We’re all aware of the many great restaurants Melbourne has to offer. From the chic cafes of Fitzroy to the rustic cuisine of Brunswick, the city offers a slew of excellent options for diners of all tastes and budgets. In this article we’ll take a look at a handful of our favorite dining spots.
Chin Chin
If you are looking for a classy way to eat, dine and be merry, Chin Chin is the place to go. With a staff that will go out of their way to make your experience a memorable one, you are guaranteed a great dining experience.
Chin Chin is an upscale Asian fusion restaurant. This slick establishment serves up shared plates of Southeast Asian cuisine. The menu boasts dishes such as green curry of Penola Station oyster blade and sticky tamarind chilli duck. In addition to the usual suspects, you’ll find a few local art exhibits to boot.
The best part about this Melbourne CBD restaurant is that it offers a unique dining experience. Its chefs take advantage of the freshest of ingredients. Some of the more popular dishes include the Caramelised Sticky Pork with Sour Herb Salad and Chilli Vinaigrette.
Attica
Attica restaurant in Melbourne, Victoria, has a delectable menu of native Australian dishes. It’s one of the best restaurants in Australia.
In December, the restaurant reopened after a brief hiatus. A re-opening was necessary because of density restrictions on restaurant space in the city. The re-opening meant that only a fraction of the restaurant’s original capacity was available. However, Attica is still a hub of activity.
Attica is a restaurant that has garnered numerous awards and accolades. Some of the most notable include the title of ‘World’s Best Restaurant’ and the prestigious ‘Best New Restaurant’.
The food at Attica is highly technical, yet uncomplicated and delicious. Chef Ben Shewry uses fresh local ingredients in a variety of dishes. He fuses European and Asian techniques to bring unique flavours to life.
During the last few years, Attica has made the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list on multiple occasions. This is a feat that only five Australian restaurants have managed in the past decade.
Gimlet
Andrew McConnell’s latest venture, Gimlet, has become a major player in the global destination dining scene. It has been awarded the coveted 84th place in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants longlist for 2022.
Melbourne is home to a plethora of fine dining options. The city is known for its laneways and cool city laneways, as well as its popular Japanese and French establishments.
However, the city’s food culture extends beyond the fine dining sphere. People from Vietnamese, Chinese and British descent are just a few of the people who populate the city’s food scene.
Gimlet is an upscale cocktail bar and dining room. Located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, the establishment is the 14th venue for restaurateur Andrew McConnell.
The bar has been lauded for its sophisticated service and a wide range of drinks. Guests can choose from a world wine list and a selection of classic cocktails. Despite its popularity, reservations at Gimlet are quite difficult to secure.
Pellegrini’s
Pellegrini’s Restaurant has long been a Melbourne favourite. The restaurant was founded in the 1950s. Today, it’s a beloved venue that has been honoured with an entry in the Eat Drink Design Awards Hall of Fame. It’s a great place to stop for a bite, whether you’re looking for a quick lunch or a filling dinner.
If you want to enjoy a bit of fine dining in Melbourne, this is the place to go. From seafood to pork belly, the Italian menu here is filled with flavour. There are even plenty of drinks to choose from.
Whether you’re after a casual dinner or a refined night out, the CBD is home to some of the city’s best eateries. Here are some of the most popular venues in the area.
The casual Italian diner is the perfect spot for an early morning coffee or afterwork drink. In fact, it’s often the first choice for Melburnians, especially those who work in the CBD.
Lume
Lume is a Melbourne restaurant that’s been ranked as one of the best places to eat in the city for many years. Its food philosophy centres around foraging ingredients that are locally available. The food menu changes frequently so you never know what you’ll get, but it’s consistently a unique dining experience.
Lume is located in a Victorian townhouse that once served as a burlesque venue. Today, it’s a 30-seater with a minimalist, clean interior that’s decorated with artwork by contemporary artists.
Taking influence from nature, the Lume menu is designed to celebrate the biodiversity of Victoria. Dishes are divided into categories based on the type of landscape they were crafted for. Some of the dishes include melaleuca-smoked duck and fermented corn honey. There are also vegan and vegetarian options.
The wine menu at Lume offers a variety of wines from around the world. You can also choose to have a plant-based degustation menu, which includes seven courses and a drinks menu.
Mural Room
The food scene in Melbourne is a melting pot of influences from around the globe. From Italian to Thai, Vietnamese to British, Melburnians love going out for lunch and dinner.
Attica, a highly acclaimed restaurant located in Melbourne, consistently makes the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Head chef Diego Huerta Chabert has a decade of experience cooking at three Michelin star kitchens in Europe. He also created an a la carte menu that allows for four to nine courses.
Chin Chin, owned by Chris Lucas, is an enchanting eatery that mixes music, art and cuisine. Their eclectic interior is anchored by white tiled walls and neon signs. Featured video installations by local artists add to the atmosphere.
The hardware club is a restaurant and social club in a historic Victorian building. Formerly a fish and chip shop, it has been renovated and transformed into a contemporary dining space. There’s an open kitchen and a courtyard greenhouse.
Cutler & Co
Cutler & Co, founded by chef Andrew McConnell, has been a staple on Melbourne’s hospitality circuit for years. From its humble beginnings in a former metal works factory, it has become McConnell’s flagship restaurant. His Iberian-inspired menu is a love letter to Mediterranean bars. It combines his culinary expertise with excellent ingredients.
The Flower Drum, a 50-year-old Cantonese fine dining institution, is located in Chinatown. In addition to dumplings, it serves Peking duck and seafood by the kilo. Guests are served by a fanciful fleet of skilled floor staff.
Cutler & Co’s sister restaurant, The French Bistro, is a contemporary New York grill and French bistro. It offers an excellent oyster selection and a whole lobster. Guests can also choose from a brilliant tarragon-infused salade Lyonnaise.
Melbourne’s food culture has many layers, ranging from British to Chinese to Vietnamese. Several restaurants draw upon these different traditions to create innovative and enticing dishes.
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The city of Melbourne is home to some of the world’s most exciting restaurants. It’s been dubbed Australia’s food capital, and with so much to offer, it’s no wonder that food-lovers are flocking to this Australian city for a taste of the good stuff.
A visit to Melbourne wouldn’t be complete without eating at one of its most famous restaurants. From fine-dining experiences to budget eats, there are plenty of places to choose from.
Located in the heart of the CBD, Gimlet is a fine dining restaurant. Named as Australia’s best restaurant in the World’s 50 Best Awards, Gimlet offers wood-fired meats and caviar service. Designed by New Zealand architect Allistar Cox, the restaurant features exposed brickwork, timber floors and communal tables.
Chin Chin, in the city’s Chinatown, serves a range of Asian-inspired dishes. Whether you’re looking for a traditional dim sum or a vegan-friendly option, you’re sure to find it. This restaurant makes a statement with its colorful decor and music.
Vue de Monde
Vue de Monde has been an integral part of Melbourne’s food scene for nearly twenty years. A fine dining institution, it is celebrated for its enchanting presentation of gourmet food. The menu is classically French, yet infused with a spirited touch.
Located on the 55th floor of Melbourne’s Rialto building, it features panoramic views of the city. It’s a six-star restaurant, with impeccable service and great food. During lunch and dinner, diners can indulge in a selection of degustation and a choice of three or five courses.
The restaurant’s multi-course tasting menu includes dishes such as marron, murrnong and bunya nuts. In addition to this, there’s also a wine list that spans Italy and Australia.
At Vue de Monde, Shannon Bennett’s culinary skills have been recognised with a number of awards. He has worked under Michelin-starred chefs, including Marco Pierre White and Alain Ducasse. Known for his passion for quality, Bennett’s menu offers an array of inventive and aesthetically appealing dishes.
Taxi Kitchen
One of Melbourne’s most iconic restaurants is Taxi Kitchen. It’s located above the Transport Hotel in Federation Square and boasts spectacular views of the city. With a modern decor and a contemporary menu, this is one of the best restaurants in Melbourne for both lunch and dinner.
The food at Taxi Kitchen is influenced by Asian and Australian cuisine. This is thanks to Executive Chef Tony Twitchett’s culinary expertise. He focuses on local and seasonal produce. His dishes include crispy duck, seared tuna, and lemon pie. Guests can also enjoy an extensive selection of wines and spirits.
In addition to the restaurant’s main dining room, there are two other spaces that are perfect for private and corporate events. The Main Dining Room is large and ideal for large groups, while the Embassy Room is an intimate semi-private dining area for groups of up to 55.
