Stokehouse
This restaurant sits on the oceanfront and has big windows and a sleek decor. It serves upscale Australian food and drinks, including wine and spirits. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just enjoying the local seafood, you’ll enjoy dining at Stokehouse.
Stokehouse celebrates its 30th birthday this year, and it remains a quintessential Melbourne dining spot. The cuisine is classic Australian, and the menu features a focus on seafood. It is also the spiritual home of the Aperol spritz. The interiors tastefully done, and the wine cellar is a must-visit.
Stokehouse serves classic, European fare in a casual, contemporary setting. The menu described as a “taste of Melbourne’s past.” Depending on your mood, you might choose a starter like the Gnocco fritto or a main like the dry aged Club Steak. Afterward, you might want to try the Cavendish House salad or a signature gimlet. This cocktail made with grapefruit-infused gin, lime syrup, and rosemary.
Gray and Gray
If you’re looking for an out-of-the-box Melbourne restaurant, Gray are the places to go. Formerly a shabby law firm, Gray have turned themselves into a stunning wine bar. The menu includes dishes from both Russia and Georgia. Their wine list features Georgian and Russian wines.
The restaurant’s menu is simple, but it’s also highly diverse. Among the many dishes on the menu are nine “A.M. Sandos” (the French for a M.), which cost $8.95 and include a pearl sugar Belgian waffle topped with ham, fried eggs, strawberry chutney, cinnamon drizzled with raspberry melba, and your choice of meat. The meal also comes with a side of parmesan matchstick fries and truffle oil.
Embla’s
Embla’s opened five years ago, and it’s become one of Melbourne’s most popular restaurants. The restaurant’s interior, designed by Kiwi architect Allistar Cox, features exposed brick and timber floors. Dining here is an experience of elemental beauty, bathed in the warmth of the wood-fired kitchen and the elemental nature of the food and wine.
A wine bar and restaurant, Embla takes its culinary inspiration from southern Italy and southern France. The focus is on seasonal ingredients, including fresh fish and vegetables. The menu features dishes such as sourdough bread with veal tartare. The restaurant is set in a heritage building, which gives the space a relaxed, airy atmosphere.
Wine lovers will be pleased with the wine list, which offers a range of international and local varietals. It also includes cult and boutique labels. The emphasis on flavor and taste means that the menu changes frequently.
Carlton
The Carlton district is a great place for food lovers as it offers some of the city’s best Italian restaurants. This multicultural neighborhood is also renowned for its diverse cultural mix. Whether you’re after a classic Italian dish, or something a little more contemporary, there’s a Carlton restaurant to meet your needs.
For a taste of Italian cuisine in Melbourne, head to the quaint Leonardo’s Pizza Palace in Carlton. The restaurant’s interior has decorated with seventies-style timber panelling, and its menu features classic Italian fare. You’ll want to try the spaghetti bolognese, which has a light dusting of parmesan.
The Wine Room is a fantastic venue for intimate dinners and meetings. It offers authentic Italian cuisine in an open and spacious space, and the menu is accessible to everyone.
Carlton pizza
Carlton is home to some of the city’s best restaurants and is well known for its quality Italian fare. Located on leafy Lygon Street, the area boasts Italian delis, alfresco dining options and decades-old eateries. The complex also has Italian wine bar Agostino and two pizzerias: Pidapipo and Di Stasio.
Donnini’s has been a culinary presence in Melbourne for 70 years. The family was one of the first Italian producers in Australia and opened their first cafe, University Cafe, in 1952. Eventually, they opened another cafe, Donnini’s Cafe, in Carlton. The menu features classic Italian fare with an Italian flair. You’ll want to order the tortiglioni pasta with vodka sauce and the square grandma pizza, which has a thick crust and a generous layer of stracciatella. You can also enjoy a classic Italian cocktail while dining here.
Etta
Etta’s passionate wine list is an impressive showcase of the best growing regions of the world. It features Yarra Valley sparkling wine, Austrian gruner veltliner and Mornington Peninsula pinot noir. The restaurant features a sleek design and a beautifully curved marble bar. Inside, the atmosphere is intimate and well-lit.
While Etta is still relatively new, it has already established itself as one of Melbourne’s best restaurants. Head chef Rosheen Kaul, formerly of the Carlton Wine Room, has brought a global perspective to the kitchen. Drawing on her Chinese, Filipino and Kashmiri heritage, Kaul’s dishes have a distinctly Australian twist.
The menu is based on seasonal produce and focuses on regional producers and suppliers. The menu changes frequently. It also includes vegan and vegetarian options.
Supernormal
Supernormal is one of Melbourne’s most unique dining experiences. A mashup of Asian and Lygon St cuisines, the restaurant is fun, eclectic and full of delicious eats. Andrew McConnell, the chef behind Supernormal, is a no-rules guy, whose dedication to flavour and creativity is second to none.
The restaurant seats 120 people and is located inside a luxury residential building between Eagle Street Pier and Howard Smith Wharves. It also boasts a karaoke machine on the lower level, as well as a curated cocktail list. It also has its own gin, Supernormal Blended.
Supernormal is Andrew McConnell’s own interpretation of his favorite Asian dining experiences. The chef has previously worked in Hong Kong and Shanghai. The restaurant is beautifully designed with an open kitchen. The cuisines of Hong Kong and Japan inspire menu items. Wines are also well-considered and the cocktails are a treat.
Acre
If you’re a foodie, you might have heard of Acre. The 100-seat diner has recently opened in Melbourne and quickly earned a reputation as one of Melbourne’s best restaurants. It’s a fantastic choice for an all-day meal and serves dishes with balance and elegance. The menu features dishes such as parmesan tart with truffle, snapper with leek and clams, and it also offers a wine bar.
Acre uses locally grown ingredients whenever possible. The cafe even grows some of the produce on site. It’s built from recycled materials and features a rooftop garden. The restaurant is part of the Burwood Brickworks shopping centre, which is a green and environmentally responsible development. In addition to the rooftop garden, Acre also has chicken coops and a worm farm.
Di Stasio Citta
Traditional Italian food served in this upmarket restaurant, with an industrial-chic interior. The service is attentive, and the food is excellent. If you’re looking for a good meal in Melbourne, Di Stasio Citta is the restaurant for you.
The restaurant’s interior is an experience. The dining room, which is like a Milanese entryway, features video installations by acclaimed Australian artists. The ambiance is enchanting, and it makes you want to stay all night.
The menu is diverse and interesting, with plenty of Italian dishes for the main course. Veal saltimbocca ($45) and the Merenda After School Sandwich ($16) are two of the most popular main dishes. The restaurant’s house-made pasta is another highlight. A St Kilda local favorite is capellini con granchio, angel hair pasta with crab meat tossed in garlic and heavy lashings of chili.
Pellegrini’s
One of the best restaurants in Melbourne has recently impacted by a tragic event. On Friday, Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, a Somali national, fatally stabbed the co-owner of Pellegrini’s, a cafe located in the city’s CBD. After the slaying, the cafe closed and mourners gathered outside.
The Italian-themed cafe is one of Melbourne’s oldest and most well-known Italian restaurants. It opened in 1954 and has been serving the best Italian cuisine in Melbourne for more than sixty years. It was the first cafe in the city to use espresso machines. Another classic Melbourne restaurant is Grossi Florentino, a family-run establishment that has been around since 1928. The charming Italian-style café offers a blend of family-style service and fine dining.
After Malaspina’s death, Pellegrini’s Café has become a shrine to the late businessman. The Italian-born businessman, who was the co-owner of the restaurant for many years, was known to welcome people. Many people, including a middle-aged woman, showed up early to pay tribute to the late Mr Malaspina.
