Lauren Dinse

There ain’t no party like a pizza party, and we’ve got plenty of places worth celebrating Down Under. Whether you’re a slave to the traditional Neapolitan and Sicilian-style slices or crave the carby goodness of a deep dish or New York-style slab, Australia pumps out some of the best pizzas in the world (a close second to Italy, of course). Our Travel & News Editor, Melissa Woodley, takes her pizza seriously. With the help of fellow pizza-obsessed writers around the country, she's created the ultimate list of the best pizza in Australia. Happy eating! 🍝 Australia’s best Italian restaurants🍺 The best bars in Australia🥧 Australia's greatest pies

The continually evolving and expanding dining scene in Melbourne is both a blessing and a curse: how do you choose between so many incredible restaurants? Well, that's where we come in. Stop endlessly scrolling, and commit to making your way through Time Out’s list of the best restaurants in the state right now. Our always-hungry local experts, including Time Out Melbourne's Food and Drink Writer, Lauren Dinse, have curated 2025's most delicious and divine, innovative and imaginative, comforting and familiar, memorable and magical dining experiences right here at your fingertips. From culinary institutions like Flower Drum and France-Soir, to emerging standouts and instant icons such as Serai, Gimlet and Kafeneion, we've got it all covered here. And as for the brand new restaurant and bar openings catching our eye? Check out this guide instead. Get out, and get eating! You've got a lot to get through!  RECOMMENDED READ: Don't want to break the bank? Check out Melbourne's best cheap eats.

Long gone are the days in Melbourne when Japanese food was a trend and sushi was considered adventurous. In 2025, the world-renowned cuisine is one of the most popular and respected in Melbourne. It’s desirable in winter when noodle soups and ramen are the order of the day, and in summer when cold, fresh bites like sashimi and soba are all you want to eat. These are the city's finest places to enjoy omakase, tempura, yakitori, udon, sake and so much more. Whether you want to dip into a cosy inn-style café or hobnob with the glitterati at Melbourne's stable of very fine Japanese diners, you'll find what you're looking for here. We can also point you in the direction of Melbourne's best ramen shops, dumplings, teppanyaki joints and whisky bars to cap off your night.

There's a lot to love about long weekends: sleep-ins, a quick getaway, a big night out on the town, perhaps? However you choose to celebrate the King's Birthday this year, we're here to help by letting you know which Melbourne restaurants are open (and when) so you can plan your long weekend antics.  Looking for more fun out and about? Check out our list of the best things to do this King's Birthday weekend.

The good old days of $10 parmas may feel like a distant memory in this economy, but some cracking cheap meal deals still lurk around every street corner. If you know where to look, you’ll discover $1 oysters and wings, $5 tacos and pizzas, and if you’re keen on living it up a little - a juicy kangaroo steak with a glass of red for no more than $25. That’s right – every day of the week you can eat like a king or queen at these generous joints and we’ve spent hours rounding up the best of them so that you don't have to. Grab a pen, paper and your best (hard-up) mate, and start crossing your way through the sweetest weekly deals. For more hearty eats on a budget, here's our ultimate guide to the 50 best cheap eats in Melbourne. Or check out these 20 cheap lunch eats for under $15 in Melbourne's CBD.

Sometimes a brown bag packed with last night’s leftovers or a peanut butter sandwich just isn't going to cut it for lunch. And in a city with so many options for reasonably priced, tasty and interesting food, you shouldn't have to settle. However, with the cost of living constantly rising, it would be remiss of us not to mention that scouring the city for dishes that come in strictly under $15 has never been harder. While some of your favourites may have slipped off the list, we empathise with the hospitality industry trying to keep up with costs while still trying to retain customers with fair prices.  We've stuck to our budget and rounded up a list of the best cheap lunches in the CBD for $15 or under, so you can take your next mundane workday up a notch. Keep your week interesting and go for a gözleme on Monday, a noodle soup on Tuesday, a laksa on Wednesday, a bánh mì on Thursday and dumplings on Friday.   Work your way through all the best budget-friendly spots in town, with our list of the 50 best cheap eats in Melbourne. 

Oh, the innocent thrill of elbowing your way to the front of the crowds to get a fresh, steaming hot doughnut. Those plain, cinnamon doughies have evolved exponentially since the early days, with Melburnians able to pick up subspecies that are pimped, infused and even cross-bred with croissants. So whether you spell it doughnut or donut, hitch a ride with us as we trawl all the sweetest decadent dens in town that will smash your doughnut cravings out of the park. For more sweet treats in Melbourne, check out our guides to the best ice cream and gelato and hot chocolates.

There are sharp distinctions between the regional fare of the Middle East, but there is also a lot of common ground, especially when it comes to a love of chickpeas, tomato, parsley, pickles, garlic, lemon, proteins grilled over coals and falafel. Whether you're specifically in the mood for some Lebanese fare with enough garlic toum to offend your dining partner, or open to whoever is doing the best hummus in town, Melbourne boasts a swag of ace Turkish, Israeli, Lebanese, Persian, Syrian or Palestinian restaurants to sort out your craving for Middle Eastern food.  Feeling more Mediterranean? Here's Melbourne best Greek restaurants. Or for a curry, try Melbourne's best Indian restaurants. 

There's nothing quite like the warmth and comfort of a succulent, slow-cooked roast. It's both the culinary equivalent of a hug from your grandma and the tastiest way to get your meat and three veg in the chillier months. But on a cold winter's Sunday, you might not feel like spending five hours making it yourself – luckily, a whole host of venues across the city offer some hearty, homely and excellent value cook-ups. So with Melbourne's lowest temps officially upon us, why not make it your new weekly tradition to traverse your way through our guide to Melbourne's best Sunday roasts? Complete with gravy, sides and the odd Yorkshire pudding, of course. And for when you need some extra warmth, check out our guide to the best pubs with fireplaces. 

More than just a bread roll, the bagel is the ultimate soft, chewy and versatile vessel, no matter the time of day. Whether you take yours plain or flavoured, loaded with lox and schmear, or made in Montreal or New York – Melbourne is boiling and baking bagels for everyone. Here’s a wrap on the best. Looking for more? Check out the best breakfasts in Melbourne, or take things up a notch with the best bottomless brunches around town. 

It's cold. You're hungry. Need a pick-me-up? Nothing hits the spot quite like a saucy, smoky, red-hot Korean feast. Pair the bright zing of housemade kimchi with bibimbap cooked in a steaming stone dish; hit up authentic vendors for golden-fried chicken or flavour-packed army stew; get fired up with a coal-fuelled Korean barbecue gathering; or treat that sweet tooth to fruit and mochi-topped bingsu (drool) after midnight. Melbourne's Korean food scene is so much more diverse, generous and delicious than it's ever been before – and we can't get enough! Our top picks below offer an abundance of hot soups, hearty proteins and noodle dishes to warm your cockles on chilly city nights, plus every type of banchan imaginable. What are you waiting for? Time to plan your next feast. Looking only for Korean barbecue? We've got a whole guide dedicated to Melbourne's best. After something sweeter? Here are the city's best dessert bars.

There's no denying that Korea is the king of the grill. A champion of communal dining, Korean barbecue is all about gathering around a flaming hot grill and passing smoky cuts of beef between friends. As with most Korean cuisines, the sides are part of the main event, and the best barbecue restaurants are the ones dishing out the tasty banchan dishes.  Our guide is ever-evolving as new Korean barbecue joints open and some older ones close or change locations, so be sure to bookmark this list to keep on top of our favourites.  Hungry for more Korean cuisine? Check out our list of the best Korean restaurants in Melbourne. Or for our ultimate guide to Melbourne's dining gems, take a look at our top 50 restaurants. 

For the twelfth year, Fitzroy's beloved Builders Arms Hotel is once again devoting ten days to sausages in June, celebrating everything from classic bratwurst to smoked frankfurters. Make a lunch or dinner booking anytime from Thursday June 12 to Sunday 22 to taste your fave sossies from the special festival menu.  The carnivorous array include spicy 'nduja rolls glazed with local honey; Spanish-style morcilla blood pudding hash brown Benedict; grilled bratwurst skewers with curry sauce; smoked cheese kransky hotdog with sauerkraut and chilli; an Alsatian-inspired trio of smoked frankfurters, Toulouse and Lyonnaise sausages on a bed of baked sauerkraut; and Modena-style cotechino with cime di rapa and baked polenta.  While we love a Bunnings sizzle as much as the next person, there's no doubt this menu takes it to the next level. The incredibly talented Troy Wheeler and his team from Meatsmith are making all the sausages from scratch, so you can expect proper juicy ones of an exceptional quality and with all the complementary accoutrements.  Kicking off the celebrations, there's a festival launch happy hour on Thursday June 12 from 5-7pm with free sausage snacks – and for a bit of extra fun, the program includes a special sausage-themed edition of Trivia with Cam Smith on Thursday evening, June 19. Call up your most competitive foodie friends, establish a team and prepare yourself for a night of obscure sausage facts, general snag knowledge and plenty of laughs all around. M

May 2025 update: Phwoar, talk about a hot winter pub deal! The North Fitzroy Arms Hotel's legendary rendition of South Australia's famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) pie floaterr is now available every Tuesday for just $25. This ain't no servo sludge, but rather a delicious O'Connor's beef cheek and Guinness pie, served with pea soup, mash and the pub's yummo housemade tomato sauce.  Fun fact: did you know the original pie floater originated in Adelaide in the 1800s? It was sold from street carts as a beef or lamb pie in a pool of pea soup. Now in 2025, this pub is serving 500 of these bad boys a week! The recipe is a traditional one taken straight out of a Country Women's Association cookbook from the '30’s.  Pie Floater Tuesdays starts this winter, available weekly from 5pm.  - Lauren Dinse Read on for my original review in November 2024. ***** Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique. It’s almost as if a bunch of jaded publicans recently got together at a committee meeting and unanimously agreed: the old-school Aussie pub experience needs to come back. Such is the revival of the vintage pub (pubcore?) experience in Melbourne right now, one can’t help but muse at the irony of something built on reversing trends… well, becoming somewhat of a trend.  But hey, we’re not complaining. It’s about time you could once again get a proper VB or Ca

It's ironic that most modern convenience stores aren't always, well, so convenient. Sure, you can pick up a bottle of Dare and a sossie roll made from anything but real meat, but perhaps suburban neighbourhoods around Melbourne deserve something a bit more spesh. Enter Breadcetera, a new modern market-style shop from the hospo experts behind Riserva, Baia di Vino and one of Melbourne's hottest new restaurants right now, Lucia. It's not a café and neither is it a supermarket, but rather more like a new-school milk bar – with a handy grab bag of all sorts of both edible and non-edible knick-knacks. Its Instagram bio sums its selection up as "the best of what you're looking for and things you never knew existed." Co-owner Frank Ciorciari shares the idea was driven by a desire to pick up day-to-day essentials, on-the-go: “I not only work in the area but live in Malvern East with my family – and it’s always been missing a place where you can pick up those last-minute specialty ingredients, take-home meals and of course, delicious coffee. We didn’t want to overcomplicate it. Great bread, coffee, and food made fresh every day. That’s the core – everything else is just a thoughtful addition”. Located just two doors down from Riserva, Breadcetera stocks fresh bread (hence the name), plus an assortment of quality pantry staples and specialty gourmet goods – think fancy pastries from Austro, jams and preserves, takeaway pasta, pre-mixed aperitifs and boutique liqueurs. There's even a d

It’s no secret that Carlton North, Brunswick East, Northcote and Fitzroy North are Melbourne’s holy quadrants for wine bar-seeking pilgrims. On every corner in these parts, it seems, there’s a reliably schmick one that can be counted on. Eight years on, Henry Sugar – a wine and cocktail bar named after a character from a Roald Dahl short story – stands up to the quality of its Northside neighbours both old and new. There’s an appealing edginess to the bar; gloomy industrial ‘80s new wave music murmurs out onto the street and the lighting inside is dim but tastefully warm. It’s three parts quaint, elegant and a little punk, and you can’t help but wonder why more people aren’t talking about it. Especially when you consider Henry Sugar’s cracker ‘No Waste’ Monday night deal. Since a different $45 menu is served every Sunday lunch (“because it’s fun and keeps us on our toes,” executive chef Mike Baker explained), a snack menu is then created from the leftovers the following day. These small plates range in price from just $5 (a bowl of braised chickpeas) to $14 (a kangaroo skewer with tomato chutney).  Now I wouldn’t normally recommend starting your week with a whole lot of liquor, but the drinks list at Henry Sugar is hard to resist. By-the-glass options lean Victorian, while signature cocktails make creative use of local ingredients and producers. I’m especially smitten with the $10 half-glass pours of ‘old wine’ bought on auction; tonight the bar has a 1998 Campbells durif and

Mark your calendars and grab your warmest winter woolies, Melburnians: Queen Victoria Market's beloved Winter Night Market is back. From June 4 to August 27 you can spend cosy Wednesday evenings enjoying live entertainment, huddling around open fires and feasting on goodies from a selection of global street food stalls, carts, trucks and festival bars. This year, expect to see beloved traders from previous years, as well as a number of new and exciting additions across the market's roaring 13-week season. Highlights include piping hot soup served in a bread roll by the Soup Factory (lobster chowder, anyone?), juicy smash burgers by Smashville and ginormous churro bowls of chocolate-drizzled vanilla ice cream, courtesy of Churro Kitchen. And check out all the newbies making an appearance, this year! Take your pick from artisan-made hot pasta dishes from La Trafila, cannoli from Cannoleria, heavenly bowls of laksa from Laksa Shack, plus raclette and actual French garlic butter snails from The Little Paris. As always, you can expect roving performers, tarot reading, the famous silent disco and a rotating line-up of homegrown talent. After sipping and snacking, be sure to explore dozens of specialty stalls selling one-of-a-kind treaures including jewellery, art, vintage fashion, skincare, books and homewares.  Find out more at the Queen Victoria Winter Night Market website. Looking for more things to do? Check out our round-up of the best things happening in Melbourne this week.

Mark your calendars and grab your warmest winter woolies, Melburnians: Queen Victoria Market's beloved Winter Night Market is back. From June 4 to August 27 you can spend cosy Wednesday evenings enjoying live entertainment, huddling around open fires and feasting on goodies from a selection of global street food stalls, carts, trucks and festival bars. This year, expect to see beloved traders from previous years, as well as a number of new and exciting additions across the market's roaring 13-week season. Highlights include piping hot soup served in a bread roll by the Soup Factory (lobster chowder, anyone?), juicy smash burgers by Smashville and ginormous churro bowls of chocolate-drizzled vanilla ice cream, courtesy of Churro Kitchen. And check out all the newbies making an appearance, this year! Take your pick from artisan-made hot pasta dishes from La Trafila, cannoli from Cannoleria, heavenly bowls of laksa from Laksa Shack, plus raclette and actual French garlic butter snails from The Little Paris. As always, you can expect roving performers, tarot reading, the famous silent disco and a rotating line-up of homegrown talent. After sipping and snacking, be sure to explore dozens of specialty stalls selling one-of-a-kind treaures including jewellery, art, vintage fashion, skincare, books and homewares. 

Aren't we Melburnians just a lucky bunch? After its delicious debut last year, Australia's very own chocolate festival is back in town for its second year. The event, which features 35 chocolate makers from 10 countries (from Ecuador to Samoa), will be hosted at Seaworks Precinct in Williamstown from July 5 to 6, 2025. Ticketholders will be treated to more than free choccy samples and insightful chats with the creators of the world's favourite sweet treat. There'll also be demonstrations how the beans are made into chocolate – so if you've ever been curious about that amazing, alchemical process, here's your chance to learn about it first-hand! There's even an option to add a wine pairing experience to your day. Expect to enjoy tastings from over 70 exhibitors on the day, many of which are offering no-sugar-added, all-natural, organic, vegan, gluten-free and kosher products. Note that sample sizes will be bite-sized and if you enjoy what you taste, you're welcome to purchase products directly from the makers to take home with you or give as gifts. Chocolate in its purest state is an experience not to be missed, so bring along your most passionate foodie friends and family for what's sure to be one of Melbourne's sweetest days out this winter. You can nab a ticket to the event here. For more info about the festival and the different ticket types available, visit the official website. Need to warm up? Here's where you can find Melbourne's tastiest hot chocolates. For something

May 2025 update: Yes, the rumours are true! One of Melbourne's OG American BBQ faves is celebrating International Brisket Day this Wednesday May 28 with free brisket sangas all day long, from noon until sold out. The signature 12-hour smoked 'Wanderer' brisket comes piled high on a classically American and ultra-soft Martin's potato roll. Plus, with each free brisket sandwich you get a complimentary drink voucher redeemable at sister venue Springrock next door. What a hump-day deal! - Lauren Dinse Read on for our original listing from Fred Siggins in December 2016. ***** While neon signs and posters advertising blues concerts long past used to line the wood-panelled walls in Fancy Hank's Queen Victoria Market location, its Melbourne CBD home is more polished. Taking over the former Tuscan Bar location, Fancy Hank's is more a restaurant than a smokehouse pub, with leather-lined seats and tables facing out to Grossi Florentino's glowing red neon signage.  Most people will be here for the excellent barbecue. The smoky beef brisket is as great as ever, as is the pulled pork shoulder and whole rack of pork ribs. Try the crisp-skinned buttermilk brined chicken if you need a break from the red meat. The sides are plenty here, so go big on the potato salad, mac and cheese, and Kentucky-style coleslaw. There's also the option on a smoked vegetarian option for the non-meat eaters.  The other drawcard here is the rooftop bar above the restaurant, Good Heavens, which will be pouring cock

Prepare to enter the pearly gates of doughnut heaven, sweet Melburnians. Queen Victoria Market's free Donut Festival is back for its fourth year, from Saturday May 31 to Sunday June 1. It's bigger and better than ever before in 2025, with eleven of Melbourne's most dough-licious creators and bakers set to make an appearance, plus a fun program that features roving entertainment, a huge 4-metre inflatable donut and even a pop-up Milo Mocktail bar to add to the fun.  Choose a churro bowl with creamy vanilla ice cream or take a walk on the wild side with savoury spaghetti and mac and cheese doughnuts from Pasta Face. If you're loopy for loukomades, try a few from St. Gerry's with a variety of different toppings. The friendly faces at Jamm'd Dessert Bar will be serving up hot Danish dougnuts, cheesecake and sundaes, while G-Free Donuts and OMG Decadent Donuts cater for the oft overlooked gluten free, vegan and nut free crowds (and reach OMG levels of delicious). And if you like your doughnuts on the boujee side, Shortstop Donuts is the vendor to visit for classy artisanal flavours (last year, they were slinging brown butter and maple walnut, vanilla and Aussie honey and sea salt doughnuts – yum). There are also three brand new traders to the fold this year, so be sure to check out Walker's Doughnuts for classic glazed and cinnamon-dusted options; Crème Brûlée Doughnuts unique flame-brûléed treats; and cult fave Gotham Doughnuts, who'll be bringing their popular range of Biscoff,

Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique. If you were to plan the perfect Melbourne night out for a first-time visitor, what would you include in the itinerary? I love this question, since it’s not only a great conversation starter, but there’s also something inherently romantic in the exercise. Seeing a city’s virtues through another’s eyes tends to make you fall in love with it anew. My ideal night starts on the Paris End of Flinders Lane in the form of your classic ‘dinner and a show’. After all, you can’t go wrong with a meal at Cumulus Inc, the winner of our Legend Award in 2018 and the first hugely successful Melbourne bar and “eating house” from legendary local chef Andrew McConnell (whose hospo empire today includes the likes of Supernormal, Cutler, Marion, Gimlet and Apollo Inn – all respective Melbourne icons in their own right). And after dessert, you needn’t go far for entertainment. Simply descend into the basement of Fortyfivedownstairs, also housed in Collins Place, to feed your second stomach – your stomach for life, of course – with a program of independent art, theatre and music. This is exactly the evening I’d planned a few months ago to coincide with my tickets to a performance of Hamlet presented by the Melbourne Shakespeare Company. While the latter turned out to be extraordinary, a cocktail and snack (spring garlic and ricotta co

May 2025 update: Your Cinco de Mayo celebrations aren't complete without tacos, of course – and who better in Melbourne to serve up these bad boys than our very own birria heroes Dingo Ate My Taco? Once again this year, they're cranking it up a notch by teaming up with the US-style pizza geniuses (and winners of Time Out Melbourne's People's Choice award for Best Restaurant) at Deep End to serve up a birria pizza flavour explosion.  The limited-edition invention combines Deep End's famous Detroit-style pizza base (gluten-free is available, too) with flavour-packed birria to create a cross-cultural flavour sensation that sold out repeatedly during its first run in 2023. It's only available until the end of June, so don't miss your chance to try it – make a booking at the restaurant here. Deep End Pizza's passionate head chef Paul Kasten shares, "Going into testing, we were confident our Detroit-style base would complement their birria taco toppings perfectly. While I've seen birria done on NY-style pizzas, the fluffy crust on our squares is ideal for soaking up that rich consommé. Even we were surprised by how magnificently it all came together once we topped it with their brisket, Oaxacan cheese, and signature toppings. We can't wait for taco and pizza enthusiasts to experience this fusion! And keep watching – this collaboration has inspired us to develop more dipping-focused pizzas in the future." Read on for our original listing of Deep End by Adena Maier. ***** In Americ

The annual Good Food and Wine Show – now in its 25th year! – is returning to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from May 30 to June 1 for a globally diverse foodtopia of epic proportions. You’ll get to hear from hundreds of local makers, producers and growers from across the country; see and meet your fave chefs; taste fabulous wines that you can take home; and the best part: eat! There'll be more than 300 exhibitors showcasing the best in local and international cuisine this year. From Italian arancini and Greek loukoumades to candy and condiments, the show is set to be a food lover's heaven and the perfect opportunity to expand your culinary horizons. Over at the main stage, a stellar line-up of celebrity chefs will share their top secrets via live demonstrations, including Miguel Maestre, George Calombaris, Shannon Bennett and Kirsten Tibballs. Also featuring on the jam-packed program is a chocolate appreciation masterclass, interactive wine tastings and cheese pairings, and the new Sonos Sound Bar – a curated line-up of expert-led sessions set to the ambient sounds of Era 100 and Era 300 Premium Smart Speakers. It all goes down at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in South Wharf, so grab your ticket and a friend to tag along. You can buy tickets here. There's lots more happening around Melbourne this month – check out the best things to do here. 

Newly reopened after significant refurbishments, Parkville's Potter Museum of Art has unveiled one of the more interesting new restaurants in town: Residence. The idea is simple. Each year, a new chef takes the helm to introduce a new concept in the space. The annually rotating Chef in Residence program doesn't just treat Melbourne diners to an ever-evolving dining experience year after year; it also supports some of the nation's best up-and-coming chefs in manifesting their wildest restaurant dreams – from mood to menu – into customer-facing reality. Each chef also gets intensive mentorship and a financial stake in the restaurant. Together, Residence's co-founders Nathen Doyle and Cameron Earl bring more than two decades of industry experience to the table. Doyle played an integral role in launching hip Carlton spots like Heartattack and Vine and Sunhands, plus inclusive wine events operator Good Booze Blind, while Earl (who started his career at age 13 as a kitchen hand) has earned his stripes working for some of Melbourne's best-loved venues: Carlton Wine Room, Embla and St. Ali. The inaugural head chef hired to kick off Residence's debut is Robbie Noble.  Originally from northern England, Noble brings professional kitchen expertise from his time working across the UK, Paris and Melbourne. From three years at England's Michelin-starred Northcote and a red-hot stint at Paris' cult seafood bar Clamato to a senior sous chef role at fine diner Vue de Monde, Noble's scope of e

Whether you're a Docklands lover or hater, there's no denying it: this end of the CBD gets a lot of foot traffic due to throngs of Southern Cross Station commuters, footy fans headed to Marvel Stadium and the suited and booted corporate folks. So it's only fitting that the city's newest after-work spot should land right in the middle of all the action. Contemporary three-storey pub Quarterhouse – set in the Melbourne Quarter precinct, hence the name – promises to be a touch more stylish than your average sports bar on this end of the CBD (Think DJ sets! Rooftop views! Wagyu skewers!). But not too fancy to alienate those simply seeking a fuss-free drink in a comfy, welcoming space.  With its plentiful booths, banquettes and umbrella-shaded street-side tables, the ground floor is your new home for frosty pints and approachable grub like burgers, parmas and fries. Huddle in with the crowd and catch a game on the four-metre-wide LED screen, or if you've popped in on a Sunday arvo, treat yourself to a proper hangover-curing roast (it's $35 and includes all the trimmings, plus bottomless gravy).  It's the top level where things get a little sophisticated, thanks to a stylish rooftop bar with an open-air wrap-around terrace playing host to long lunches, acoustic artists and DJs on weekends. This part of the pub opens out onto the brand new Sky Park, suspended above Collins Street, and tides its guests over all week long with tasty wood-fired pizzas, share-style snacks and larger gas

Calling all Jedis! If you or someone you know is a major Star Wars fan, then in the words of Yoda: very good news, we have. Australia's first official Star Wars café will be opening its doors at Melbourne Museum on June 7, a one-of-a-kind pop-up to delight children and adults alike. While it's a pity it couldn't have opened on May the 4th to coincide with the day the nerds among us say to each other "May the fourth be with you", we couldn't be more excited to board this culinary spaceship. Museums Victoria has worked together with both Disney and Lucasfilm to bring the immersive eatery – an idyllic lunch spot to grab a blue milk and a bite to eat before or after you've viewed the museum's Lego Star Wars exhibition – to life, with fans of all ages set to feel like they're dining in a galaxy far, far away.  The Star Wars Galactic Café invites visitors to dine aboard the Corellian Star Cruiser, and while we're not quite sure yet what to expect, promotional images suggest the presence of Stormtroopers – so remember to bring your light saber! We've also got intel on the menu, which features kooky options like the vegan Sorgan Burger (a chickpea and kale patty stacked with greens, avocado and pickles inside a potato bun), the Vietnamese-inspired Naboo Garden Vermicelli (a noodle dish featuring plump prawns, fresh herbs, nuoc cham, shallots and a sprinkling of toasted peanuts), and a zingy Outer Rim chicken katsu. Gluten-free options are available, and for a salty side, try the Aste

Japanophile foodies, this one's for you. What would you do if we said you could now get premium Wagyu, artisanal matcha, picture-perfect baked treats and quality saké in Melbourne's CBD – all under the one roof? If the answer is call a friend and jump on the tram for a lunch date asap, then you'll want to keep reading. Cult fave eatery Omi has just opened its flagship destination, Omi 380, a multi-sensory space offering five distinct Japanese dining specialties: Wagyu, bēkarī (bakery), matcha, gelato and saké.  Photograph: Supplied / OMI 380 Over at Omi 380's Wagyu station, tuck into a mouth-watering meal of your choice – from signature donburi and premium A5 Wagyu cuts to izakaya-style plates and steaming hotpots. This is where your journey begins, but it doesn't stop there. For dessert, you're spoilt for choice at the bakery; think tasty sweet morsels like the mini pan pan, just-baked shokupan and canelés made fresh daily. If a frozen indulgence is more your jam, don't skip a visit to the gelato station, where East-meets-West scoops celebrate inventive and matcha-inspired flavours. Note: there are three levels of intensity to dial up the matcha magic. Photograph: Supplied / OMI 380 Since we're on the topic of matcha, trust that true enthusiasts can enjoy the ingredient in drinkable form with traditional matcha lattes and 'grammable new creations like the Matcha Daydream, plus house-made speciality coffees like the Misty Forest. While Omi's much-anticipated saké experi

Keen to crack open a super spesh bottle of vino for your next celebration, wine bar date or BYO restaurant booking? Though making a selection can be tough, expert help is fortunately at hand. The highly anticipated 2025 Top Wineries of Australia ranking has just dropped, and there are plenty of gems ripe for your tasting. But no time to stop and smell the rosé – let’s dive into the results. For the eighth annual Top Wineries of Australia round-up, the judging panel from The Real Review swirled, sipped and scored more than 15,000 wines from across the country – yep, cool job alert! Winners were crowned across eight categories, including best vigneron, sparkling, white, red and rosé. Plus, more than 400 producers – roughly 15 per cent of Australia’s 2,700 producers – were awarded a coveted Top Wineries Certification, just proof of how good Australia’s wine scene really is.  Now, let’s uncork the results! Victoria has extended its five-year winning streak, with Geelong’s Wine By Farr taking home the title of Australia’s Winery of the Year for 2025. It’s a repeat victory for the family-owned winery, which also snagged the top gong in 2022.  “This year, the wines that clinched the title for By Farr were the statuesque 2022 vintage of Côte Vineyard RP Pinot Noir (99 points), the stunningly beautiful 2023 Côte Vineyard GC Chardonnay (98 points), the opulent 2022 Tout Près Pinot Noir (98 points), and the gorgeously spicy 2022 By Farr Shiraz (98 points),” said The Real Review’s leadin

No topic ruffles the feathers of our food-obsessed readers quite like the humble burger. From where to find the best ones to whether the fancy-ish takes at Bistra, Gimlet and Maison Batard are good enough to rival your classic Aussie fish and chip shop burg (fried egg, pineapple and all) – everyone has got their own opinion.    But if there's one opinion we really trust when it comes to the matter of meat between two buns, it's that of Jimmy Hurlston AKA Jimmy's Burgers on Instagram – one of Australia's most prolific burger reviewers since 2012, author of The Burger Book and co-founder of Collingwood trailblazer Easey's. Last week, Hurlston was one of the judges at the inaugural Australia's Best Burger Awards at the hospo trade show Food & Hospitality Week, where he lent his expertise in crowning one winner to rule them all for 2025. Drumroll, please... are you ready for it? Let's give it up for chef Jonathon Donovan from CBCo Brewing Port Melbourne! The official winner of the highly coveted National Burger Award, Donovan was praised by the judges for his 'Fillet-O-Shrimp' burger, a next-level ode to the the Maccas fish fave. The brewery's yummy two-hander features a panko-crumb prawn patty, lettuce, onion, and a creamy ranch and Japanese Mayo sauce. Not sure about you, but we know exactly what we're ordering next time we pop in for a brew!  Photograph: Supplied / CBCo Brewing “It's phenomenally hard to cook in a kitchen that’s not yours under such pressure, yet all the co

For those who've been following Melbourne's unfolding Koreatown story, the news that we're joining global cities like Los Angeles, Toronto and New York in having our very own flavour-packed Korean food precinct isn't exactly new news. The City of Melbourne revealed in 2024 that Healeys Lane in the CBD, credit to its density of vibrant Korean businesses (mainly restaurants), had been the front-runner for our very own designated Koreatown for some time. Last September, the decision was made to formalise the precinct – and only as of now, the process is finally complete! Recognition of the laneway (affectionately known as 'Kimchi Lane') has just been finalised in a joyous opening ceremony, complete with cultural performances, bibimbap tastings, and most significantly, Australia's very first traditional Korean jang seung: a set of signature totem poles hand-crafted by Korean artisan Jong-yeon Kim. Inspired by the real structures erected around Korean villages, the jang seung are carved to protect the community while serving as meaningful symbols to mark Koreatown's territory.  “Officially unveiling the jang seung at Koreatown fills me with so much jabusim – pride,” shared Lord Mayor Nick Reece on the opening day. “Our growing Korean community is a vital ingredient in the successful melting pot that is multicultural Melbourne.” “Standing at almost three metres tall, the jang seung will welcome people to the precinct and create iconic moments for visitors to share with the world.

Sushi Jiro just opened Melbourne's longest sushi train at The Glen shopping centre and our chopsticks are at the ready. The brand new light-filled diner, which overlooks Sneddon Drive, features a large and diverse selection of all your favourite sushi treats, comfy booth seating and capacity around the 67-metre sushi train for up to 100 diners. Anticipate a fun, modern take on sushi (crowd faves include soft shell crab 'noritaco' and the nacho cheese signature tuna roll), however the biggest drawcard of all may just be Sushi Jiro’s first-ever Japanese soft serve station. It's a $10 all-you-can-eat dessert experience showcasing a rotating selection of flavours like vanilla and matcha, plus a colourful topping station that features 30 different options. Robots are on hand to look after your orders, thanks to cutting-edge technology that's increasingly being used in hospitality venues around the world. Simply order via the tablet, then sit back and relax as your dish comes whizzing out to your table. Photograph: Supplied / Sushi Jiro CEO Anna Kasman acquired her first Sushi Jiro in September 2022, and has since worked to expand the brand rapidly.  “The demand for sushi train dining experiences continues to grow across Australia, and we’re thrilled to offer something special here in Melbourne,” shares Anna. “The Glen restaurant has been designed to offer a more spacious and immersive experience and is the perfect evolution of the Sushi Jiro brand and offering." You can find th

Ever found yourself leafing through a book-length wine list, wishing you could taste from some of the weird, whimsical or wildly expensive bottles priced in the hundreds? Alas, many drops of the fancier kind are often only available by the bottle – and who's ready for that level of commitment? Certainly not this generation. That's why we're absolutely thrilled that one of Melbourne's very finest wine bars, the inimitable Clover, is participating in the Coravin World Wine Tour to offer its guests exclusive glass-only access to its entire wine list. But we'd hurry up and pencil a date in asap, since the tour (and Clover's by-the-glass-offer) concludes at the end of May. "The by-the-bottle menu leans French, Italian and local, and will satisfy even the most cultivated drinkers," commented our critic Emily Morrison of the wine list, who reviewed Clover in 2023 and swiftly rated it five stars. "It's a good mix of old-world elegance and surprise gems."  The Coravin World Wine Tour is a global affair all about celebrating great wine-soaked moments and excellent producers. Real wine nerds will recognise the brand for its clever wine preservation system, a way to pour wine from the bottle without removing the cork. The invention allows you to enjoy wine by the glass (including rare and high-end wines) without spoiling the rest of the bottle. If you're guilty of drinking the vinegary last drops of a bottle left in the fridge too long, then this is something you'll definitely appreciat

Now here's some mouth-watering news meat lovers will be happy to sink their teeth into: six Melbourne restaurants have just ranked in an epic round-up of the world's finest dining destinations for steak in 2025. We already knew our carnivorous game is strong in this town, from our much-loved barbecue joints – both American and Korean – to our fabulous steakhouses, but it's still wonderful to be recognised on a global scale.  London-based media company Upper Cut Media House has just released its esteemed list of the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants for 2025, and not only did six of our restaurants make the top 101, but one even made the top 20. The top Aussie gong actually goes to Sydney, with Neil Perry’s Double Bay fine diner Margaret voted the second best steak restaurant in the world for 2025 – and the best in Australia. But Melbourne wasn't far behind, with Armadale's Victor Churchill ranking 18th place. The judges praised the restaurant for continuing "to blur the lines between artisanal butchery and high-end gastronomy – with breathtaking precision and undeniable flair".  "The dry-ageing programme, now even more developed," the verdict continues, "lends depth and complexity to each bite – every steak a moment of balance between smoke, salt and buttery tenderness."  Steer Dining Room in South Yarra was voted the 37th best steak restaurant in the world, and second best in Melbourne (ninth best in the country). Steer was commended for its selection of premium steaks, w

Collingwood just got even cooler, thanks to a lively new haven on Smith Street for all things Latin American and tasty. Holy Guacamole is a relaxed cantina founded by cousins Laurent Linares and Leidy Avila, who together share a vision to shine a light on authentic Mexican and Colombian cuisine in Melbourne. The star of the show, of course, is the signature guacamole – handmade at your table in a molcajete (Mexican stone tool) with red onion, lime, jalapeños, garlic and Morita chilli pepper oil. The rest of the menu covers handcrafted street-style tacos, arepa chip nachos, housemade salsas, cassava fries and South American classics like burritos, quesadillas and enchiladas – all made fresh, and served up in style with authentic mezcal- and tequila-based cocktails, spirits and beers. Ingredients are hand-picked from the Footscray Market by Linares herself, who shares: “We’ve poured our hearts into creating a space that truly reflects the flavours and traditions we grew up with. From the way we prepare each dish to the warm, lively atmosphere, Holy Guacamole is all about sharing the best of Latin America with Melbourne." Photograph: Supplied / Holy Guacamole An impressive drawcard for aspiring home cooks, Il Mercadito is the venue’s in-house specialty grocer, where you can stock up on Colombian coffee, premium tequila, rare snacks, spices, sauces, condiments and a diverse array of quality imports. Here, you'll also find an acai bar serving up organic bowls on-site, so you can

Think of your traditional cellar door experience and rolling hills, lush vineyards, long drives and rustic farmhouses probably come to mind – which makes it all the more intriguing that a sleek new urban winery is coming to Melbourne's CBD to turn that provincial association on its head. Named Melbourne Winery, it’s the CBD’s first ever winery and will bring a cornucopia of wine lovers’ experiences to the table – from immersive educational sessions and sensory workshops to a wine-led dining experience where each dish is designed to elevate the glass. The space will also boast a dedicated wine lab, cheese cellar and oyster bar, as well as rotating art exhibitions and large-scale photographic installations. Artistic render: Supplied / Melbourne Winery “Melbourne Winery isn’t about tradition – it’s about transformation,” says a spokesperson from Melbourne Winery. “We’re creating a space where people don’t just drink wine, they engage with it. Every bottle tells a story, and we’re giving our guests the chance to be a part of it.” Make no mistake; this isn’t just a tasting room or wine-centric restaurant. It’s a fully functioning winery, developed and run by a multi-skilled team of hospitality, viticulture and design creatives. Melbourne Winery’s own wine label is exclusively available in-house and online, starting with 32 varietals as part of its initial range.   “Drinking wine is deeply personal. It’s like art – how you experience it, how you interpret it, is completely your