The best restaurants in Melbourne right now

2025 Victoria State Winner

Channelling Portugal from its striking design – warm earthy tones via brick, timber, tile and fabric details – to the menu and wine list, Marmelo also spruiks excellent local produce. Flavours are admirably bright across the menu, from the paella-like Arroz de Marisco, piled with seafood and served in a cedar-lidded cast-iron pot, to a zest-perfumed olive oil cheesecake delivered straight from the wood-fired oven.

At Carlton’s Bistra, it’s not about chasing the next big thing but rediscovering the pleasures of the familiar. Chef Alex Nishizawa gives bistro classics a clever twist – from buzzworthy cheeseburgers to nanna-core cream puffs – while modern touches and a savvy wine list ensure this neighbourhood spot feels both comforting and current.

At Euro-leaning restaurant Carnation Canteen, chef-owner Audrey Shaw proves that simplicity can be the ultimate sophistication. With a nimble, seasonal menu, warm minimalist design and a focus on flavour at every course, this neighbourhood spot makes pared-back dining feel effortless.

At Di Stasio Carlton, art and atmosphere are as integral as the food. Between gallery-like interiors and a courtyard straight from Italy, the stage is set for a menu that delivers classic dishes with flair and indulgence.

Ten years in, Embla remains one of Melbourne’s most essential dining rooms. Dave Verheul’s trailblazing wine bar pairs clever, deceptively simple dishes with a stellar drinks list in a space that buzzes night after night. If you only have one night in town, come here.

At Etta, owner Hannah Green’s instinctive hospitality sets the tone for a neighbourhood bistro that feels effortlessly welcoming. Chef Lorcán Kan’s menu balances inventive flavours with approachable dishes, from tea quail egg skewers to crisp-roasted duck leg and ethereal desserts. A carefully curated drinks list, featuring standout cocktails and wines from Old and New World producers, rounds out a stylish dining experience.

Melbourne’s Cantonese institution Flower Drum celebrates 50 years this year, and its opulence remains undimmed. From impeccably executed dim sum to show-stopping Peking duck, the menu dazzles with both elegance and playful flair. With polished service and a dining room that’s a nostalgic ’80s Hong Kong dream, Flower Drum delivers a world-class experience that is unmistakably Melbourne.

Gimlet

From chilled Martinis and briny oysters to a show-stopping 900-gram T-bone, Gimlet delivers classic indulgence with a touch of theatre. The era-spanning dining room is as glamorous as the menu, where Comté tart, table-side crêpes Suzette and caviar with all the trimmings are matched by sharp service and a stellar wine and cocktail list. It’s a polished performance from lunch through to late-night supper.

Con Christopoulos and Stavros Konis lead the charge with this Athenian-style diner, where crisp fried sweetbreads, slow-cooked olive oil-forward dishes and vibrant horiatiki showcase Greek cuisine well beyond the expected. Add a glass of assyrtiko, a slice of orange fillo cake and the easy warmth of Hellenic hospitality, and it’s clear why Kafeneion has become a city favourite.

Lygon Street might be best known for Italian dining, but Lagoon Dining broadens the scope with flavour-packed dishes that draw on China, Malaysia and Japan. Think hot-and-sour shredded potato batons, juicy char siu pork, or beef tartare flavoured with laksa leaf and sambal vinaigrette. With sharp cocktails, a thoughtful wine list and warm service, it’s a welcome alternative to the street’s historical hegemony.

Victor Liong’s playful snacks – like a choux “bao” with mushroom char siu or prawn toast crowned with sea urchin and salted egg yolk butter – set the tone at Lee Ho Fook. Save room, though, for the maltose-glazed Peking duck and sweet and sour pork with pineapple and strawberry sauce. Backed by sharp service and a savvy wine list, it’s a smart, modern spin on Australian-Chinese dining.

GT tip: Go easy on the delicious (and rich) snacks or you’ll fill up before you reach the larger dishes.

Maison Bâtard

2025 Best New Restaurant

Chris Lucas’s four-level Maison Bâtard is a lavish ode to French indulgence, where oysters and chartreuse-spiked Martinis on the rooftop set the stage for lobster croquettes, caviar-brushed brioche and chive-crowned steak tartare downstairs. From Josper-grilled John Dory with chardonnay-caper sauce to a retro Tournedos Rossini steak, the cooking is matched by a cellar steeped in Old World charm. Crowned Best New Restaurant, it’s Melbourne’s glittering new clubhouse – equal parts theatre, pleasure and extravagance.

Manzé

The Mauritian-inspired cooking at Manzé thrills with bold South Asian and East African flavours, from crisp-battered oyster mushroom with house hot sauce to garlicky lamb cubes brightened with sorrel, and on to grilled fish in watercress broth, smoked chilli potatoes or crème caramel with cardamom sorbet. Warm service, a natural-leaning wine list and the cosy, cork-floored room complete the experience.

GT tip: When deciding between the three- or four-course set menus, choose four.

Minamishima

Minamishima’s mood-lit sushi counter offers an 18-course parade that stakes its claim as Australia’s finest omakase. From miso-cured John Dory and vinegared mackerel under battera kombu jelly to tempura abalone in an abalone liver sauce and a smoky chrysanthemum-and-duck soup, every bite is a revelation. With impeccable service and a carefully curated sake list, it’s the perfect spot for a special-occasion feast.

O.My

From the moment you see a wine that’s “not shit” or a cocktail that’s “nothing to f*** with,” you know this south-east Melbourne fine-diner is run with charm and cheek. Blayne and Chayse Bertoncello turn produce from their kitchen garden into dishes like tempura pickles, flathead mousse, lamb ragù and fall-apart pork neck, finishing with sourdough-offcut crème pâtissière. With house-made kombucha, hyper-local wines and playful technical brilliance at every turn, it’s a dining experience that consistently hits the mark.

Serai

The McScallop – a fried Abrolhos scallop in crab-fat sauce on a pandesal – sets the tone at Serai, where Ross Magnaye’s Filipino heritage and wood-grill mastery deliver bold, inventive dishes like smoked pineapple with caviar, smoky pigs-head tacos and grill-scorched calamari with ’nduja. The industrial laneway space, on-theme cocktails and great tunes add to the party vibe, but every dish is underpinned by serious technique and thoughtful spicing, from sticky adobo lamb ribs to punchy, layered flavours throughout.

GT tip: Share generously – the dishes are built for a group experience.

Stokehouse

Stokehouse’s prime waterside setting is matched by Jason Staudt’s deft, playful cooking, from spanner crab with doughnut to saltbush-and-vinegar potato cake, grilled marron with lime-spiked brown butter, and beef with potatoes Dauphinoise and bordelaise sauce. Light, elegant desserts like rhubarb and mandarin tart with coconut and lemon thyme complete the picture, all served by a polished, attentive team.

Toddy Shop

Mischa Tropp laughs in the face of a “universal” Indian cuisine with his exploration of coastal Kerala’s southern specialties. Straddling the nexus between pungent, sour, sharp and hot, Toddy Shop’s sensory explosion saw him named last year’s GT Best New Talent. Whether it’s bone-in chicken in a peppery coconut gravy or stir-fried cabbage thoran with a tickle of curry leaf, the cooling beetroot pachadi and tissue-like parota (fried bread) are non-negotiable.

GT tip: Order an on-theme cocktail – a saffron-infused Bengali Martini should do nicely – and be transported by the cinematic, nostalgia-hued room.

Vue de monde

At Vue, chef Hugh Allen balances the familiar and the thrilling, from chocolate soufflé with billy tea ice-cream to salt-cured kangaroo with green ants, oyster under wasabi-and-avocado “snow,” and marron with savoury custard and finger lime. Every dish is executed with meticulous detail, complemented by impeccable service, a stunning view, and a drinks list ranging from benchmark Burgundy to rare Chinese teas.

GT tip: Reserve a spot by the window to enjoy the sweeping view while savouring Vue’s exquisite multi-course menu

How the guide works

To earn a place in this guide, each venue must excel from welcome to farewell, with service, design, originality, consistency and atmosphere each carefully considered. But the most crucial area of excellence is always the food. From fine-diners to city wine bars, bistros, trattorias, izakayas and many more, every restaurant featured in this guide should be considered gold standard. It’s an exciting snapshot of how we like to eat out in 2025 and beyond.

All of the restaurants reviewed were visited anonymously between March and July 2025 with reviewers paying their own way.

The price guide has been updated this year to convey the average cost for two people. While we’re big fans of solo dining, restaurant visits are more often a shared experience, and this adjustment reflects that.

PRICE GUIDE

Average cost for two diners, not including drinks.

$ = under $100
$$ = $100 to $175
$$$ = 175 to $250
$$$$ = $250 to $325
$$$$$ = $325+