introducing tom  neal
tacker

One of those people who lives to eat, Tom’s career in food, wine and travel began aged 20 with a sommelier’s gig in Chicago’s best restaurant at the time.

After years of travel while eating and drinking around the world he settled permanently in Australia, which segued to media with a weekly column in the Cairns Post aged 29. He began writing weekly restaurant reviews for a Sydney newspaper in 2000. Three years later still in Sydney he, with two colleagues, founded a publishing company with a mish-mash of magazine titles.

That led to regular radio gigs on Sydney’s 2BL talking about wine, food and travel which led to working with Doug Mulray on Australia’s first online television show as the “Wine God”.

A move to Melbourne in 2006 secured a successful freelance writing career specialising in food, wine and travel.

Writing over a thousand stories for mainstream media and just about any publisher that paid, running Australia’s Festival of Travel Writing, appearing as a speaker at Melbourne’s Literary Festival, Sustainable Living Festival and Bright’s Festival of Photography, he settled into working as a consultant in the food, wine and travel industries.

Melbourne is still home but his itchy feet keep him peripatetic.

COPYRIGHT © TOM NEAL TACKER 2024

Mad about melbourne 2024

My selection is based on small businesses typically run by small, dedicated and gifted teams.
While I’ve been lucky to dine in Melbourne’s best restaurants (Attica, Amaru, Vue de Monde and relatively nearby Brae), I prefer places that focus on providing a quintessentially excellent Melbourne dining experience instead of maintaining a focus on PR and winning dubiously judged awards.
I love all these places and heartily recommend them.
That being said, I’m always on the hunt for more.

TNT [LOL]…Tom Neal Tacker

click here to go straight to Tom’s Melbourne restaurant list.

Please note this list is in alphabetical order and not in any preferential order.

CHAUNCY…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT CHAUNCY
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

bar romanée

BAR ROMANÉE…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT BAR ROMANÉE
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website  

open
Thursday to Monday 12 pm – late

reservations
phone
email
Instagram

address
25 Anderson Street,
YARRAVILLE, VIC 3013

embla

EMBLA…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT EMBLA
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website

open
Monday and Tuesday – 3 pm until late
Wednesday to Saturday midday until late
Sunday – midday until 5 pm [ish]
In December
we will be open for an additional lunch service on Monday and Tuesday

reservations

Sunday lunch is a thing click here

phone
email
Instagram

address
122 Russell Street,
MELBOURNE, VIC 3000

etta

ETTA…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT ETTA
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website

open
Tuesday to Friday, 5 pm-late
Saturday 12 pm-late

reservations
phone 
email 
instagram 

address
60 Lygon Street,
BRUNSWICK EAST, VIC 3057<?p>

figlia

FIGLIA…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT FIGLIA
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website

open
dinner Monday to Sunday : lunch Saturday and Sunday
aperitivo hour Monday to Friday 5-6 pm

reservations
phone
email 
Instagram 

address
331 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, VIC 3057

jeow

JEOW…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT JEOW
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website

open Wednesday – Saturday from 5.30 pm

reservations
phone
email
Instagram

address
336 Bridge Road,
RICHMOND, VIC 3121

minamishima

MINAMISHimA..IMAGE © COPYRIGHT MINAMISHimA

website

open
Tuesday to Saturday 6pm – 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 sushi counter reservations and their summer holiday arrangements
phone 
email NOT AVAILABLE
Instagram NOT AVAILABLE

address
4 Lord Street,
RICHMOND, VIC 3121

navi

NAVI..IMAGE © COPYRIGHT NAVI CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website

open
dinner Wednesday – Saturday 6 pm – 11 pm
Saturday Matinee 2 pm – 5 pm

reservations DINING ROOM
reservations LOUNGE
phone 
email 
Instagram 

address
83B Gamon Street,
YARRAVILLE, VIC 3013

PhillipPe Mouchel

PHILLIPpE MOUCHEL..IMAGE © COPYRIGHT PHILLIPpE MOUCHEL
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website

open
lunch Tuesday – Friday 12 pm
dinner Tuesday – Friday 5.30 pm – Saturday 5 pm

reservations 
phone
email 
Instagram 

address
115 Collins Street,
Melbourne, VIC 3000

sushi on

SUSHI ON…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT SUSHI ON
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website

open
lunch Saturday and Sunday 12.30 pm
dinner Wednesday – Sunday 7 pm

reservations
phone 
email 
instagram 

address
1135 Burke Road,
KEW, VIC 3101

tipo 00

TIPO 00…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT TIPO 00
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website 

open
Monday – Saturday lunch 11.30am – 4pm
dinner 5pm – 9.30 pm
closed public holidays

reservations
phone 
email
Instagram 

address
361 Little Bourke Street,
MELBOURNE, VIC 3000

tzaki

TZAKI…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT TSAKI
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website

open
7 days Mon-Wed: 7 am – 2 pm : 5.30 pm – late
lunch Thu-Sat: 7 am–late
Sun: 7 am – 5.30 pm [closed for dinner]

no reservations

phone n/a
email
instagram

address
31 Ballarat Street,
YARRAVILLE, VIC 3013

regional victoria

geelong

songbird

SONGBIRD…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT SONGBIRD
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website 

open
Wednesday – Friday 5 pm – late
Saturday lunch 12 pm – 2 pm – dinner 5 pm – late

reservations 
phone
email 
instagram

address
Rear of 205/207 Moorabool Street,
GEELONG, VIC 3220

tulip

TULIP…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT TULIP ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website 

open
lunch Friday and Saturday 12 pm – 2.30 pm
dinner Tuesday – Saturday 5.30 pm – 9 pm

reservations 
phone 
email
Instagram not working

address
9/11 Pakington Street,
Geelong, VIC 3218

beaconsfield

O.my

O.MY…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT O.MY
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website 

open
lunch Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 pm
dinner Thursday – Sunday from 6:00 pm

reservations 

phone TEXT ONLY
email 
instagram N/A
gallery 

address
70 Princes Highway,
BEEACNSFIELD, VIC 3807
[corner of Souter Street]

heathcote

CHAUNCEy

CHAUNCY…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT CHAUNCY
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website

open
lunch, Friday through to Monday, from 12.30 pm

reservations 
accommodation
phone 
email 
instagram

address
178 High Street,
Heathcote, VIC 3523

hurstbridge

Greasy Zoe's

GREASY ZOE’S…IMAGE © COPYRIGHT GREASY ZOE’S
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

website 

open
dinner Thursday to Saturday 6.30 pm
late lunch Saturday 3 pm

reservations 
accommodation
phone
email 
instagram not available

address
3/850 Heidelberg-Kinglake Road,
HURSTBRIDGE, VIC 3099

"

ANN OLIVER

favourite MELBOURNE RESTAURANTS

Not a new list by any means but still relevant, in particular il Bacaro where authentic Italian remains supreme and a wine list to match… click here

RISOTTO, SAFFRON, CUTTLEFISH, SQUID INK, ZUCCHINI FLOWER
IMAGE © COPYRIGHT IL BACARO
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE

ABOUT

We have 42 years history at the highest level
in the food and wine industry and the passion for our craft remains undiminished…
read more

ON cuisine-extreme

NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to our newsletter
to get the latest news, tips, and advice.
 
.……… ann_oliver

COPYRIGHT © TEXT AND IMAGES ANN OLIVER 2024 UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED