The Best Spanish Restaurants in Melbourne for a Flavoursome Feast

It’s impossible to pass up a Mediterranean feast when the opportunity arises. While Italian may be the most abundant option in Melbourne, the city's array of Spanish cuisine is just as impressive. With paella and tapas aplenty, you know you’re in safe hands at these fun and lively dining spots.

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, catching up with friends, enjoying a date night or just craving a dinner out, here are the best Spanish restaurants in Melbourne to book.

MoVida

We can’t kick off an article about the best Spanish restaurants in Melbourne without highlighting MoVida. This is the Spanish restaurant that ignited Melburnian’s love for modern Spanish cuisine, and since it opened 20 years ago, it’s been a vibrant, bustling dining spot on the scene. Come here for elevated Spanish fare, including aperitivos, an impressive tapas menu, and raciones that will make you salivate.

MoVida is the perfect place for a celebration or catch up with friends if you’re feeling like something unique. There’s the classic venue that started it all, as well as MoVida Aqui (their largest venue), and MoVida Next Door.

1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne

500 Bourke Street, Melbourne

164 Flinders Street, Melbourne

Añada

Añada is an inner-north gem serving up beautiful, flavourful tapas on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy. Heavily influenced by peasant food from Andalusia in Spain, as well as Muslim Mediterranean flavours, this Spanish restaurant in Melbourne is a go-to spot for locals who feel like picking at tapas and sipping on wine in style. Founders Jesse and Vanessa Gerner had a focus of not only bringing the Fitzroy community together through Añada’s vibrant atmosphere, but also bringing an authentic taste of Spain to the heart of Melbourne.

197 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy

Bomba Bar

Planning a fun night out? Bomba Bar has your dinner and post-feed drinks sorted, so you don’t need to wander around the city looking for multiple venues. Here, you’ll find ground floor dining wherein you can enjoy tapas and larger plates, before heading upstairs to their rooftop bar to kick back and sip on your pick out of their impressive list of cocktails. Food wise, you need to try their leek and Manchego croquettes, as well as their charcoal grilled ox tongue if you’re feeling bold.

103 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

La Pinta

La Pinta’s mission is simple: to serve good drinks and great food. Their blackboard menu not only offers a feel of tradition, but also allows them to make frequent changes to their menu with ease. Loved by locals, this Reservoir dining spot is worth the drive. They have a focus on supporting small-scale regenerative agriculture through sourcing their produce from local farmers, adding to the community feel of La Pinta.

791 High Street, Reservoir

Bar Lourinhã

Iberian and Mediterranean meet at Bar Lourinhã, one of the best Spanish restaurants Melbourne has to offer. With a focus on seasonal and local produce, as well as sustainability in its food practices, the team at Bar Lourinhã sure know how to cook up a delicious meal. And with a menu created by Chef Matt McConnell, you know you’re in for a treat. Choose from the tapas or raciones from their main menu or take your pick from their list of changing daily specials. You need to try their yellow tail kingfish ‘pancetta’ & lemon oil – it’s unique and filled with flavour.

37 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

Sorolla at AC Hotel by Marriott Melbourne 

Housed on Level 7 of the AC Marriott and lit by the lights of the skyline, Sorolla is a Spanish restaurant in Melbourne that offers a modern and minimalist menu.

Authentic Spanish dishes are backed by an extensive wine list and an atmosphere that brings the essence of Spain to the heart of Melbourne.

Enjoy stunning city views paired with tapas of sardines and scallops, bountiful plates of thinly sliced serrano and prosciutto topped with tangy guindillas and cornichons, and a couple of glasses from their extensive, hand-picked wine list. 

201 Normanby Road, Southbank

Simply Spanish

Simply Spanish's paella is as iconic as the South Melbourne Market itself, having graced its vibrant tapestry for well over a decade now, and consistent in delivering incredible Spanish cuisine to its loyal patrons.

Their dedication to authentic Spanish flavours shines through in their acclaimed paella, celebrated as some of the finest outside of Spain. The enticing aroma of crispy rice and chorizo lures you through the bustling market. Each element—from the rich paprika and saffron nuances to the perfectly caramelised socarrat—is meticulously crafted with the freshest ingredients sourced from local vendors.

Picture yourself savouring a delectable paella on a leisurely Sunday afternoon, glass of wine in hand and serenaded by live music amidst the colourful sights and sounds surrounding. Simply marvellous! 

South Melbourne Market, 116 Cecil Street, South Melbourne 

El Rincón

Nestled in the heart of Queen Victoria Market, El Rincón beckons with its authentic Spanish charm and delectable tapas. Open on market days and weekends, this venue delights diners with a menu showcasing traditional Spanish meals and seasonally inspired sharing plates. 

It boasts a pantry stocked with the market's finest produce, ensuring dishes like garlic and chilli prawns and Galician-style octopus burst with freshness and flavour, and will easily transport you to the vibrant streets of Southern Spain.

Savour plates of Jamón Ibérico and truffle croquettes, tinned mussels with crisps and tortilla de patatas, complemented by a selection of premium Spanish and Australian wines. Classic paellas and bocadillos also get a look in here. 

69 Victoria Street, Melbourne

Tinto

Another Hawthorn gem, Tinto is the place to go with family and friends if you feel like having an authentic feast. Snacks, tapas and raciones come out in droves here, and when it says ‘minimum 2 people’ on the menu for their paella, you know you’ll be rolling out the door – and we’re not mad about it. The classic pollo and chorizo paella is a must-try, as well as their paella de bogavante, which includes lobster and calamari.

555 Burwood Road, Hawthorn

Want to discover more European places to eat after indulging in tapas, sangria and paella at the best Spanish restaurants in Melbourne? Check out our list of the best places to get pizza in Melbourne, or take a fancy seat inside on of these French restaurants across the city.