjoy a toastie or bagel in the cafe. (Image: Visit Victoria)

With the Yarra Valley just over an hour from the CBD, many Melburnians could drive here in their lunch break. I arrive late in the afternoon and am delighted to discover the Yarra Valley Dairy still open. On weekends, I’ve seen queues spilling out the door, but today there’s only one other couple inside. There’s no need to rush to secure a table; instead I browse the little store, shelves stacked with chutneys, spices, artisan biscuits and gorgeous crockery that would look right at home in my kitchen. It’s hard not to buy the lot.

a cheese tasting plate atYarra Valley Dairy — A cheese tasting plate at Yarra Valley Dairy.

I order a coffee and a small cheese platter, though the dairy has a full menu, and choose a wooden table with bentwood chairs by a wide window. The space feels part farm shed, part cosy café: corrugated iron ceiling, walls painted in muted tones and rustic furniture.

Outside, cows meander toward milking sheds. If pressed for time, there’s the option of quick cheese tastings – four samples for five dollars in five minutes – but today, I’m in no rush. I sip slowly, watching a grey sky settle over the paddock. Less than an hour ago I was hunched over my home-office desk, and now my racing mind has slowed to match the valley’s pace.

Checking in for vineyard views at Balgownie Estate

Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate has views across the vines.

As my car rolls to a stop at Balgownie Estate , I’m quietly excited, and curious to see if my plan to work and play comes off. I’ve chosen a suite with a spacious living area and a separate bedroom so I can keep work away from a good night’s sleep. I could have booked a cosy cottage, complete with open fireplace, a comfy couch and a kettle for endless cups of tea, but as I am still here to get some work done, I opt for a place that takes care of everything. Dinner is served in Restaurant 1309, as is breakfast.

oysters at Restaurant 1309, Balgownie Estate — Oysters pair perfectly with a crisp white at Restaurant 1309.

On my first evening, instead of the usual walk about my neighbourhood, I stroll through the estate at an unhurried pace. There’s no need to rush – someone else is preparing my dinner after all. The walking trails offer beautiful sunsets, and it seems mobs of kangaroos enjoy the view, too. Many appear, grazing lazily on the hillside.

I wake to the call of birds and, after breakfast, with the mist still lingering over the vineyards, I watch two hot-air balloons silently drift above clouds. Perched on a hill, Balgownie Estate sits above the mist, leaving the valley below veiled white.

kangaroos in Yarra Valley — Spotting the locals on an evening walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Exploring the Yarra Valley on two wheels

the Yarra Valley vineyards — Swap your home office for a view of the vineyards. (Image: Visit Victoria/Cormac Hanrahan)

Perhaps because the Yarra Valley is relatively close to where I live, I’ve never considered exploring the area any way other than by car or on foot. And with a fear of heights, a hot-air balloon is firmly off the table. But when I discover I can hop on two wheels from the estate and cycle into Yarra Glen, I quickly realise it’s the perfect way to step away from my laptop and experience a different side of the region.

COG Bike offers pedal-assist e-bikes, and while the bike trail and paths into town aren’t particularly hilly, having an extra bit of ‘oomph’ means I can soak up the surroundings. Those lambs I heard calling early in the morning? I now find them at the paddock fence, sniffing my hands, perhaps hoping for food. Cows idle nearby, and at a fork in the bike path I turn left toward town.

It’s still morning, and the perfect time for a coffee break at The Vallie Store. If it were the afternoon, I’d likely turn right, in the direction of four wineries with cellar doors. The ride is about 15 kilometres return, but don’t let that put you off. Staying off the highway, the route takes you along quiet backroads where you catch glimpses of local life – farmers on tractors, weathered sheds, rows of vines and the kind of peaceful countryside you don’t see from the main road.

A detour to the Dandenong Ranges

legs hanging over the sides of the train, Puffing Billy Railway — The iconic Puffing Billy runs every day except Christmas Day.

The beauty of basing myself in the Yarra Valley is how close everything feels. In barely half an hour I’m in the Dandenong Ranges, swapping vineyards for towering mountain ash and fern-filled gullies. The small villages of Olinda and Sassafras burst with cosy teahouses, antique stores and boutiques selling clothing and handmade body care items.

I’m drawn to RJ Hamer Arboretum – Latin for ‘a place for trees’. Having grown up among tall trees, I’ve always taken comfort in their presence, so this visit feels like a return of sorts. A stroll along the trails offers a choice: wide open views across patchwork paddocks below, or shaded paths that lead you deeper into the quiet hush of the peaceful forest.

The following day, I settle into a quiet corner on the balcony of Paradise Valley Hotel in Clematis and soon hear Puffing Billy’s whistle and steady chuff as the steam train climbs towards town. Puffing Billy is one of Australia’s most beloved steam trains, running through the Dandenong Ranges on a narrow-gauge track. It’s famous for its open carriages where passengers can sit with their legs hanging over the sides as the train chugs through the forest. This is the perfect spot to wave to those on the train.

After my midweek break, I find my inbox still full and my to-do list not in the least shrunken, just shifted from one task to another. But I return to my home office feeling lighter, clearer and with a smug satisfaction I’d stolen back a little time for myself. A midweek wind-down made all the difference.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Balgownie Estate offers everything from cellar door tastings to spa treatments and fine dining – all without leaving the property.

Playing there

the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Yarra Valley — Visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Wander through Alowyn Gardens, including a stunning wisteria tunnel, then explore the collection of contemporary artworks at TarraWarra Museum of Art . Cycle the Yarra Valley with COG Bike to visit local wineries and cellar doors.

Eating and drinking there

Olinda Tea House offers an Asian-inspired high tea. Paradise Valley Hotel, Clematis has classic pub fare, while the iconic Yering Station offers wine tastings and a restaurant with seasonal dishes.

seasonal dishes at the restaurant inside Yering Station — The restaurant at Yering Station showcases the best produce of the Yarra Valley. (Image: Visit Victoria)