No matter where you find yourself in Melbourne there will be a world-class meal waiting for you inside one of the city’s many fine dining restaurants or tucked down a hidden laneway; you just need to know where to look.

The best Melbourne restaurants demonstrate a keen understanding of one thing: all you need to satisfy customers is local produce, good technique and restraint. Letting Victoria’s best ingredients speak for themselves is what dining out in Melbourne is all about, which is why the city is leading the charge of the loosely drawn concept of modern Australian cuisine. Consider this your ultimate dining to-do list. Embrace it from top to bottom or skip ahead to your preferred corner of Melbourne below.

The Shortlist: 

Hottest new opening: Marmelo
Best date spot: Donovans
Fine dining gem: IDES
Best for dietary restrictions: Smith + Daughters
Best for late-night dining: Gimlet at Cavendish House

Melbourne CBD and surrounds

Fine dining powerhouses driven by purpose and designed to impress can be found all over Melbourne’s CBD and the surrounding areas that stretch from the East End to Docklands (that is, the Free Tram Zone).

1. Vue De Monde

Remarkable city views stretch to the Dandenong Ranges: a given when you’re 55 floors above Melbourne’s CBD. Vue de Monde has been the state’s signature fine dining experience for many years. A reliable showstopper for those wealthy and ravenous in equal measure. Current head chef Chris Marshall continues that legacy of intense, exacting flavours echoing the apex of Victoria’s prime produce. Studious service is backed by two experiences: the $360 per person Signature Chef’s Tasting Menu, and the $450 Extended Experience menu. You’ll get at least 14 courses that change regularly, but almost always feature signatures like the crowd-pleasing Victorian eel tartlet with macadamia and caviar, the gorgeous West Australian marron, and the most famous dessert in Australia: the long-standing double chocolate souffle.

Cuisine: Modern Australia
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Elegant and precise
Location: 55 Rialto Towers; 525 Collins St, Melbourne

2. Pascale Bar & Grill

The Parisian end of Collins Street is perfectly mirrored by Pascale Bar & Grill’s provocative design – as playful as it is classy. QT Melbourne’s signature restaurant fires on all cylinders from breakfast to dinner, reiterating the kitchen’s sharp standards as the luxury hotel seeks to recreate the grand brasseries that you’ll find all across Europe. An attractive open-plan space seats just 60, meaning a high staff-to-guest ratio and consistently excellent service, as well as a genuine sense of privacy not often associated with buzzy hotel restaurants. Refined classics is the pitch, lifted with flair from the open kitchen paired with top-tier Victorian produce for classic dishes like the signature QT Black Angus Rib Eye 350g with Cafe de Paris, and the soul-stirring chicken pot pie.

Cuisine: Modern European
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Fashionable and intimate
Location: Level 1/133 Russell St, Melbourne

3. Grossi Florentino

Classic hospitality defines Grossi Florentino , which opened in 1928. Decadent handmade pasta with expensive ingredients still dominates the menu, with signatures like hand-cut fettuccini peppered with rock lobster still shouldering acclaim for Guy Grossi’s flagship kitchen. The lunch and dinner services have barely changed throughout the years, landing on a hard-won consistency that all restaurateurs dream of. Head along in the afternoon where a more affordable prix-fixie menu gives you the highlights without breaking the bank. It’s my personal go-to if I’m with someone who has never been to Melbourne before, given it strikes an impeccable balance between that quintessential dining institution postured with the power of archetypally grand Italian diners, and something that still feels decidedly modern. If you want a productive business lunch, make a reservation and twirl away at those gorgeous handmade pastas.

Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Energetic and sociable
Location: 80 Bourke St, Melbourne

4. Soi 38

Soi 38 would be any smart locals first suggestion for out-of-towners asking after the best Thai food in Melbourne. It’s a cliche at this point, but Soi 38 is still banging on the gold standard with high-energy lunch services brimming with simmering vats of broth and hand-cut boat noodles. It becomes louder and more exciting after nightfall, when the kitchen fires up gas burners at each table and the space fills with smoke. The traditional Thai BBQ menu evokes the backstreets of Bangkok, lifting simple street food with local produce; the flavours are so punchy and authentic, always reminding me of the many times I’ve spent driving around the world’s most visiting city and actively seeking out those hidden gems locals can’t get enough of. Plus, it’s still one of the most affordable restaurants in Melbourne that sits on that increasingly long “must-try" bucket list.

Cuisine: Thai
Price: $$
Atmosphere: Casual and busy
Location: 38 Mcilwraith Pl, Melbourne

5. French Saloon

Following a long stint as a function space shooting off Melbourne’s famous Hardware Lane, Con Christopoulos’ crowd-pleasing French Saloon is still a sure-shot favourite for locals heading into the city for fine French food. Head chef Luke Fraser proves his worth on this corner of Little Bourke Street with a stellar menu unconcerned with very little but perfecting classic French fare and matching that with an extensive wine list. While weekends are still reserved for events, this loft-like space is the perfect mid-week date night spot with a cosy, romantic ambience that’s classy but completely unpretentious. Best French restaurant in Melbourne? Competition is fierce but this kitchen is certainly up there.

Cuisine: French
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Busy and sociable
Location: 46 Hardware Ln, Melbourne

6. Flower Drum

Enter through the red door in Market Lane to find one of the most endearing culinary institutions in Australia, Flower Drum . Considered the best upscale Cantonese restaurant in the country since 1975, the formidable eatery is hinged on refined classics. Victorian produce has given the kitchen simple ways to elevate standards like succulent Peking duck and mud crab. But it’s the entire experience that ensures the space is always flooded with regulars, from the gold-standard service and old-school hospitality to the simple, moody lighting. It still feels like a hidden gem, despite being the most famous Chinese restaurant in Melbourne.

Cuisine: Cantonese
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Energetic and sophisticated
Location: 17 Market Ln, Melbourne

7. Gimlet at Cavendish House

Few Melbourne restaurants have represented a seismic shift in the city’s dining scene as well as Gimlet at Cavendish House . Stalwart restaurateur Andrew McConnell is at the top of his game with this well-dressed restaurant and bar, which has turned a 1920s building in the CBD into a grand and glitzy powerhouse of hospitality. This Acme & Co-designed venue is popular for Martini-fuelled long lunches and swanky client dinners, but it’s just as viable to pull up a seat at the black-and-gold marble bar and dine alone. I’ve always rolled solo at Gimlet, but the bar staff are so exceptionally well-versed in conversation that I’ve never really felt like I’m dining alone. All types of guests walk through those doors, from corporate closers to celebratory couples, impatiently waiting to clamp their teeth down on juicy southern rock lobsters, seafood salads and coal-roasted meats.

Cuisine: Modern European
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Elegant and vibrant
Location: 33 Russell St, Melbourne

8. Reine & La Rue

Nomad Group’s Jacqui Challinor and ex-Nomad chef Brendan Katich are the masterminds behind the transformation of the cathedral-esque Melbourne Stock Exchange building into Reine and La Rue . Much like Andrew McConnell’s Gimlet, the grand 140-seat Reine makes a strong case for ambitious adaptive reuse projects being the way forward for Melbourne’s dining scene. A stunner like this could never be a new build, wearing its age proudly with vaulted ceilings, dual bars and solid granite columns. Food is expensive but generously plated with a focus on marrying old-world French flair with top-shelf Australian produce. Flirt through the 40-seat courtyard and you’ll find yourself at the exclusive eight-seat La Rue, a wine bar with the same menu and, unsurprisingly, faster service.

Cuisine: French
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Grand and lived-in
Location: 380 Collins St, Melbourne

9. Kenzan

As one of the original Japanese restaurants in Melbourne, Kenzan is still a shining example of how simplicity, consistency and great service are sometimes all you need. Since 1981, this Collins Place fixture has been perfecting traditional Japanese food, betraying its rather drab location on the lower level of a food court with outstanding quality. Co-owners Kazu Murayama, Yuki Munehiro and Boeing Cho haven’t splashed on any expensive interiors. Kenzan doesn’t look like it should be as good as it is, but between that melt-in-your-mouth tuna belly and grilled eel with sweet soy sauce, there’s no mistaking this for anything but one of the best Japanese restaurants in the city. My best tip is to head along for lunch instead of dinner, where the same menu is offered at a slightly lower price.

Cuisine: Japanese
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Friendly and sophisticated
Location: Lower Ground Floor, 45 Collins St, Melbourne

10. Grill Americano

Chris Lucas’ large-format Italian steakhouse, Grill Americano , is always a big night out. Warm, classic hospitality is all crisp white jackets and cinematic tableside cooking, relying as much on character as exceptional food and an impressive 2,000-bottle wine cellar. The signature Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a whopping 1.2-kilogram T-bone, can usually be found on every table, flanked by essential sides like potato focaccia and mac ’n’ cheese with prosciutto. And there’s something about the venue’s irrepressible energy that elevates the food. Sinking into those plush banquettes immediately evokes the vintage grills and brasseries that once defined Melbourne, reaffirming Lucas as a towering figure of this city’s imposing dining scene.

Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Upscale and friendly
Location: 112 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

11. Mamasita

Widely considered the best Mexican restaurant in Melbourne, Mamasita . relies on much more than just tacos and tostadas (although they are a cut above average as well). Chef Martin Zozaya changes the menu to reflect the seasonal shifts of Mexico; fresh dishes inspired by Mexico’s Pacific coast define the menu in the summer months while winter is all about meatier, heavier plates like overnight black beer brisket with mustard crema and salsa. Seasons are distinctive here, which speaks highly of the diversity of Mexico’s historic cuisine. Take the highlights alongside hand-pressed tacos and an extensive list of mezcals and tequilas. Cocktails are big business at Mamasita, so make sure at least two of those brilliant smoky margaritas end up on your table.

Cuisine: Mexican
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Fun and sociable
Location: 11 Collins St, Melbourne

12. Atria

In 2023, one of the hottest new restaurants in Melbourne was Atria . Posh, dramatic and appropriately dressed, this polished fine diner is perfect for those looking for rooftop restaurants with city views in Melbourne. After all, it’s located on the 80th floor of the snazzy Ritz-Carlton Melbourne. Years later, it’s become part of the furniture for Melbourne’s well-heeled crowd, considered as highly prized as dinner at the city’s other sky-high experience, Vue de Monde.

Dramatic sky dining wouldn’t be nearly as appealing if the food wasn’t half as impressive as the view. Thankfully, executive chef Michael Greenlaw (ex-Vue de Monde) raises the bar with uncomplicated dishes leaning heavily on Victoria’s best produce seared by a powerhouse woodfired grill. Don’t forget to browse the globe-trotting wine list. The book of varietals is more like an encyclopedia, with both classic back vintages and modern drops sharing the spotlight.

Cuisine: Modern Australian
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Ritzy and cinematic
Location: 650 Lonsdale St, Melbourne

13. Freyja

Freyja occupies two floors of the 1880s Olderfleet building on Collins Street, proudly showcasing its heritage guts with original details like a spiral staircase, restored brick and vintage blue leather banquettes. Named for a Norse goddess, this dramatic dining room expertly blends Scandinavia’s love of pickling, smoking and preserving ingredients with modern Australian cuisine. And the results are fantastic, from the lunch-only traditional Smorrebrod with rainbow trout, potato and seasonal herbs, to dinner service classics like duck served with daikon, mustard leaf, black currant and coriander seed. Chef Jae Bang has Michelin hats under his belt and the pedigree shows in his delicate, open-minded dishes that are always serving up something new. For the best experience, fork out for the six-course, $99 Taste of Freyja menu which comes with optional beverage pairings favouring natural, harder-to-find wines.

Cuisine: Scandinavian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Clean and calm
Location: 477 Collins St, Melbourne

14. Warabi

The 29-seat kappo experience at Warabi is the most premium experience you can have in Melbourne’s outrageously stylish W Hotel on Flinders Lane. For the uninitiated, kappo is very much like omakase, instead where the latter refers mostly to sushi and sashimi, the former has a wider palate and can include other dishes as well. The kitchen offers a 13-course mid-week set for $185 per person Tuesday through Thursday, but its signature degustation (bumping that up to 14 courses) is reserved for Fridays and Saturdays, priced at $285 per person. Sitting at the wraparound bar, watching chefs tinker in an open-plan kitchen, adds to the theatre of it all. Unlike many omakase experiences in Melbourne, the style at Warabi is as social as it is intimate, offering a more energetic evening than your usual whisper-quiet sushi session.

Cuisine: Japanese
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Lively and sociable
Location:  408 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

15. Farmer’s Daughters

When it comes to countries like Thailand and China, Melbourne’s dining scene lives and breathes regionality and authenticity. Yet it’s rare to see a modern Australian kitchen with a laser focus on just one region of the country, which is why Farmer’s Daughters is such an interesting pitch. Peruvian chef Alejandro Saravia Pastuso has conjured a triple-stacked ode to Gippsland, inspired by a produce tour he took that championed the region’s natural beauty and its storied produce. As such, each level of Farmer’s Daughters has been designed after the bucolic wonder of Gippsland, from the ground-floor deli to the restaurant in the middle and the gorgeous triangular rooftop bar. All three extoll the joys of country dining, backed by excellent service and a consistency most restaurateurs can only dream of.

Cuisine: Latin American
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Busy and approachable
Location: 95 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

16. Maha

Shane Delia’s pride and joy is still one of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in Melbourne. The generous, indulgent feasts of roasted chicken breast or slow-roasted lamb shoulder surrounded by several mezze plates at Maha builds one of Melbourne’s trademark dining experiences. And it does so while still managing to evoke a time when the city’s dining scene was still in its infancy, with the restaurant standing for over 15 years now. It’s equally difficult to score a reservation for lunch or dinner. Effort is rewarded by a gregarious, highly sociable atmosphere.

Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Energetic and sociable
Location: 21 Bond St, Melbourne

17. Ishizuka

You don’t often find authentic Kaiseki cuisine outside of Japan. This historic, degustation-style way of eating is similar to an omakase, but it’s much broader than just sushi and sashimi. Ishizuka , located in a basement on Bourke Street, celebrates the art of Kaiseki with a set of around 12 delicate courses. There are only 16 diners at a time, so the intimate atmosphere and attentive service help block out distractions to keep the focus on flavour. It’s expensive. At $315 per person, this set is more of a special treat than a monthly visit. But what you’ll get for that price is immaculate Japanese flavours, following the typical course of a Kaiseki menu. Wine matches are available for an additional $150 per person, and there’s a non-alcoholic option for $80 per person.

Cuisine: Japanese
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Elegant and peaceful
Location: 139 Bourke St, Melbourne

18. ARU

Bouncing off the heavy acclaim they built with Sunda, the Windsor Melbourne hospitality group has turned sister restaurant ARU into one of the city’s finest hubs of modern Asian flavours. Graceful service, a busy open kitchen with chefs crowding around a woodfire hearth, and warm design mean lunch or dinner at ARU is a classy affair. A delicious one too, with elevated dishes like king green prawn rice noodles with pork crackling, coconut and garlic chives, Moreton Bay bug fried rice with spiced crayfish and bottarga, and a brilliant 14-day dry-aged duck with rhubarb, black cabbage and bamboo. Where Sunda is a more typical fine dining experience, Aru turns more towards generous plating and stomach-filling feasts. Not only that, but the cocktail menu is one of the city’s most unique with modern concoctions you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

Cuisine: Modern Asian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Stylish and sociable
Location: 268 Little Collins St, Melbourne

19. Supernormal

Andrew McConnell’s iron-clad grip on Melbourne’s dining scene just wouldn’t have been possible if he didn’t venture into modern Asian cuisine with the brilliant Supernormal . As one of Melbourne’s most reliable date night restaurants, the slick, colourful dining room always gives off the right vibe for a big night; the food is just as energetic. You’ll spot Japanese flavours spliced with Chinese and Korean when looking through the ever-changing menu. You’ll need at least one of those New England lobster rolls on the table, best taken with potsticker dumplings and that enormous koji-marinated Ravens Creek pork tomahawk served with ginger soy. Flavour combinations at Supernormal are clever, satisfying and creative.

Cuisine: Modern Asian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Fun and eclectic
Location: 180 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

20. Lee Ho Fook

After moving from Collingwood to the CBD in 2015, Victor Liong swapped the industrial Melbourne look of his popular Chinese restaurant for something a bit more airy and seductive. The Duckboard Place iteration of Lee Ho Fook is dim, sexy and elegant. But just because the aesthetic has changed, doesn’t mean the award-winning food has. Liong’s parade of chefs still dishes up some of the best Peking duck you can find in Melbourne. Here, a 10-day dry-aged duck is imported from Macedon and slow-roasted before being dished up with steamed pancakes, quince hoisin sauce and several side dishes. Just about everything at Lee Ho Fook will hit the mark, from the Glacier 51 toothfish to prawn toast with sea urchin and salted egg yolk butter. You want the full experience? Don’t ignore the tea pairing – it’s been expertly matched to steam the most out of these strong flavours.

Cuisine: Cantonese
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Moody and elegant
Location: 11-15 Duckboard Pl, Melbourne

21. Nomad

Nomad Group is making some power moves in this city. While the dramatic Reine and La Rue has quickly become one of the coolest restaurants in Melbourne, let’s not forget that its Victorian debut was the local iteration of the group’s signature Sydney restaurant, Nomad. This version is just as clever, with a beautiful 100-seat space beneath the Adelphi Hotel.  Once your eyes gaze over the open kitchen and epic charcuterie display, sink into those angled brown banquettes and dive into Brendan Katich’s sturdy open-flame cooking. The best way to experience Nomad Melbourne might be the $90 pre-theatre menu followed by a show at Regent Theatre.

Cuisine: Modern European
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Open and energetic
Location: 187 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

22. Tipo 00

Many consider Tipo 00 to be the best Italian restaurant in Melbourne. Some would say Australia. And it’s hard to argue against what this petite CBD dining room has got going for it – beautiful handmade pasta, excellent wine, and efficient service. Whenever I go, l typically have to contend with the after-work crowd. It gets a bit too busy, so the best time to pop into Tipo 00 is in the afternoon. Lunch here is a veritable smorgasbord of Italian flavours, from the Moreton Bay bug spaghetti and wagyu mafaldine, to charred octopus and what we feel is the best tiramisu in Melbourne.

Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Casual and friendly
Location: 361 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

23. Osteria Ilaria

Osteria Ilaria comes from the same team behind Tipo 00. And the endearing focus on high-quality, handmade pasta and modern Italian dishes is just as effective in this modern kitchen. A simple chef’s menu (or the $65 two-course business lunch menu) is usually the way to go if you want to experience the kitchen’s greatest hits. You might start with a fresh bluefin tuna crudo, then you’ll move on to fresh starters like grilled calamari with parsnip and rhubarb before rich, hearty pasta like tagliolini with king prawns and saffron. Or you could ditch pasta altogether and go for something like the simple snapper with fennel, bergamot and kale.

The menu is so wide-ranging and creative that just one visit won’t quite cut it for this Little Bourke Street favourite.

Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Warm and friendly
Location: 367 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

24. Hardware Club

Located on the first floor of the heritage-listed Hardware House on Hardware Lane, this 65-seater is serving up some of the best pizza in Melbourne. Co-owner Nicola Dusi commands the most out of that small woodfire oven behind the bar, offering simple, delicious pizza and house-baked bread along with a menu of pasta and mostly coastal dishes. The approach at Hardware Club is very much aligned with classic Italian recipes but there are also a few surprises like roasted bone marrow toast with salsa verde and fried capers, burrata with spicy nduja jam and gremolata, and a hearty pork and fennel sausage wheel with silverbeet and shallots. The simple design and speedy service further Hardware Lane’s convivial charm, pushing Hardware Lane as an any-day-of-the-week option for visitors looking to have a fun, relaxed night out.

Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Relaxed and communal
Location: 43 Hardware Lane Upstairs, Melbourne

25. Embla

A well-curated schedule of live music, a homely, approachable atmosphere where everyone feels completely at ease, and some of the best food in Melbourne (no joke). Embla has been leading Melbourne’s wine bar scene for years, banked heavily on balance with its exploratory wine list only half of the story. Not even. Music, food and wine come together with warm, personable service to frame one of the single best dining experiences you can have when visiting Melbourne. The simple, uncomplicated approach to the food definitely helps, putting complete faith in ingredients to do the heavy-lifting while sommeliers are pros at picking the right pairing. This French wine bar is an icon.

Cuisine: French, Modern Australian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Homely and welcoming
Location: 122 Russell St, Melbourne

26. Marmelo

Marmelo opened in early 2025 with Ross and Sunny Lusted attempting to mirror much of the success they found at Crown Sydney with Woodcut. It’s a woodfired restaurant focused on making the most of Australian produce and bringing out unexpected flavours from some of the country’s finest. While it’s not daring to be different, the kitchen has nailed the kind of simplicity that the city pays big bucks for. It’s a nice, classy place to get a steak or some Portuguese chicken and a glass of wine, which in the age of the concept restaurant, is rather refreshing.

Cuisine: Portuguese
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Stylish and friendly
Location: 130 Russell St, Melbourne

Northern suburbs

Community sits at the heart of Melbourne’s Northern Suburbs and restaurants here reflect that strong desire to build up a sense of belonging with highly sociable, welcoming atmospheres that preference intimacy over theatre.

27. Restaurant Gaea

Since 2019, this petite, degustation-only restaurant has been shouldering Fitzroy’s increasingly high standards with nothing but swagger. Restaurant Gaea is dynamic and feels electric each time you step through the doors. But the quickened pace isn’t in the service, which is wonderfully relaxed and attentive. It’s in the food. These are precise, beautiful flavours that have helped build Gaea a cult-following of diners all over the country. 

Cuisine: Modern Australian
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Communal and cosy
Location: 166 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

28. Enter Via Laundry

After starting as a 10-person degustation concept run out of chef Helly Raichura’s Box Hill home, Enter Via Laundry spent some time popping up in various locations before landing on a permanent location in Carlton North. Now, this cosy kitchen is successfully pitched as one of the best Indian restaurants in Melbourne. The wildly popular dining room serves 20 guests at a time, maintaining a very homely vibe as Raichura highlights historic Indian dishes from regions not often discussed in the food world. Her sense of creativity is unmatched, often digging up centuries-old recipes and translating them for a comprehensive essay on Indian food.

Due to the intimacy, service is always whisper-quiet and very attentive. The feeling of exclusivity is key, so you won’t even be given the exact address until you book.

Cuisine: Indian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Homely and communal
Location: 507 Nicholson St, Carlton North

29. Carlton Wine Room

Carlton Wine Room occupies a gorgeous 19th-century building, working those heritage bones with a sharp sense of style. A marble bar looks over a communal table for the main show, although there are five levels in total including a bluestone cellar that can be booked for private dining. The wine list of around 100 bottles gives the expert team a nice scope for regulars looking for some new favourites, while the food leans towards Modern Australian with ideas borrowed from across Europe.

Cuisine: Modern Australian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Fashionable and communal
Location: 172-174 Faraday St, Carlton

30. Kazuki’s

Saori and Kazuki Tsuya moved their popular fine diner from Daylesford to Carlton in 2018. And the increased visibility has paid off, positioning Kazuki’s as one of the most popular restaurants on Lygon Street right now. Moreton Bay bugs, ocean trout, lamb, snapper. This is a masterclass in fine Australian produce flicked through the wide-ranging filter of a European-meets-Japanese hybrid cuisine. The results are endlessly satisfying, usually delivered with a seven-course set menu and either a “classic wine" or “fancy wine" pairing. The soft, zen-like interior reflects the minimalism of the food. Each dish demonstrates incredible restraint, favouring simplicity like all the best restaurants in Melbourne do.

Cuisine: Japanese-European
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Calm and friendly
Location: 121 Lygon St, Carlton

31. Al Dente Enoteca

What grew from an Italian delivery service during the pandemic is now one of the best restaurants in Carlton. Andrea Vignali and Davide Bonadiman pitch Al Dente Enoteca as a casual wine bar and shop with a stylish restaurant attached. Valued for its approachable fine dining, the kitchen is classic Italian with beautiful handmade pasta and simple, uncomplicated dishes like Victorian dry-aged duck breast served with pickled and Kakadu plums. Although most would come here for classic Roman pasta dishes like cacio e pepe and spaghetti alle vongole. Local winemakers are showcased extensively with the wine menu while the bartenders whip on subtle twists on negronis and do a surprisingly noteworthy highball.

Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Fun and approachable
Location: 161 Nicholson St, Carlton

32. Flint

There are only a small handful of restaurants in Australia that are run almost entirely on fire, smoke and charcoal. Nicki Morrison’s beautiful Flint is one of them, inspired by a traditional Argentinian steakhouse, swapping ovens for natural heat. The popular Smith Street restaurant is intimate, stylish and relaxed while the kitchen pumps out incredible steaks and roasted vegetables that’ll challenge the way you think about humble carrots and potatoes. Fan favourites, like smoked venison tartare with fermented beet, buckwheat and pickle, ensure a sizable list of regular clientele, so be sure to book ahead of dinner service. Flint is one of the most popular restaurants in Melbourne for lovers of superb grilled meats and cooked seafood.

Cuisine: Argentinian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Lively and friendly
Location: 199 Smith St, Fitzroy

33. Cutler & Co

Andrew McConnell’s handsome fine dining institution is still as sharp as ever. As one of the best restaurants in Fitzroy, this kitchen is classic Melbourne. And if you’ve been paying attention to this list of Melbourne’s best restaurants, you’ll know that this instantly means two things: simplicity and great produce. Meat, fish and vegetables rule the very uncomplicated menu, best taken either as part of the $180 per person five-course set menu or the high-value Sunday lunch set that’s very light on the wallet. Either way, what you can expect from Cutler & Co. is classic friendly service, and share-style dishes like the signature hay-baked chicken with herb butter and bread. Timeless, refined and oh-so-satisfying.

Cuisine: Modern Australia
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Casual and homely
Location: 55/57 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

34. Bar Liberty

Although head chef Zackary Furst has since departed the restaurant after six years channelling his Polish heritage, the food at Fitzroy’s irresistible Bar Liberty is as good as ever. Pierogies, which are potato and cheese dumplings, are served with sour cream and caramelised onions alongside various flatbreads and more substantial dishes like pork collar steak. An approachable wine list helps drive it all home for the popular hipster hangout, displaying a very of-the-moment collection that favours young winemakers and low-intervention wines but still has more than enough room for the recognisable classics. Service is as casual and laid-back as the decor, fitting seamlessly into Fitzroy’s reputation as one of the most welcoming and diverse suburbs in Melbourne.

Cuisine: Polish
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Casual and communal
Location: 234 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

35. Alta Trattoria

Modelled after the intimate, wine-centric trattorias you’d find scattered around Piedmont, Alta Trattoria is easily one of Fitzroy’s best Italian restaurants. And one of its most attractive, favouring a bucolic look with forest green hues and interior olive trees. A passion project for Carlo Grossi (of Grossi Florentino) and sommelier James Tait, the venue only opened in 2023 and already has a large and loyal following. The straightforward menu tracks regional classics like pappardelle with boar ragu and tajarin with Del Bocia butter and truffles. Given wine is such a strong focus, it’s pretty much mandatory to have some Barolo sitting on the table. Tait also showcases some of his favourite French and Australian growers, but for the most part, the wine list is glued to the Piedmont region.

Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Approachable and warm
Location: 274 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

36. Etta

This smart, handsome wine bar is as low-key as they come, preferring the humble neighbourhood approach over anything flashy. But Etta is still a big deal, presenting an intelligent range of Asian and Middle Eastern flavours helmed by head chef Lorcan Kan.

The smart, passionate team gifts Brunswick a homely spot to sip natural wines and browse a seriously flavourful menu. Here, the kitchen puts up worldly plates like cumin spiced lamb and jalapeno sausage with labneh, and rock flathead with kombu Cara Cara butter and charred radicchio. A 250-bottle wine list holds the other end of the experience, representing some of the world’s finest growing regions with a preference towards textural, distinctive wines. You’ll be leaving with a new favourite or two, especially if you’ve left it up to the knowledgeable staff to choose.

Cuisine: Asian, Middle Eastern
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Homely and communal
Location: 60 Lygon St, Brunswick East

37. IDES

Ex-Attica sous chef Peter Gunn found a permanent venue for his high-concept IDES back in 2016, setting up in Collingwood with just 36 seats and an arrestingly casual space. He learned well from Ben Shewry’s masterful kitchen, building beautiful set menus with only the best local produce and wiping the slate clean frequently. A frequent change in approach is anchored by Gunn’s heady creativity, testing boundaries with four to six-course menus and always keeping things interesting. Locals have become so enamoured with the chef’s spontaneity that IDES is now a front-runner for Melbourne fine dining.

Cuisine: Modern Australian
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Sophisticated and precise
Location: 92 Smith St, Collingwood

38. Smith St Bistrot

Scott Pickett’s sense of style has become more sophisticated as the years pass. Smith St Bistrot has to be one of the most attractive dining rooms in Melbourne right now, with its romantic old-world Parisian interior, cobbled with antique mirrors, plush burgundy banquettes and lavish chandeliers. Stepping into Smith St Bistrot is like entering a time capsule set for the glitzy 1920s. Such a swanky setting is filled with dirty Martinis, caviar service and Daniel Southern’s fun twists on timeless French classics.

Grilled scallops with pumpkin and honey are an easy fan favourite, but the real showstoppers are the signature mains. Think seasonal slow cooked lamb shoulder served during the cold months, and an excellent Humpty Doo barramundi with runner beans, smoked butter sauce and salmon caviar. It’s all-class for what is now one of Pickett’s best restaurants.

Cuisine: French
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Sophisticated and theatrical
Location: 300 Smith St, Collingwood

39. Smith + Daughters

If you’re looking for good vegetarian food in Melbourne, the top suggestion is likely Smith and Daughters . This dinner-only destination is leading the charge for the meat-free movement in Melbourne, with most items on the menu completely vegan and absolutely delicious. With its high-energy atmosphere and quick service, chef Shannon Martinez has very little to worry about as her team serve plates of vine leaf wrapped ricotta with smoked grapes. There are a few menu items that should satisfy those with a love of meat and seafood, but for the most part, consider this Cambridge Street favourite the best of all the many vegetarian restaurants in Melbourne. For locals wanting vegan-friendly restaurants with gluten-free options in Melbourne, it’s almost become second nature to make a beeline straight for it.

Cuisine: Vegetarian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Warm and friendly
Location: 107 Cambridge St, Collingwood

40. Estelle

Melbourne has many notable chefs constantly spiking the city with culinary magic. Yet few are as prolific as Scott Pickett, who has been leading the state’s food conversation for decades via restaurants like Matilda and Saint Crispin. The simple approach of exacting technique married with the state’s finest produce always works. Pickett understands this incredibly well, which is why this head-turning venue, split between a wine bar, a main dining room, and a courtyard, is always going to impress. Whether it’s firing up the pit for a Sunday spit in spring or forcing couples to square off over the last bite of grilled quail, dining at Estelle is consistently fun, social and deeply satisfying. A bold, traditional wine list, with mostly big names from Australia and beyond, certainly helps.

Cuisine: Modern Australian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Stylish and energetic
Location: 243-245 High St, Northcote

Eastern suburbs

From Box Hill to Richmond, Melbourne’s eastern suburbs host an incredible diversity of cuisines that cater to all budgets. Think cheap and cheerful Vietnamese in one corner, while you can pop over a few suburbs and find some of the most expensive Japanese food in the entire country.

41. Julie

This quaint 50-seater, simply named Julie , continues the city’s love affair with small, homely eateries that tourists always, regrettably, seem to brush over. The rotating menu centres around Julie Blum’s kitchen garden, not only defining the venue’s idyllic, dream-like quality but providing the lion’s share of produce which Blum then whips into home-style classics. European influences are paramount, but Blum’s worldly approach to seasonal cooking always manages some pleasant surprises.

Cuisine: Modern European
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Homely and simple
Location: 1 St Heliers St, Abbotsford

42. Tien Dat

Box Hill is a smorgasbord of high-quality, affordable Asian restaurants that dance around favourites like Thai and Vietnamese. But it’s the latter that’s best represented in the multicultural suburb, particularly at Tien Dat on Carrington Road. There’s nothing particularly alluring about the space itself. It’s as plain as they come, largely unchanged since the Pham family first opened doors in 1983. The large menu means plenty of choices and several dishes that skirt the interesting blend of Chinese and Vietnamese flavours like spicy salt and pepper squid and duck handrolls. Yet, it’s the traditional recipes that hit the hardest. Bowls of exceptional pho and delicious rice paper rolls are a must, as are signatures like banh cuon, which is a fermented rice batter filled with seasoned ground pork, mushrooms and shallots.

Cuisine: Vietnamese
Price: $$
Atmosphere: Homely and approachable
Location: 3 Carrington Rd, Box Hill

43. Minamishima

Sushi master Koichi Minamishima dominates the hearts and minds of anyone who has a deep love of fine Japanese cuisine. Reservations are exceedingly difficult to come across for this acclaimed 40-seat restaurant, which is the sushi chef’s first solo outing and is generally considered the benchmark for Japanese food in Australia. The peak offering, a 15-course sushi omakase, takes place at the long bar but bigger groups would want to splash out for one of the private dining rooms with their own sushi bar and sushi chef. As expected, the experience at Minamishima changes daily and is strictly driven by the availability of certain delicacies and fresh local seafood.

Cuisine: Japanese
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Studious and stylish
Location: 4 Lord St, Richmond

Southern suburbs

South Melbourne’s achingly hip scene is full of trends that have been refined and perfected, presenting new and interesting concepts that dance across the many flavours of multi-culturalism.

44. Studio Amaro

Is this Windsor or the Amalfi Coast? This side of Chapel Street may not beg a picture of beachy bliss but the food and drink here screams “backstreets of Positano". Studio Amaro is arrestingly casual; one of the most approachable restaurants in the area with a simple concept that revolves around antipasti and some of the best tear-apart bread you’ll find in the city. With your foccacia at the ready, it’s time to dip, wrap and scoop up the many different flavours of Italy. Grab some octopus, definitely some anchovies, and then twirl your way through that brilliant seafood mafaldine. It’s one of my most visited restaurants in Melbourne for good reason.

Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Casual and open
Location: 168 Chapel St, Windsor

45. Donovans

Kevin and Gail Donovan have gifted Melbourne something wholly unique with Donovans . This St Kilda classic is a homely fine diner right next to the golden sands of the historic suburb’s iconic beach. And it’s just as relaxed, brimming with personable service and a home-away-from-home ambience. Family photos and mismatched furniture sit around this little “house on the beach", stripping away any air of pretension and welcoming guests to a fine home-cooked meal. Australian and New Zealand produce crawl across the broad menu, which favours simple dishes like spanner crab ravioli and slow-cooked lamb shoulder.

Cuisine: Modern Australian
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Cosy and homely
Location: 40 Jacka Blvd, St Kilda

46. Yugen Dining

Who knew you could mash a Chinese doughnut with classic prawn toast and make it work?

Creativity is key at Yugen Dining , which has quickly become one of the best Japanese restaurants in Melbourne. And much like Amaru out in Annandale, an ex-Vue de Monde star is leading the charge. That is, Stephen Nairn, a former tea sommelier who has built two stunning venues stacked on top of one another. The first, Yugen Tea Bar, gets by with its award-winning angular design and unique offering, while the underground Yugen Dining frames mostly Japanese-adjacent flavours with stone walls and a mesmerising amber glow. The best way to play is by reserving a spot at the six-seat omakase bar, where chef Samuel Chee’s exacting experiments with Japanese and Australian produce are anchored by decadence, immaculate service, and a desire to be unlike any other restaurant in Melbourne.

Cuisine: Japanese-Chinese (Chuka)
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Mysterious and theatrical
Location: 605 Chapel St, South Yarra

47. Cafe di Stasio

Cafe Di Stasio is another one of St Kilda’s best restaurants and a great pick for lunch or dinner. It’s not far from the sands of St Kilda Beach, is consistently regarded as one of the top Italian restaurants in Melbourne, and has been serving locals since 1988 under the steady hand of owner Ronnie Di Stasio. On entry, it’s hard to tell that this restaurant has been around for decades. The dining room looks decidedly modern with its glowing masks and textured walls, full of well-dressed locals stabbing at the popular seasonal set lunch menu, and suits entertaining clients at night. It’s all tied together by exceptional, straightforward pasta dishes like spaghetti vongole veraci and hearty mains like cotoletta alla bolognese, paired with a wine list that keeps it the old-world classics as a nod to Cafe Di Stasio’s cashed-up regulars.

Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Classic and friendly
Location: 31 Fitzroy St, St Kilda

48. Yan

Narada Kudinar is obsessed with smoky flavours, so consider Yan an easy pick if you’re looking to dial in the distinct flavours of cold smoked king prawns, grilled corn with teriyaki butter, and beef short ribs with sansho pepper. The brief here is wide-reaching but mostly favours the delicacy of Cantonese cuisine, pairing that with East Asian-inspired cocktails in a high-energy atmosphere that’s best for bigger groups. Kudinar has designed most of the menu to pair well with smoke, although there are just as many star items that aren’t imbued with the distinctive flavour.

Cuisine: Cantonese
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Stylish and energetic
Location: 22 Toorak Rd, South Yarra

49. France-Soir

Considered the best steakhouse in Melbourne, France-Soir is the city’s stately gentleman, a scene of important client dinners, general schmoozing and expensive bottles of wine. Cited as the best restaurant in South Yarra, the doors of this dazzling French steakhouse first flung open in 1986. Celebrity spotting is a common sport for those seated at the bar, but anyone seated at their tables has their eyes on one thing and one thing only, the food. Expect beautiful, classic, understated French food like classic steak frites, snails in garlic butter, and pork sausage with mustard. It isn’t common knowledge amongst visitors, but you can BYO for lunch between Monday and Thursday. And there’s no corkage charge. Those heading for dinner, however, will need to contend with the extensive wine list – a compendium of French varietals with over 1,000 bottles listed from the approximately 6,000 bottles in France-Soir’s tightly packed cellar.

Cuisine: French
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Sophisticated and classic
Location: 11 Toorak Rd, South Yarra

50. Stokehouse

Wide-ranging views of Port Phillip Bay pull on one of Melbourne’s best perspectives while diners sit under an award-winning installation made of 2,000 glass tubes glowing in bright pink. Stokehouse , which opened in 1989 and has persevered through tragedy (a kitchen fire destroyed the venue in 2014), still presents as one of the most attractive dining rooms in the state. And it’s best experienced at lunchtime, on clear days when those floor-to-ceiling windows prove their worth and St Kilda springs to life. Reliably fresh seafood is why most walk through the doors, but the kitchen is just as nifty when it comes to land produce. Yet it’s hard to look past signatures like spaghetti with local rock flathead and fish collar nduja. Stick to sand-level for the more approachable Stokehouse Pasta & Bar, keeping things casual but still matching those lofty standards. You’ll get a sense of why Stokehouse is considered one of the top-rated seafood restaurants near the beach.

Cuisine: Modern Australia
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Stylish and beachy
Location: 30 Jacka Blvd, St Kilda

51. Amaru

Clinton McIver’s worldly 34-seat fine diner trumpets the sterling reputation he built as the former sous chef at Vue de Monde. His experience has given him the culinary know-how to pull on so many cuisines and somehow execute it all flawlessly. There aren’t many restaurants in the country, let alone the world, that can maintain a wide scope while still coming across as composed and balanced. The fact that Amaru can do it so well is a testament to McIver’s instinct. The kitchen is thoughtful, endlessly creative, and well-versed in many different regions, pushing an ever-changing menu that in the past has included crowd-pleasers like roasted Flinders Island wallaby tail dumplings with saltbush butter.

Cuisine: Modern Australian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Composed and friendly
Location: 1121 High St, Armadale

52. Attica

Ben Shewry has created something remarkable and wholly unique at the world-renowned Attica. Often cited as one of the best restaurants in Australia, Attica is largely responsible for changing the national conversation on what “modern Australia" means, leaning heavily on native ingredients, as well as both local and personal stories to build a homely, dinner-only dining room that’s as sophisticated as it is dynamic. Imaginative set menus feel like culinary novels, helped by an equally exploratory wine list and classic, easy-going hospitality. All elements work to position Attica on the global stage as one of the city’s most captivating and important kitchens.

Cuisine: Modern Australian:
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Classy and friendly
Location: 74 Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea

53. Entrecote

Would you believe that one of our favourite French restaurants in the country began life as a pop-up? Entrecote was never meant to be a permanent fixture when it opened in South Yarra in 2014, yet popularity was so immediate that the brasserie’s swift exit would likely lead to a riot. Instead, Entrecote remained the signature restaurant of South Yarra before it moved to a new location on Prahran’s Greville Street in 2021. Now with enough space for 200 diners, a jazzy Parisian design, and a raw seafood bar, this hub of fine French food is firing on all cylinders. Pick up some lobster frites if it’s a special occasion and make sure to stop the caviar trolley as it darts between the tables. Of course, you could just go straight for the kitchen’s signature steak frites served simply with herb sauce and browse the long wine list or ask for one of the bar’s astutely balanced, French-inspired cocktails. I don’t think it’ll ever change; if it did, there’d be a riot of fussy foodies outside.

Cuisine: French
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Classic and elegant
Location: 142 Greville St, Prahran

54. Malena

Take a moment when you arrive at Malèna to admire the sumptuous interiors inspired by Monica Bellucci. The restaurant in Brighton, Melbourne, is run by Michelin-trained Domenico Fazzari and is a celebration of southern Italy. Handmade pasta is generally the way to go here, but make sure you save room for dessert. That fan-favourite pistachio lava cake with French berries is the chef’s kiss of sweet treats in Brighton.

Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Homely and beachy
Location: 151 Martin St, Brighton

Western suburbs

Suburbs like Footscray and Yarraville have traditionally been ignored by chefs, but more restaurateurs are beginning to see the undeniable value and potential in the dining scene out west.

55. Navi

Opt for the $115 per person Saturday lunch set menu at Navi if you’re on a budget. This high-quality degustation offers incredible value and perfectly showcases owner-chef Julian Hill’s grasp of farm-to-table dining. The 33-seat dining room pulses with Hill’s calm, clever cooking and rests largely on the intimate atmosphere and quiet, unobtrusive service. You’ll find that the menu changes frequently, but a strict dedication to technique guarantees you’ll be walking away satisfied. Most dishes have only one or two other ingredients, with Hill preferring to fully showcase the star ingredient. The chef is somewhat of an auteur, with Navi showcasing his love of ceramics as well. Hill made every plate in the restaurant, matching well with those textured charcoal walls. It’s a labour of love and it pays off remarkably well. 

Cuisine: Modern Australian
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: Homely and friendly
Location: 83b Gamon St, Yarraville