10 of Melbourne's best restaurants

By Lana Bogunovich

With its internationally renowned chefs, multi-cultural flavours and a region abundant with incredible ingredients, Melbourne’s reputation as Australia’s culinary capital remains firm. A food lover’s visit to Melbourne would be incomplete without dining at one of its famous restaurants, so here are just a few that are sure to satisfy the most discerning epicurean.

FARMER’S DAUGHTERS

Where: 95 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

Farmer’s Daughters is a celebration of Gippsland’s seasons and the bounty they produce. The seasonally-driven menus are designed to showcase regional ingredients, wine and spirits, producers and stories, from the coast to the mountains. Dishes are created in the open campfire kitchen, cooked over charcoal and wood to bring out the rustic country flavours of each ingredient. The venue also features a deli on the ground floor and a greenhouse-inspired rooftop bar, lush with native plants and herbs used in many of the cocktails and dishes.

CHIN CHIN

Where: 125 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

This eclectic South East Asian diner is one of Melbourne’s most popular restaurants, serving up expressive and experimental Thai-influenced dishes that are as dynamic as the restaurant’s rambunctious ambience of upbeat music and contemporary art-adorned walls. Dishes at Chin Chin are made to share, with a varied menu of zesty salads, spicy curries, punchy stir fries, smoky barbecued meats and plenty of vegetarian options. Arrive early, leave your name at the door, then go have a drink at GoGo Bar underneath the restaurant and you’ll get a call when your table is available.

FLORENTINO

Where: 80 Bourke St, Melbourne

Since opening in 1928, Florentino has had a significant impact on the Melbourne dining scene and remains one of its most renowned restaurants. Helmed by esteemed chef and owner Guy Grossi, Florentino’s cuisine is proud of its Italian and Australian cultures, showcasing the best locally sourced ingredients through classic Italian dishes. The menu is designed to offer a choice of three or five courses, and there’s also a discerning wine list to match, spanning Italy, Australia and France, so you’ll want to allow plenty of time to enjoy this fine dining experience.

VUE DE MONDE

Where: Rialto Towers, 525 Collins St, Melbourne

Renowned chef Shannon Bennett’s Vue De Monde has been one of Melbourne’s most sought-after fine dining experiences for nearly 20 years. As you step out of the elevator, you’ll be greeted in the restaurant’s climate-controlled wine room, featuring around 2,000 bottles mostly from Victoria. The dark interiors and mirrored walls create a sultry environment, while enhancing the magical view of twinkling city lights from wrap-around windows. The signature Chef’s Tasting Menu is ever-changing, highlighting uniquely Australian ingredients and presenting them in imaginative and theatrical ways. Arrive early and enjoy a pre-dinner drink to sweeping sunset views at adjoining Lui Bar.

GIMLET

Where: 33 Russell St, Melbourne

Housed inside the beautiful heritage building Cavendish House, Gimlet oozes classic European charm. The ultra-high ceilings, dark wood floors, plush booths, black marble bar and Art Deco columns and light-fittings set a glamorous yet comfortable scene, making this cocktail bar and restaurant ideally suited to any occasion. The Mediterranean-style menu features fresh seafood, seasonal vegetables and wood-fire roasted meats, while the bar serves up fresh and inventive cocktails. For the ultimate indulgence, treat yourself to the decadent Caviar service.

ATTICA

Where: 74 Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea

Helmed by internationally-acclaimed Australian chef Ben Shewry, Attica has regularly graced the covetable World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, making it one of the top dining destinations in the world. It offers a fine dining experience with an adventurous yet relaxed approach, favouring native Australian ingredients. The multi-course tasting menu highlights rare and unique ingredients such as finger limes, bunya nuts, marron and murrnong, also known as yam daisy. Each course is designed to reflect the stories and landscapes of the local region, instilling a sense of place into every dish. The drinks list is just as exciting, featuring innovative cocktails and wine from Australia and beyond. 

TIPO 00

Where: 361 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

Named after the super fine Italian flour, Tipo 00 is a modern Italian restaurant where the spotlight shines brightly on its fresh, house-made pastas. Choose from starters such as chargrilled calamari and beef carpaccio, then move on to pasta and risotto, followed by a couple of different options as Secondi. But leave room for dessert with the likes of ‘Tipomisù’ and ricotta doughnuts offered under Dolci. Alternatively, go for the Chef’s Menu and leave it up to the kitchen staff to select for you.

SUPERNORMAL

Where: 180 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Supernormal is as hard to miss for the neon-red cherries in the window as it is for the queue of hungry diners lining up outside. This casual and contemporary restaurant is loved for its pan-Asian cuisine inspired by the gastronomic gems of Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul and Hong Kong. On the menu you’ll find crowd-pleasing dumplings, Korean BBQ pork, bao, spicy pickled vegetables, piping-hot bowls of ramen and creative desserts like the peanut-butter parfait. The fit-out is just as fun as the food, with Japanese vending machines, bright neon signage and an open kitchen lending its high energy to the lively ambience.

AMARU

Where: 1121 High St, Armadale

Loosely translating to “a beautiful place”, Amaru is exactly that. This suburban restaurant is small and intimate yet sleek in its design, with earthy colours reminiscent of the Australian landscape. There are two multi-course tasting menus, offering predominantly modern Australian cuisine. The menus, named ‘Insight’ and ‘Sensory’, are influenced by different cuisines from varying regions and cultures. Each dish is beautifully executed, but the focus is on delicious tasting food which plays on a harmony of textures and sweet and savoury flavours, such as the Smoked Duck Liver with onion, buckwheat and rose geranium.

Reine & La Rue

Where: 380 Collins St, Melbourne

Set in Melbourne's former stock exchange building, Reine & La Rue creates a feeling of luxury with its towering ceilings and stunning architecture. The French-inspired menu boasts a delicate curation of exceptional fresh produce, from freshly shucked oysters to caviar, woodfired meats and indulgent cheese plates. After savouring your meal, move to a table in the venue's intimate wine bar – La Rue – for a quiet evening tipple.