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we continue to be mad about melbourne
My first visit to Melbourne was a very long time ago with my glamorous Grandmother who loved nothing better than escaping the seaside fishing village of Queenscliffe where she lived for the bright lights. One particularly memorable lunch was when she was determined to dine at the newly opened Southern Cross Hotel. Dressed to the nines we travelled to Melbourne by train. I always felt bathed in her beauty, although, I am sure that the many men who ogled her clearly wished she was alone. As an adult I frequently suspected that this grandmother had also wished she had been unfettered. But, it was Elma Lucy, who instilled in me the love of the fine dining experience and what could be expected from it. Apart from what was then fabulous modernity of the Southern Cross the only other childhood Melbourne dining experience I clearly remember was Florentino’s which remains pretty much unchanged over 60 years later.
In the winter Melbourne may seem like the coldest place on the planet, but Melbourne offers a stunning range of eating options from modest to the limit that can be found elsewhere in the world. A middle winter trip was to catch up with old friends. One [male] favourite customer of my former restaurant Mistress Augustine’s, the late Michael Elton, for whom our most famous dessert, the chocolate slut was named and two over achieving former employees of Mistress Augustine’s Restaurant….Lousie Elder, whose daughter Ellie now in her 30’s was almost born in our kitchen and lived in it until she could walk, and Lisa Burley who worked front of house at MA’s in its maddest days. My former apprentice, pastry chef Edwina Peoples is working at one of Melbourne’s most celebrated bakery The Tivoli Bakery in South Yarra.
ALL IMAGES UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
ARE COPYRIGHT © ANN OLIVER
revised november 16, 2024 in no particular order of preference…first published 2008
melbourne 2024
A whole new list for Melbourne 2024 from our colleague, food and wine expert Tom Neal Tacker click here
published november 17, 2024
byo
BYO…bring your own is an anathema to many overseas visitors. It means that you can bring your own wine to a restaurant, and of all Australian cities it is most popular in Melbourne.
Whist most regular favourite customers are not charged corkage, you can expect to pay some dollars for opening and serving your wine. The cost of corkage depends on the cost of dining at the restaurant, the quality of glassware, whether or not your wine will be decanted and if you might have the services of a qualified sommelier to do so.
BYO is a privilege and should be respected graciously if it is refused by an establishment.
shanghai street
Xiaolongbao and Dumpling
146 Little Bourke Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
phone
It is impossible to look at Melbourne’s history without recognising the contribution of very early Chinese migration to Melbourne. Just up the side street, the Chinese Museum.
Having worked in mainland China several times I long for the authentic dumplings of Shanghai and have tried on several previous trips to Melbourne to find them.
After a visit to the Chinese Museum I noticed that a single dumpling restaurant on the corner of Cohen Lane and Little Bourke Street had a queue and plonked myself at the end. There is an authentic aroma wafting through the doors. Shanghai street is a chain, so please note we are only recommending this venue. Packed diners eat and go…cheap and tasty what’s not to like?
seamstress
restaurant
and bar
website
www.seamstress.com.au
open
Dining Room – Lunch | Tues – Sat 12pm – 3pm
| Dinner | Mon – Sat 5:30pm – Late
Cocktail Bar | Mon – Sat 5:00pm – Late
Drystore Espresso | Mon – Fri 7:00am – 2:00pm
Sunday – Closed
address
113 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
You have to love the history of this building….brothel, sweat shop are just two incarnations. There are great elements of kitch with plastic flowers and draped ceilings…and in the bar an eclectic collections of Chinese garments hanging from the ceiling continues the theme.
seamstress restaurant and bar
image copyright © seamstress restaurant and bar
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Service is excellent and staff appear to share a pride in the food they serve. We did lunch and chose the lunch menu….perfectly portioned and great value for money…but…the dessert OMG ‘Pumpkin & coconut custard, cocoa crumble, candied pepitas, salted caramel with coconut and pandan gelato. Irish, round eyed chef, nails this food and it has an authenticity not found in other favoured Melbourne Pan Asian restaurants like for instance Chin Chin which, despite the beautiful building and fabulous staff, just does no cut it for me…but back to the dessert! Everything we were served was excellent, but, the dessert at just $14 AUD was one of the best desserts I’ve had in years. This includes two weeks of three Michelin starred dinning earlier this year in Reims and Paris. Incredibly complex texturally astonishing with the silken pumpkin custard…the crunch of the caramelised pepitos…the odd salty spike and a perfectly textured gelato….very, very good!
We doubt it would matter what time of day or night you visited The Seamstress we are sure you won’t leave disappointed!
seamstress restaurant and bar
image copyright © seamstress restaurant and bar
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france-soir
Bonne fête national…bastille day at france-soir
image copyright © France-Soir
click on the image to see more
open
dinner 7 days 12 noon – midnight
reservations
phone
email
instagram not available
address
11-13 Toorak Road,
South Yarra, VIC 3141
France-Soir is a Melbourne institution and first opened in 1986. Since that time it has served some of the best French bistro food in Australia.
France-Soir is probably the only Australian restaurant where you will find brains on the menu, perfectly prepared, peeled before cooking as they should be and never are, and served up classic French style either crumbed with Tartare Sauce, or pan fried with burnt butter, capers and a wedge of lemon. It is rare these days to find good offal on any menu, and whilst there are plenty of classics to choose from on their menu…the offal lover can find real happiness.
Their enormous wine list has all manner of temptation, and wine service, as it should be, is also knowledgeable, passionate and professional.
We love France-Soir!
movida
listed continuously since 2008 on Galaxy Guides
open
Monday – Friday
lunch 12 pm – 3 pm : dinner 5 pm – 10 pm
Saturday and Sunday
lunch 12 pm – 3 pm : dinner 5 pm – 10.30 pm
reservations
phone
email
instagram
address
11 Hosier Lane,
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Tapas always at its best, the Local Smoked Eel with Celeriac Remoulade and Bresaola floss. So many restaurants serve cold food straight from the fridge. No only does this diminish the flavour profile it quite often ruins the dish. None of this nonsense at Movida. A delicious little mound of finely julienned celeriac remoulade, that was perfectly seasoned, topped with a generous piece of skinned smoked eel and a smattering of the bresaola floss. The oiliness of the eel and its delicate flavour was in perfect harmony with the celeriac remoulade and the slightly gritty texture of the bresaola floss was so good we had a second.
THE EVER PASSIONATE FRANK COMORA,
FOUNDER OF THE MOVIDA GROUP
IMAGE COPYRIGHT © MOVIDA
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Basically, we have always worked our way through their tapas but the Eel and the Bistec Tartar, which has been on their menu as long as I can remember are standouts. Of course, their Cremé Caramel is a must.
One of the things to love about Movida it its honesty; it does not get stuck in silly fashion trends and just nails it. Best Cremé Caramel in Australia, all washed down with a couple of glasses of NV Ruinart ‘R de Ruinart’ which is a favourite of ours
THE BEST RESTAURANT CRÈME CARAMEL IN AUSTRALIA
YOU’D HAVE TO BE NUTS NOT TO ORDER IT
image copyright © ann oliver
bouzy
bouzy armadale, image copyright © bouzy armadale
to see more click on the image
Bar à Vins
website
open
reservations
address
976 High Street,
Armadale, VIC 3143
A now well established local in Armadale, Bouzy is more real French bistro than most.
Packed, people constantly coming and going service is swift and informed and food included oysters served plain with lemon, Russian eggs, steak tartare, burgers and pomme fritte just rolled out from their open kitchen.
Outstanding was their Butter lettuce, buttermilk & Roquefort dressing but everything was good including the wine recommendations.
Bouzy is not the joint where you will hang around and if you are looking to have a conversation ask to be seated in the arcade.
kisume
sublime sushi..image copyright © kisume
to see more click on the image
open dinner 7 days a week : lunch Tuesday to Sunday
reservations
phone
email
instagram
address
Ground floor and basement
175 Flinders Lane,
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Brilliant food served with great theatre and a fabulous wine list. I walked away with chronic knife envy.
il bacaro
RISOTTO, SAFFRON, CUTTLEFISH, SQUID INK, ZUCCHINI FLOWER
IMAGE © COPYRIGHT IL BACARO
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open
Monday to Saturday lunch 12 pm – 3pm : dinner 6 pm – late
reservations
phone
email
instagram
address
168-170 Little Collins Street,
Melbourne VIC 3000
There’s a lot of Italian at every price point in Melbourne, but my favourite over many years is il Bacaro.
I usually find restaurant pasta dishes incredibly disappointing, but not here. At the most five perfect ingredients, no attempt at stupidity or modernity, excellent service, terrific daily seasonal specials and a brilliant wine list.
minamishima
image copyright © Minamishima
open
dinner Tuesday to Saturday 6 pm – 10.30 pm : Closed public holidays
reservations
To make your reservation, please call us on 61 3 9429 5180 or 61 466 333 915
between 12 pm and 5 pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
Please click here for sushi counter reservations and their summer holiday arrangements
phone
email not available
instagram not available
address
4 Lord Street,
Richmond, VIC 3121
Stunning is the word for this restaurant….lone diners or at most a couple might prefer to sit at the bench were the full theatre of the preparation can be enjoyed, but the acoustics are brilliant and seated at the tables it is possible to have a conversation and hear each other talk.
There is a set menu of the day with two to three additional choices…on of which was the famed Puffer Fish, which was, of course irresistible.
The food was perfection as was the wine list. The accoutrements exquisite. The sommelier matches for the entire dining experience brilliant. We enjoyed a bottle of Champagne to starts, then two of us had the matched Saki tasting and our third the matched wines.
If I was told that I could go anywhere in Australia to dine, it would have to be Minamisha. It may seem expensive, but if this is your one splurge in Melbourne make it Minamisha.
the european restaurant
an old world feel, dark and dangerous,
but the European is the locals local…image copyright © ann oliver
open
Open from midday to late Tuesday to Sunday
Kitchen from Midday to 10:00 pm
Friday and Saturday – Kitchen from Midday to 11:00 pm
reservations
phone
email
instagram
address
161 Spring Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
One of the best coffees in Melbourne, except for an unfortunate long weekend where their best baristas had clearly left town. The European is a much-loved Melbourne institution. An incredibly efficient operation that only closes for four hours daily, from 3.00 am until 7.00 am when they open again.
We like the fact that their food remains old style Italian where seasonal specials are mixed with classic dishes and whilst over the years we have tried a lot of their menu we are guilty of always ordering our favourites. The favourite, a rustic Italian egg dish Blood sausage and eggs cooked in tomato sauce. Their kitchen is ever amiable regardless of the hour of your arrival and they don’t have any of those very annoying rules as to when you can eat or what!
One of the first Italian imports into Australia the European has maintained a very high standard since forever and probably has the widest age demographics of any Melbourne eating establishment. Wine list fab, food good and service impeccable. We particularly like the fact that whilst The European Restaurant is clearly not meant to be the long lunch, there is never any obvious pressure to move on.
And, its just possible when you’ve been thrown out of everywhere else, you might just go back again before they close.
this guys have no clue why they aren’t allowed inside,
but the European staff have them sorted…image copyright © ann oliver
Plenty of great choice in their wine list and they always have a good French by the glass, not the ideal match for blood sausage but starting the day but after a long night apart from a Bloody Mary what could be better. We like the European a lot!
city wine shop
the city wine bar…image copyright © the city wine bar
click on the image to see more
open 12 pm – late : 7 days a week
reservations walkins welcome
phone
email
instagram
address
159 Spring Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Located pretty well next door to the European the City Wine Shop is a great place for people watching. The City Wine shop has never been noted for its food but it is a great spot to stop by for a good glass and staff are great at guiding your meal and snack choices.
Even better purpose is to pick up a great bottle to take to dinner. Wine buying advice is erudite and pricing is competitive, plus they have an excellent Champagne selection.
the melbourne
supper club and bar
the melbourne supper club,..image copyright © ann oliver
open
late night dining, bookings available. All guests welcome reservations, for larger groups and functions Jess or Sara on 61396540811
address
First Floor, 161 Spring Street,
Melbourne, VIC 3000
fancy a cigar, try the rooftop bar at the melbourne supper club
image copyright © ann oliver
We never go to Melbourne without visiting the Melbourne Supper Club, but try to stage our visits mid-week when it is much easier to get in the door [unless you’re hanging onto someone famous]. They do serve food, but given the quality of their wine list it is a disappointing offering, however, after a bottle or three of Champagne it comes in damned handy!
We have seen winemakers cry when they viewed their credit card receipts in the morning following a big night out at the Melbourne Supper Club, and seen them happily line up to get back in there the next night. There are dozens of great late-night spots in Melbourne but we love this place!
Borek Bakehouse Borek and Gozleme
website not available
open Monday to Saturday mid-morning – mid-afternoon
no reservations
phone
address
481 Elizabeth Street [near the Queen Victoria Market],
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Heading for the Queen Victoria Market, blown along Elizabeth Street in icy cold weather wondering why I had ventured out in such utterly vile day there was an aroma straight from the Middle East. My misery was turned to delight as the memory of these amazing bakeries in Jordan flooded in.
Art form, made on the premise, cooked and sold straight from the flat top they have the perfect outer crispness with a thin soft inside and are light and crisp; even better, they are as good as the best we ate in Jordan. So often in Australia the flat bread is tough, dry rather than crisp, way too chewy and kept warm, which toughens them even further. They are meant to be rolled cooked and eaten.
At Melbourne’s Borek Bakehouse, people wait patiently because they clearly know the difference. Pumpkin filling was beautifully spiced. All offerings are very inexpensive, expect to queue at office lunch and breakfast hours. For any philistine who does not appreciate the skill behind this food, have a go at making them yourself…this type of Middle Eastern baking is perfected by starting with the right flour, the right recipe, executed with loving respect and years of making hundreds on a daily basis…look for the sign [or the queue]!
the city wine bar
"
love melbourne
tom neal
tacker’s
melbourne
2024
A fabulous list from inexpensive to the top with Minamisha, a brand new Melbourne November 2024 click here
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