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Melbourne Food & Drink News for the Foodies
Here's everything you need to know that's happening across the Melbourne food scene.
Melbourne is the king of the foodie scene. Every week there’s a cool new restaurant, bar or hidden gem popping up around the city just waiting to be discovered. And while it’s great for our taste buds (our wallets not so much), it can be hard to keep up with everything that’s brand-spanking-new, or all of the events that roll around quicker than the blink of an eye.
Need a hub to find all your Melbourne food news? That’s exactly what this is! Keep reading to find out the latest on our city’s food and drink scene.
The Grand Hotel Warrandyte Just Won Victoria’s Top Metro Pub Honour
The Grand Hotel Warrandyte has long had the bones of a great local: a riverside village address, a loyal crowd, a serious parma game and the easy charm of a pub that knows exactly who it is. Now it has the silverware to match, taking out Tom Payne OAM Overall Hotel of the Year – Metropolitan at the 2026 AHA Vic State Awards. It’s a big win for a much-loved community pub, and a very good reason to make Warrandyte your next long lunch move.
110 Yarra Street, Warrandyte
Victoria’s Best Wineries Just Dominated Australia’s Top 10
Victoria has just had a very good day in the cellar. The Real Review’s Top Wineries of Australia 2026 put Yarra Yering at number one, with fellow Yarra Valley heavyweight Levantine Hill at number two, Wine by Farr in Geelong at seventh and Rutherglen legend Chambers Rosewood at ninth. That is four Victorian wineries in Australia’s top 10, spanning pinot country, serious chardonnay, old-vine depth and fortified royalty. Translation: the weekend wine map just got competitive.
Yarra Yering, 4 Briarty Road, Gruyere
Levantine Hill, 882 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream
Wine by Farr, 101 Kelly Lane, Bannockburn
Chambers Rosewood, 178 Barkly Street, Rutherglen
All Aboard the Hop It Winter Purple Route
The Yarra Valley has just made winter wine tasting dangerously easy. Hop It’s new limited-run Winter Purple Route turns the region into a choose-your-own-cellar-door day out, with CBD and Lilydale pick-ups, an hourly loop and no designated driver politics. Running on selected dates from 16th May to 22nd August, the route threads through Coldstream Hills, Yarra Yering, Pimpernel, Squitchy Lane, Helen’s Hill, Medhurst, Soumah and Riverstone Estate, mixing the famous with the quietly cult. For $92.95, it’s fireplaces, pinot, long lunches and the rare pleasure of changing your mind mid-itinerary.
When: Selected dates from 16th May to 22nd August
Where: Yarra Valley, with pick-ups from Melbourne CBD and Lilydale Station
Cost: $92.95 per person
Piccolina Gelateria’s New Cioccolata Calda is Coming
Melbourne’s gelato favourite has taken a glorious winter turn with Cioccolata Calda, a thick Italian hot chocolate made with 72 per cent Belgian dark couverture. Go classic with whipped cream, make it an affogato with Piccolina’s signature gelato, or choose the full dessert-drama version: fior di latte gelato, toasted pink marshmallow and graham cracker crumble.
Available from Friday 15th May until the end of winter across all Piccolina locations.
Need to know: From $9; available at Collingwood, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Richmond, Chadstone and CBD stores.
Torquay’s New Surf Hotel Has Arrived With Culinary Powerhouse Jo Barrett at the Stove
Surf Hotel gives Torquay’s former Surf City Motel a salt-air second act. Set on The Esplanade, the reworked mid-century address pairs boutique rooms and a four-bedroom penthouse with a Jo Barrett-led restaurant and bar already making post-beach plans look far more interesting. Barrett, Good Food’s 2024 Chef of the Year and a serious force in sustainable Australian cooking, cooks with the Surf Coast close at hand: wild-boar dimmies, house-made mortadella, baked bread, on-tap wine, seasonal produce and a front-deck mood built for late-afternoon decisions.
Book dinner, check upstairs availability, then let the drive home become tomorrow’s problem.
35 The Esplanade, Torquay
A World-Famous Cantonese Dining Icon Is Coming to Melbourne
Melbourne’s next Cantonese power move is official: Mott 32, the Hong Kong-born restaurant recognised by the MICHELIN Guide and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, will open its first Australian venue at Crown Melbourne in March 2027. It lands as part of Crown’s $200 million Southbank overhaul, but the real headline is on the table: 42-day apple wood roasted Peking duck, carved tableside with that lacquered, shattering skin; delicate dim sum; smoked black cod; Iberico pork char siu glazed with mountain honey; plus wagyu, seafood and a drinks list built for a long lunch that becomes dinner. This is one to circle early, loudly and with appetite.
Set for March 2027 opening
Crown Melbourne
Melbourne’s Next Big Italian Has Serious Guts
Con Christopoulos is taking Melbourne to Rome, with chef Matt Wilkinson and Supermaxi’s Giovanni Patane riding shotgun. Opening 21st May, Roma is a 100-seat trattoria at 120 Collins Street with serious guts, literally: the menu dives into Rome’s fifth-quarter tradition, from coratella to pajata, with plenty of pasta for the offal-shy.
The room reads as pure Christopoulos theatre: antiques, century-old Italian fixtures, table lamps and a marble altar piled with the season’s spoils.
For now, Roma on the Terrace is giving diners a $30-and-under first taste, pouring Lazio wines and serving seasonal pasta and Roman-leaning plates from 7:30am, Monday to Friday, across breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Opening officially on 21st May, 2026
120 Collins Street, Melbourne
Grant Smillie Is Taking Over The Prince Hotel
The Prince Hotel has always carried St Kilda’s mythology in its bones: Bandroom nights, pub lunches, rooftop air and stories that belong to half of Melbourne. Now, it is being steered into its next chapter by Grant Smillie, the DJ-turned-restaurateur whose own history with the venue stretches back to the Onelove era.
Arriving in late 2026, the refresh will see The Prince Deck lose its pool and become a rooftop restaurant and bar, while the Public Bar returns to classic pub form, Little Prince Wine Store gets a sharper new guise, and live music stays close to the heart of it all. Not a reinvention. A return with better lighting.
Need to Know: The Prince will continue trading throughout 2026, with new spaces set to open later in the year.
The Prince Hotel, 2 Acland Street, St Kilda
She at the Helm
Navi is giving women in hospitality the full room, and the first lunch is stacked with talent. She at the Helm opens with Foundations, a five-course collaboration between Navi head chef Ana Cortés García and Bundjalung chef Mindy Woods, with Master Sommelier Kate McIntyre and restaurateur Angie Gianniakodakis guiding the wine.
The menu brings Ana’s two-hatted Yarraville precision together with Mindy’s deep connection to Country, culture and community, where food carries knowledge, care and memory across generations. Wines will spotlight female-led producers, funds raised will support The Returning, and three more events are set to follow across 2026.
Where: Navi, 83b Gamon Street, Yarraville
When: Sunday 3rd May, 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Cost: $325 per person, all inclusive
Best For: Fine dining; women in hospitality; special occasion lunching
Ronin Omakase Is Reborn With Korean Fire
Ronin Omakase has turned the page, and the new chapter tastes distinctly Korean. Chef Liam Lee, whose résumé spans Firebird, Nomad and Studio Amaro, brings a South Korean culinary upbringing to the CBD counter, recasting omakase through doenjang pil pil with snapper, guksu with dried scallop, anchovy and uni, yukhoe on nashi pear, and misugaru panna cotta with fermented persimmon. Ferments, banchan and sesame seeds flown in from Korea sharpen the detail, while Victorian producers keep it grounded.
With just 10 seats, this is intimate, precise and one of Melbourne’s most compelling omakase arrivals.
445 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Turns Out Melbourne Is The World’s Best Place To Eat
As if Melbourne needed another reason to feel smug at the table, a new Holafly ranking has named it the world’s most diverse food city, with 79% of restaurants serving international cuisine, placing it ahead of Berlin, Miami and London in the study’s top tier. The detail that really catches the eye is the cuisine breakdown: alongside strong showings for Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Vietnamese, Lebanese emerged as the standout thread in the dataset, a reminder that this city’s appetite has long been shaped by migration, memory and the pleasure of eating far beyond its own borders.
The Walrus Oyster Bar Is Back, and We Could Not Be Happier
The sudden closure of The Walrus in December hit hard. It is one of our favourite spots in Melbourne, the St Kilda bar we send people to for oysters, martinis and one of the city’s most charming rooms, so its return on 16th April came with real relief. Marty Webster and Amy McGouldrick are back, now working alongside their Carpenter’s Ruin partners in a setup that makes room for larger hot dishes without losing the signatures people fell for in the first place. Oysters from multiple regions, gildas, Dirty Martinis and that carbonara-style sea urchin pasta are all back in play. Open daily from 5pm.
9 Inkerman Street, St Kilda
Rosheen Kaul and Joe Jones Are Opening a New Fitzroy Bistro
Rosheen Kaul and Joe Jones are set to open Little Rose in Fitzroy this May, taking over the former Alta Trattoria site for a limited run with serious pedigree behind it. Kaul, whose cooking at Etta made her one of Melbourne’s most admired chefs, has spent the past year moving through a string of acclaimed pop-ups after the success of her James Beard-winning cookbook Chinese-ish, while Jones remains one of the city’s most respected bar figures from Romeo Lane to Purple Pit. Together, they’re bringing a French-Asian bistro to Brunswick Street that merges bistro classics through a looser, more playful lens, with cocktails rooted in the classics and built for a second round.
Backed by Alta’s James Tait and Luke Drum, Little Rose already reads like one of May’s most interesting tables.
Bookings open 21st April.
From May 9th
Ground Floor Rear/274 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
This Collingwood Rooftop Is Hosting Burger Sundays
Slowpoke is turning Sundays into a very good excuse to head north, with a rotating dinner series that hands its Collingwood rooftop kitchen to a different local favourite each week. The brief is deliciously simple: one burger, one side, one drink, all reworked through each venue’s own lens. Running from now until the 7th June, Slowpoke Diner Sundays brings a stacked mix of Melbourne names into the fold, from Walrus and Taquito to Leonardo’s Pizza Palace and Bar Idda. Come for the skyline views and stay for the burger mania.
Sitchu Tip: Just get in early, because the weekly special is limited and first in, best dressed.
The lineup:
17th May: Kafeneion
24th May: Akimbo
31st May: Chateaux Creole
7th June: Bar Idda
Level 4/50 Gipps Street, Collingwood
Supernormal’s Cult Ramen Returns for Lunchtime
Supernormal’s beloved ramen is back, just in time for Melbourne’s cooler stretch. Available for weekday lunch from midday until sold out, the $24 bowl brings together a rich two-day chicken bone broth, tender noodles, grilled chicken, prawn and chicken dumplings, and a soy-marinated egg that feels reason enough to leave your desk. Consider this sign to book lunch before ramen season disappears again.
180 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
New Japanese Diner & Bar Brings Big Energy to Coburg
Melbourne’s north has scored a high-energy new opener with Koi Toy now slinging bold, Japanese-inspired bites inside Pentridge Shopping Centre. Designed for everything from casual catch-ups to late-night hangs, the 90-seat diner leans into share-style plates, punchy flavours, and a buzzing atmosphere.
In the kitchen, Alex Meimetis (ex-Chin Chin Club and Claypots Evening Star) is taking a more playful, ‘rock and roll’ approach to Japanese cuisine — think beyond sushi, with inventive dishes that pull in unexpected influences like cemen, chorizo and pomegranate molasses. Highlights include the Yagi Ragu Kyaseroo Roll Ups and angel hair-wrapped tempura king prawn. Behind the bar, the team from Golden Monkey are shaking up a tight list of creative cocktails, designed to match the food and keep things lively well into the night.
It’s all set within a striking space by Studio Y, where charred timber, neon signage and lantern-inspired lighting channel Tokyo energy with a polished Melbourne edge. Open daily for lunch and dinner, it’s a fresh, imaginative addition to Coburg with serious dining credentials.
Pentridge Shopping Centre, T16, 1 Champ Street, Coburg
A Sicilian-Inspired Trattoria Is About to Land in Richmond
This Autumn, Spaghetti Club is bringing the warmth of Nonno and Nonna’s kitchen to Swan Street. The newest venture from MAMAS Dining Group is all about housemade pasta, slow-simmered sauces, live fire cooking, and tables made for lingering. Inspired by co-owner Lucas Gugliandolo’s Sicilian roots, the concept draws on his grandparents’ weekly dinners — antipasti, hearty pasta, secondi, and the kind of belly laughs that only happen around a shared table.
In the kitchen, Michael Flemming, from Totti’s Bondi, Botanical Hotel and Press Food & Wine Adelaide, keeps it simple: fresh pasta, seasonal sauces, good olive oil, herbs, and cheese, with fire cooking adding rustic depth. Drinks follow classic Italian vibes — aperitivo at the bar, spritzes, Negronis, Prosecco, Birra Moretti on tap, and digestivi for shared meals. Copper pots, terracotta planters, and an open kitchen set the scene for an unapologetically Italian dining experience.
Opening Autumn 2026, 95 Swan St, Richmond
Nico’s Deli Opens Melbourne’s First Late Night Sandwich Vending Machine
It’s official: Melbourne officially has its first late-night sandwich vending machine! It is a collaboration between Melbourne local Nico’s Deli and Heinz sauces, set to open for six months. We can expect a rotating selection of limited-edition items that celebrate the pairing of a Melbourne hospitality legend and iconic Heinz sauces, with the hero menu items being a Crispy Chicken Sandwich and Mozarella in Carozza!
Located in the heart of Fitzroy, the Sandwich Automat will be open Thursday – Saturday from 7pm – 11pm. To celebrate the launch of Heinz x Nico’s Night Shift, the first 50 customers on Thursday 12th of March will receive a free sandwich! We have a strong feeling this is going to be a huge hit… don’t say we didn’t warn you!
10 Kerr St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Steer Dining Room Tops Melbourne in New Steak Rankings
Steer Dining Room has been named Melbourne’s highest-ranked steak restaurant in the newly released Australia’s 30 Best Steak Restaurants list from the team behind World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants, placing #6 nationally. Following a December 2025 refurbishment, the South Yarra institution is doubling down on its Wagyu credentials, with one of the country’s most extensive selections — including rare Japanese A5 — alongside signature tableside steak tartare and a trophy wine program with flights designed for marbling-rich cuts. Call it your permission slip to book a 2026 dinner.
Ground/15 Claremont Street, South Yarra
Pebble Dining Launches a Summer Pop-Up Made for Long, Lazy Evenings
West Melbourne’s Pebble Dining is in its playful era, rolling out a season of courtyard takeovers and flavour-forward fun, all powered by the same spirit that once fed crowds from a mobile cool room and a giant grill in an Oakleigh South carpark. Back then, it was $10 chicken ribs, pandan roll cake and milk crates for seats; now it’s the grown-up edition, still carrying that big-hearted backyard energy.
The star of the moment is Side Piece Sundays, a weekly sandwich drop served in the courtyard, each one-off creation arriving with clever fillings, generous flavour and pure weekend spirit.
Chef Cam Tay-Yap keeps the wider menu lively, drawing on a six-month run across Asia that saw the Pebble crew cooking everywhere from wine bars in Vietnam to fine diners in Malaysia and open fires in Bali. Those travels show up in bright snacks and warm-weather plates made for long afternoons. March brings a celebrating women collaboration series, adding fresh energy to the lineup.
This dream courtyard hangout is built for sunshine, good food and the simple joy of something new each week. Don’t miss it.
225-229 Victoria Street, West Melbourne
A Big Culinary Name Joins Grampians Grape Escape 2026
Grampians Grape Escape returns to Halls Gap this May with a sharpened culinary focus and a lineup that reflects the Western District at its best. Leading the program is Analiese Gregory — the acclaimed Tasmanian chef known for her produce-driven, elemental cooking, forged through years at Le Meurice in Paris, Quay in Sydney and her own project, Lumachelle. She’s joined by fire-cooking specialist Tom Ballinger, Pomonal Estate’s Dean Sibthorp and Dimboola chef Cat Clarke, shaping a three-day program that revolves around technique, regional ingredients and thoughtful craft.
New this year is The Coal Pit, an open-fire arena where chefs work directly over coals, ash and cast iron in live masterclasses. More than 100 exhibitors fill the village across wine, distilling, dairy and pantry staples, supported by live music, masterclasses and family-friendly sessions. It’s one of the country’s most enduring food festivals — and 2026 feels especially considered.
Basque Txoko Pops Up at Nobody’s Baby
Nobody’s Baby has scored the pop-up of the season: Basque Txoko, a three-month residency led by Michelin-starred chef Aitor Jeronimo Orive. Drawing from his Basque heritage — and a résumé that spans The Fat Duck, Mugaritz and his own Michelin-starred Basque Kitchen — Aitor is serving a menu that’s warm, soulful and designed for sharing.
We’re talking gildas, jamón croquetas, Sydney rock oysters with aguachile de Piparras, and those richly flavoured “Txuleta” steaks kissed by charcoal. Market fish in salsa verde, triple-cooked papas fritas and a burnt Basque cheesecake round things off in style. Spirited, generous and deeply Basque, it’s the pop-up set to shape Melbourne’s summer.
19-21 Toorak Road, South Yarra
Bar Carnation Blooms in the Original Geralds Bar Space
Carlton has a new glow with Bar Carnation now open in the beloved Rathdowne Street room once home to Gerald’s Bar. Guided by Carnation Canteen’s Audrey Shaw, the space feels instantly assured: aperitivo plates, hand-rolled pasta and steak frites served seven evenings a week, plus a marble-topped bottleshop hidden behind the dining room. A treasured address begins an inspired new era.
Now open
386 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North
Roccella Lido is Bound for Frankston this August
Frankston’s foreshore is stepping into its glow-up era with Roccella Lido, a southern Italian stunner landing at the Frankston Yacht Club later this year. August, to be exact. Picture sun-washed Sicily meeting Port Phillip Bay: award-winning pizzas, handmade pasta, seafood still tasting of the sea breeze, and a coastal fit-out that feels deliciously holiday-coded.
The Roccella Group is bringing serious culinary pull to the waterfront, shaping a generous, joy-filled space for long lunches, celebrations and golden-hour aperitivo moments. Frankston’s next chapter is looking very, very chic.
Stay tuned for further updates
Victor Churchill Sets Its Sights on Crown Melbourne in 2027
Victor Churchill, long praised as the “most beautiful butcher shop in the world”, is preparing to make a defining mark on Melbourne’s dining landscape with a bar and grill opening at Crown Melbourne in mid-2027. Led by Anthony and Rebecca Puharich with acclaimed chef Monty Koludrovic at the helm, the new venue will blend luxury butchery, modern grill craft and the sort of detail-driven hospitality that feels both theatrical and intimate.
The design is underway with New York’s AvroKO, known for spaces that feel immersive and richly layered, setting the tone for a restaurant that reimagines the classic steakhouse with contemporary confidence. Expect a menu guided by provenance and seasonality, a strong connection to producers, and the kitchen precision that defines the Victor Churchill legacy.
Overlooking the Yarra and sitting within Crown’s riverfront precinct, this opening is already being considered one of the most anticipated arrivals of 2027 — a meeting of craft, culture and culinary ambition that promises to reshape Melbourne’s dining conversation.
Opening 2027
8 Whiteman Street, Southbank
Baker Mornington Is the Peninsula’s New Summer Ritual
Mornington’s Main Street has a new weekend magnet. Baker Mornington — the artisan bakery drawing city-level hype — is fast becoming the Peninsula’s go-to for slow mornings and sun-soaked strolls. Shelves stack with glossy pastries, flaky croissants and small-batch sourdough delivered fresh each day, all paired with smooth espresso and a breezy coastal energy. It’s the sort of spot you swing by before the beach, after the markets, or as the first delicious stop on a long, lazy summer weekend. Arrive early: the cult favourites disappear quickly, and the iced strawberry matchas deserve your attention.
Shop 2/45 Main Street, Mornington
Punt Road Wines Unveils Its New Yarra Valley Cellar Door
Punt Road Wines has opened a sparkling new cellar door beside Meletos, placing tastings, long lunches and orchard-lined wanderings in one very pretty pocket of the Yarra Valley. The purpose-built space sits among vines and apple trees, giving guests front-row views of the region that shaped the estate’s history. Inside, curated flights, museum pours and barrel-hall sessions spotlight the vineyard’s cool-climate character, while the wider precinct tempts with dining, day spa time and elegant stays.
It’s a rustic, handsome cellar door that turns a spring or summer weekend into one of gentle indulgence, rooted in place and rich with that easy Yarra Valley charm.
12 St Huberts Road, Coldstream
The New Cinnamon Scroll That’s About to Hijack Your Feed
Melbourne’s next viral bake is loading — and once it drops, good luck escaping it. Soft, spiralled, sugar-glazed chaos is coming for your algorithm (and your weekend plans). Keep one eye on their socials, because this Malvern newcomer is about to hit cult status fast.
209 Glenferrie Road, Malvern
Hawthorn’s New ‘New Wave Cafe’ Is Giving Tokyo, Seoul and 2002 Borders Energy
Hawthorn just gained a little slice of Tokyo–Seoul cool, with the Bar Selecta crew opening Sabi Sounds: a day-to-night listening cafe where vinyl, matcha and mood collide. It has that soft-focus, early-2000s Borders nostalgia (think headphone listening stations), wrapped in the finesse of a modern Japanese record lounge. Ona Coffee pours alongside Shizuoka matcha, salt bread and melon pan glow in the cabinet, and the space hums with curated vinyl, artist residencies and Sunday Walk ’n Run Club energy. It’s a cafe for slowing your pulse — and sharpening your senses.
717 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn
It’s Goodbye to Lona Misa & Hello to South Yarra’s New All-Day Local
South Yarra is turning a new page. The space once home to Lona Misa — the influential, Latin-inspired vegan restaurant from Shannon Martinez that helped shift Melbourne’s plant-based dining conversation — has reopened as Bar Yarra.
Now open inside Ovolo Melbourne, Bar Yarra trades high-energy vegan plates for an all-day, all-rounder approach. Breakfast rolls into lunch, dinner stretches comfortably into drinks, and the menu leans classic and crowd-pleasing: shakshuka and pancakes in the morning, calamari with chilli salt, pumpkin ravioli with miso butter, steak frites and a smash burger by night. With cocktails, daily happy hour and vinyl-fuelled Thursdays, it’s shaping up as South Yarra’s newest everyday habit.
234 Toorak Road, South Yarra
Torquay Just Scored A Sun-Soaked Greek Opening
Ela has officially landed on the Torquay Esplanade, bringing a sun-drenched dose of modern Greek dining to the coast just in time for summer. Taking over the former Bob Sugar site, the 90-seat restaurant delivers a full coastal glow-up, pairing Mediterranean ease with Surf Coast energy. Expect seafood-forward plates, shareable mezze and citrus-laced flavours made for long afternoons and late finishes. If your summer cravings skew feta, fire and seaside spritzes, this is one detour worth making.
17 The Esplanade, Torquay
Hotel Sorrento’s Glow-Up Ushers in a New Peninsula Era
After five years of thoughtful transformation, Hotel Sorrento steps into summer as a fully realised bay-side resort, balancing heritage with a fresh, cosmopolitan ease. The new New York–inspired Lobby Bar sets the tone with low-lit glamour, marble and travertine, pouring sharp cocktails alongside elevated bar snacks from morning to night. Upstairs, an open-air wellness terrace offers sweeping sea views and hosts yoga, Pilates and sunset drinks with equal finesse.
Eight new luxury suites, premium conferencing spaces and a refined approach to wellbeing round out the evolution, while a Venroy capsule adds a stylish coastal flourish. It’s a confident new chapter for a Mornington Peninsula icon, polished, relaxed and perfectly tuned for long summer stays.
Hotel Sorrento, 5/15 Hotham Road, Sorrento
Book your stay with Hotel Sorrento
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Victoria’s Wine Scene Just Had a Victory Lap for the Ages
Victoria has swept Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards, and the results speak to the state’s serious cellar power. Circl emerged as the standout — crowned Australia’s Wine List of the Year and Best Wine List Victoria, alongside a dazzling run of national titles: Best Restaurant Wine List – City, Best List of Wines by the Glass, Best Champagne List, Best Sparkling Wine List, Best Listing of Victorian Wines, and the Sommeliers’ Choice Award for the delightful Xavier Vigier. An absolute coup.
Chris Lucas’ Society also flexed its muscle, taking home Best Listing of Museum & Rare Wines, Best Listing of French Wines, and Best Digestif List — a trifecta that cements it as one of the country’s most sophisticated places to drink.
Meanwhile, Lucas’ new favourite Maison Bâtard claimed Australia’s Best New Wine List – The Tony Hitchin Award, solidifying its status as the newcomer everyone should be paying attention to.
In short: Victoria didn’t just win this year — it defined it.
Circl, 22 Punch Lane, Melbourne
Society, 80 Collins Street, Melbourne
Maison Batard, 23 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Hector’s Deli Brings Its Cult Sandwiches to Little Collins
Hector’s Deli is stepping into the CBD with a new outpost on Little Collins Street, bringing its cult-status sandwiches to the city’s lunchtime stampede. Think meatball subs, club sandwiches and those iconic melts, all served in a slick Normanby Chambers nook with just enough seats to pretend you’re not getting takeaway. It’s old-school luncheonette energy, Melbourne style — fast, indulgent and destined to be the office worker’s greatest weakness.
430 Little Collins Street (Normanby Chambers), Melbourne
Andrew McConnell Reveals Côte Basque for Winter 2026
Andrew McConnell and Jo McGann have announced Côte Basque, a European grill shaped by the coastal traditions of the Basque region, set to open on Crossley Street in winter 2026. The menu will centre on wood-fired craft and exceptional produce, bringing a fresh culinary lens to the former Becco site. ACME is redesigning the room with mid-century cues, restored terrazzo and a street-level bar, with an upstairs private space returning to service. Côte Basque is poised to reintroduce depth, clarity and momentum to this storied laneway.
Coming winter 2026
11/25 Crossley Street, Melbourne
Ten Minutes by Tractor Ushers In A Bold New Era
Mornington Peninsula’s Ten Minutes by Tractor has entered a tasty new era with chef Craig Lunn steering the kitchen, bringing Michelin-polished skill shaped by years in Europe and the Middle East. His opening menu leans into the estate’s farm, nearby waters and the region’s cool-climate charm. Think garden herb custard, tortellini with Moreton Bay bug and a deeply indulgent Black Opal Wagyu with fermented lettuce and date. But the dish we’re quietly eyeing off is the tuna tart with nori and fingerlime. It sounds bright, clever and very summer.
New head sommelier Noah Rozenfeld ties it all together with cellar-door pairings that roam from fresh releases to cherished back vintages. A very promising chapter indeed.
1333 Mornington-Flinders Road, Main Ridge
Tokyo Takes the Rooftop: Melbourne’s Disco-Era Revival is Here in the Form of Disuko
Move over, martini bars — Disuko has entered the chat. Once home to the iconic Madame Brussels, Bourke Street’s rooftop is spinning back to life as a Japanese restaurant and cocktail bar from the MAMAS Dining Group (Hochi Mama, Kiss & Tell). Channelling the pulse of 1980s Tokyo, it’s all lacquered timber, mirror-ball gleam and vinyl on the decks. Behind the glowing glass-block bar, highballs, sakes, and house signatures set the pace; in the kitchen, udon carbonara, hibachi-grilled chicken, and sashimi take centre stage. There’s even an eight-seat omakase glowing like sundown.
With skyline views and late-night energy to match, Disuko promises Melbourne’s most glamorous comeback yet, where Tokyo’s golden age meets the city’s modern beat.
Opens Tuesday 18th November
Level 3/59-63 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Melbourne’s Jack Simpson Crowned 2025 World Barista Champion
Australia’s coffee crown just got shinier — Jack Simpson of Melbourne’s Axil Coffee Roasters, has taken out the title of 2025 World Barista Champion in Milan.
After two years on the podium — runner-up in 2024 and third in 2023 — Simpson finally claimed the top spot, impressing judges with a performance that balanced technical precision with pure storytelling. His routine championed transparency and origin, spotlighting producers like Jonathan Gasca and celebrating the intricate journey from farm to cup.
It’s Simpson’s third consecutive Australian title, turned world triumph — and a testament to the country’s unmatched coffee culture. Consider this another win for the flat-white faithful.
Melbourne’s Tiniest Pub, Global Heavyweight: Caretaker’s Cracks Top 20 in World’s 50 Best Bars
A church-side shoebox with cathedral-level clout, Caretaker’s Cottage has vaulted into the World’s 50 Best Bars top 20, landing at No.19 — proof that Melbourne’s beloved tiny titan still roars on the world stage. Swing by at golden hour and you’ll spot the faithful with a pint of the black stuff, while insiders order the city’s smartest “boilermaker”: a freezer-cold signature martini beside that Guinness, anchored by a bespoke house gin. Low-lit. High craft. Zero fuss. A pilgrimage for travellers; a proud local habit for the rest of us.
139-141 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Vansetter Goes Bold: Two New Vodkas, One Triple Sec
Ballarat’s Itinerant Spirits is turning up the heat with Vansetter’s first signature distilled flavours: Habanero & Lime and Cucumber & Mint — plus a handcrafted Vansetter Triple Sec. Think supercritical CO₂ for clean spice, vacuum distillation for bright fruit, and volcanic spring water proofing: precision over perfume. Habanero & Lime delivers fruity heat and a zesty snap, while Cucumber & Mint is crisp, green and gloriously refreshing.
Limited bottles ($65/700ml, 40% ABV) land at the distillery and select retailers before a wider roll-out. Consider it chapter one in Vansetter’s refined-exploration era: flavour with substance, not sugar.
We know what we’ll be sipping this spring.
Purchase here
200 Lydiard Street North, Soldiers Hill
Meet Zoncello: The Yarra Valley’s Italo-Disco Fever Dream
Zonzo Estate’s exuberant new sibling has arrived, and she’s dressed for a good time. Having opened officially on Thursday, 2nd October, in the former Innocent Bystander space, Zoncello Yarra Valley is where Italian verve meets a touch of disco decadence — all colour, charisma and clinking spritzes. Director Rod Micallef and designer Claire Larrit Evans have conjured a sprawling Healesville playground that feels equal parts Riviera nightclub and contemporary osteria: booths for gossip, long tables for celebrations, and a bar that hums from midday till late. Executive Chef David Petrilli brings the energy with salumeria spreads, wood-charred arrosticini and a tiramisu ice-cream sandwich worth the drive alone. Naturally, the full Zonzo spritz suite stars — Zoncello, Bellina and Cicchio — each as effervescent as the interiors. For those who take their prosecco with a side of playfulness, this is your new pilgrimage point.
316–334 Maroondah Highway, Healesville
Death & Co: The Cocktail Institution Touches Down in Melbourne
The holy grail of cocktail bars is finally landing on Australian shores. This November, New York’s fabled Death & Co — the name that rewrote the rules of modern drinking — will open on Flinders Lane, its first international outpost and a landmark moment for Melbourne’s bar scene. Expect the full theatre: the cult classics (hello Naked & Famous, Oaxacan Old Fashioned) alongside locally tuned creations. A decade-defining arrival, and proof that Melbourne still sets the pace when it comes to the art of the drink.
Opens November 2025
Death & Co Melbourne, 87 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Karen Martini’s New Era at Bar Carolina
South Yarra’s beloved Italian institution turns the page as Karen Martini takes ownership — her first independent venture since 2020 — bringing a confident, cucina-led refresh without losing the room’s timeless poise. The menu moves with Italian rhythm: cicchetti (stuffed olives; pizza fritta with vinegar salt and whipped cod roe), Harry’s Bar–style eye fillet carpaccio, housemade pastas like tagliarini with blue swimmer crab, then larger plates from the Josper, including bone-on veal costoletta. A robust, regionally focused Italian wine list (with a soft spot for Barolo) underpins it all.
The best part? Rooftop sibling Tetto di Carolina will be returning in time for summer.
44 Toorak Road, South Yarra
Circl Crowned Australia’s Wine List of the Year
Punch Lane newcomer Circl has just pulled off the impossible — crowned Australia’s Wine List of the Year 2025 barely a year after opening. The wine-led restaurant claimed the top gong plus seven category wins, from Best Champagne List to Best List of Wines by the Glass. Sommelier Xavier Vigier also scooped the prestigious Judy Hirst Award for curating the list, praised for its “eye-watering depth” and rare accessibility.
With 150+ pours by the glass, paired to a seasonal, Scandinavian-inspired menu, Circl is Melbourne’s newest must-book for wine lovers.
22 Punch Lane, Melbourne
Taquería Sin Nombre: The Laneway Taco Bar Pop-Up with No Name
Slip down Celestial Avenue in Chinatown and follow the glow of a neon dingo — that’s your cue you’ve stumbled upon Taquería Sin Nombre, the unmarked spot from the cult crew behind Dingo Ate My Taco. Open Fridays and Saturdays only, this laneway bolthole is equal parts fiesta and secret society. From the counter come scratch-made tacos — brisket, birria, even huitlacoche — while Saturdays add burritos slung straight from the window from 11am. Inside, it’s grungy-Mexicana chic: orange neon, graffiti walls, papel picado, DJs spinning reggaeton. Outside, late-night wanderers discover tacos that taste like pure street-party magic. Casual, chaotic, and magically delicious, this fleeting weekend delight won’t stay hidden for long.
Open until 10pm, Fridays and Saturdays
Tacos only for now, with tequila and margaritas arriving in October (we’ll keep you in the loop)
Celestial Avenue, Melbourne CBD
SHOP225 Crowned Australia’s Best Pizza at Global Awards
Global accolades, local heart — Pascoe Vale’s humble SHOP225 has just been crowned the best pizzeria in Australia at the prestigious 50 Top Pizza World Awards in Naples, securing its place among the world’s greats. Yet behind the headlines, it remains the same neighbourhood hole-in-the-wall where locals gather, families squeeze into booths, and gluten-free and vegan diners break bread alongside traditionalists. Founder Lorenzo Tron’s ethos is simple but powerful: everyone deserves a seat at the table, whatever their dietary needs. Right now, he’s en route to Naples to accept the award for Australia’s best pizza — and to discover the restaurant’s global ranking.
With a loyal following and sister venue Il Caminetto in Moonee Ponds, SHOP225 proves that authenticity, inclusivity, and a wood-fired crust can win over judges in Italy — and keep Melbourne locals coming back week after week.
225 Melville Road, Pascoe Vale South
Melbourne Crowned Australia’s Most Food-Curious City in 2025 Forks & Searches Report
Melbourne has officially claimed the title of Australia’s most food-curious city, according to CupoNation’s inaugural Forks & Searches report. Drawing on over 9,400 Google search terms and 23,706 TripAdvisor restaurant listings across six major cities, the study uncovers how Australians are navigating a year marked by rising living costs with curiosity, appetite, and flair. Melbourne clocks 26.3 cuisine-related searches per 1,000 residents each month, narrowly beating Adelaide, which takes second place, with Sydney a close third.
Korean cuisine dominates Melbourne’s searches, while Hunan and Xiang dishes are surging—up 238% YoY—revealing a city eager to explore heat, texture, and regional nuance. Nationally, Ethiopian cuisine has skyrocketed 2,767%, proving Australians are increasingly seeking communal, spice-forward dining adventures. Japanese cuisine remains the most searched for but underrepresented in actual venue availability, highlighting a delicious gap between desire and supply.
The study also uncovers quirky insights: cafes now outnumber pizza joints and bars, chicken tops menus as the most served dish, and salads even outpace beef, pork, and desserts. South Australia surprises with North Indian food leading searches, and Mediterranean cuisine surging 878% YoY.
Melbourne, it seems, isn’t just eating — it’s exploring.
Vanilla Dessert Bar – Do It Your Way
Oakleigh’s new Vanilla Dessert Bar takes indulgence to lavish new heights. A Mediterranean-inspired sweet haven from the team behind the iconic Vanilla Lounge, it’s part bakery, part custom-cake atelier, and entirely devoted to the art of the DIY dessert. Here, you can build your own creation from buttery gnocchi or flaky croissants, swirl it with soft serve, then crown it from a line-up of over 60 toppings — think sauce fountains, shards of chocolate, jewel-bright fruit, and layers of cream. Architect Rodney Eggleston has wrapped it all in a sleek, sunlit space that feels like summer in full swing.
For celebrations, late-night sugar cravings or just the joy of creating something that’s entirely yours, Vanilla Dessert Bar is the sweetest new arrival.
17–21 Eaton Mall, Oakleigh
Tom Sarafian’s ZAREH Opens Next Week
Hummus legend Tom Sarafian opens ZAREH, his first solo restaurant, next Wednesday. It is a bold tribute to his grandfather’s self-taught French-Armenian kitchen and the vibrant overlap of Lebanese and Armenian flavours. Central to the space is an open charcoal barbecue and wood-fired oven, where seasonal Victorian produce is kissed by ancient spices — sumac, za’atar, pomegranate molasses — that carry stories through every bite.
Beyond the kitchen, Matt Linklater’s bar pours standout cocktails like a properly dirty martini and an Arak Negroni, alongside a handpicked selection of Armenian brandies. The dining room channels Beirut’s warmth with pink-hued limestone, soft green banquettes, and vinyl spinning rich, soulful tunes.
ZAREH is where heritage meets heat — an intimate celebration of family, flavour, and fire that stays with you. Melbourne, brace yourself—this one’s destined to be unforgettable.
Opens Wednesday 20th August
368 Smith Street, Collingwood
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Victoria Cleans Up at the 2025 Melbourne Royal Spirits Awards
Victoria’s distilling scene is on fire — and the proof is in the (award-winning) pour. At this year’s Melbourne Royal Australian International Spirits Awards, local legends walked away with some of the night’s top honours. Bright’s trailblazing Reed & Co Distillery took home a double win: Champion Victorian Gin for their NEO New World Dry Gin, and Best Ready to Serve Cocktail for their citrusy Yuzu Chu-Hai — a nod to both precision and play. If you visit, you must dine at their onsite restaurant, it’s one of the best meals you’ll have all year.
Meanwhile, Top Shelf International was named Champion Victorian Distiller, while Snowgum Distillery charmed the judges with their Williams Pear Schnapps, earning Best Alternative Spirit. And whisky lovers, rejoice: Backwoods Distilling Co, the Yackandah-based distillery, snagged Best Australian Single Malt Whisky with a standout chardonnay barrel-aged release — further proof that Victoria’s High Country is fast becoming one to watch for distilling the goods. Cheers to that.
Victoria Shines Bright: Four of Top Five Wineries Crowned in 2025 Rankings
Victoria has once again dominated Australia’s wine scene, claiming four of the top five spots in The Real Review’s 2025 Top Wineries rankings. Geelong’s Wine by Farr took the coveted Winery of the Year title, marking a remarkable second win and continuing Victoria’s impressive five-year streak at the top. Close behind are Yarra Valley powerhouses Yarra Yering (#2), Levantine Hill (#3), and Giant Steps (#4), showcasing the region’s exceptional strength in producing world-class wines.
South Australia rounds out the top five with Wynns Coonawarra Estate securing fifth place, highlighting its significant rise this year. This Victorian dominance is echoed across the top 20, with nine Victorian wineries featured, underlining the state’s reputation for premium, cool-climate styles.
From elegant Pinots to bold Chardonnays, Victoria’s winemakers continue to craft wines that captivate critics and enthusiasts alike, reinforcing the region as a cornerstone of Australia’s vibrant and evolving wine industry.
CHANDON Unveils a Stunning Events & Tastings Space
CHANDON Australia has unveiled its reimagined Homestead, an intimate, design-led space within its Yarra Valley estate. A century-old farmhouse turned luxurious gathering place, the Homestead blends heritage with modern Australian artistry—think soft pinks, earthy hues, and bespoke works by local designers. Here, guests can savour oyster bars, tableside cooking, and CHANDON’s rare Étoile wines while overlooking rolling vineyards. With curated interiors by Melanie Beynon and a focus on craft and storytelling, the Homestead is an exquisite stage for indulgence—where méthode traditionnelle meets contemporary elegance.
Now open for events, tastings, and private celebrations
Melbourne Has Just Been Ranked the #1 Hottest Food Destination in the World for 2025
Melbourne, take a bow—you’ve just been crowned the world’s hottest food destination for 2025. A new study from the British luxury holiday brand Travelbag ranks our fair city as numero uno for food-obsessed travellers, and honestly, was there ever any doubt? With over 100 cuisines, a globally revered dining scene, and millions of food posts lighting up Instagram, Melbourne is a true culinary juggernaut. Beating out heavyweights like Tokyo, New York, and Bangkok, we’ve officially got the world’s best eats—so grab a fork, loosen your belt, and celebrate the only way we know how: by eating. Melbourne, we feast.
Can’t get enough Melbourne food and drink news and want to be in the know of more delicious restaurants, cafes and bars to book? Be sure to take a look at the best dining deals happening this week, or these fancy degustations if you want to dine out in style.
