Melbourne maintains a steady influx of impressive new restaurants, cosy wine bars, and revamped pubs perfect for cooler days and moody evenings. The dining landscape shifts constantly, with fresh rooftop venues and elegant dining rooms opening across the central business district and surrounding suburbs. To keep diners updated on the finest culinary additions, this guide highlights the most notable venue openings that food enthusiasts should know about this year.
Italian and European Dining
Julietta (South Yarra)
Pasta and traditional aperitifs lead the menu at Julietta, an intimate new Italian restaurant in South Yarra. Positioned at the intersection of Toorak Road and Chambers Street, the venue channels a comfortable neighbourhood trattoria. Executive chef Jimmy Garside focuses on handmade pasta with signature dishes including:
- Green peppercorn cacio e pepe
- Short rib ragu
- Unique Shiraz and gin Negroni variations
Florentino (Bourke Street)
The Edition Group has relaunched the iconic Florentino as it approaches its centenary. The establishment now features three distinct experiences:
- Florentino Dining Room: Multi-course menus featuring house-made pastas and classic chocolate souffles.
- Cafe Florentino: Tuscan-inspired dishes cooked over a wood-fired grill.
- The Cellar Bar: Late-night trade with afternoon aperitivo hours featuring specially priced martinis.
Suze (Fitzroy North)
In Fitzroy North, Suze operates as a laid-back wine bar with a strong focus on artisanal Victorian produce. Owners Giulia Giorgetti and Steve Harry offer a succinct list of French, Italian, and Australian wines alongside seasonal small plates like marinated peppers with curry leaf and dry-aged pork cutlets.
Asian and Indian Culinary Concepts
Disuko (CBD Rooftop)
Mamas Dining Group has transformed the former Madame Brussels site into Disuko, a modern Japanese restaurant and bar. The venue features a main dining room, a terrace, and an eight-seat sushi counter for extensive tasting menus. Highlights include wagyu beef tataki and cocktails infused with yuzu syrup.
Kolkata Cricket Club (Crown Precinct)
Chef Mischa Tropp brings pan-Indian flavours to the Crown precinct. Drawing inspiration from traditional Bengali members clubs, the kitchen utilises wood-fired and tandoor ovens to prepare lamb chops, mud crab, and king prawns in turmeric and coconut curry.
Saadi (CBD)
Heritage flavours take centre stage at Saadi, where chefs Saavni Krishnan and Sriram Aditya Suresh reimagine family recipes from the Indian subcontinent. The menu highlights seasonal vegetables, spiced rice cakes, and premium proteins like tamarind flathead and lamb brisket.
Ho Jiak & Da Bao (Bourke Street)
Sydney chef Junda Khoo brings Malaysian flavours to a massive three-level site. The offerings are split by floor:
- Ground Floor (Da Bao): Focused on street food like Hainan chicken rice.
- First Floor (Ho Jiak): Elevated laksa and premium steaks.
- Top Floor (Ho Liao): A rooftop beer hall serving home-style family favourites.
Seafood and Fire-Cooked Specialities
Two-Two-Six (Flinders Lane)
Located beneath Flinders Lane, Two-Two-Six is an ambitious fire-focused restaurant. A custom grill and charcoal oven dominate the open kitchen. The menu prioritises premium produce over specific regional cuisines, featuring salt-baked John Dory and rich chocolate mousse with Davidson plum.
Cordelia (Carlton)
In Carlton, Cordelia centres entirely around sustainable seafood. The venue features a minimalist design with polished concrete and timber. While daily fresh catches are the star, the kitchen also prepares organic meats and regularly changing pasta dishes.
Yiaga (East Melbourne)
Situated within Fitzroy Gardens, Yiaga features a 44-seat dining room designed by architect John Wardle. Chef Hugh Allen serves a set menu expressing deep seasonality, featuring Queensland coral trout and highly marbled wagyu beef.
Neighbourhood Favourites and Casual Bites
Geralds Bar (Carlton North)
The legendary Geralds Bar has relocated to a larger space on Lygon Street. The team hand-restored the interior using 300-year-old timber. Expect the same eclectic charm with an expanded menu of line-caught fish and a roaming cheese trolley.
Daphne (Lygon Street)
Chef Diana Desensi prepares European-leaning flavours at Daphne. Using a custom hearth, the kitchen produces roasted chicken and grilled potato flatbread. The space is warm and welcoming, featuring walnut timber and crimson textiles.
Pizzateca Lupa (South Melbourne Market)
Brothers Lino and Gabriele Torre serve Roman-style tray-baked pizza by the slice or whole. This 34-seat space captures the vibrant energy of the market, offering baked pasta and traditional Italian puddings.
Carnation Canteen (Fitzroy)
A pastel-toned gem in Fitzroy, Carnation Canteen features a weekly rotating menu using organic vegetables sourced from farms just 22km from the city. The wine list is strictly curated to highlight Australian producers.
Multi-Level Experiences and Cocktail Lounges
Death & Co (Melbourne CBD)
The globally acclaimed cocktail group Death & Co has opened its first Australian outpost. Known for an intimate speakeasy ambience, the bar serves signature classics alongside food highlights like cured kingfish and a dry-aged cheeseburger with smoked cheddar.
Marmelo and Mr Mills (CBD)
Ross and Sunny Lusted have introduced a dual-concept venue. Marmelo is an elegant 90-seat Iberian-coastal restaurant, while Mr Mills is a subterranean bar accessible through a hidden laneway, perfect for secretive cocktails and light snacks.
Maison Bâtard (Bourke Street)
Spanning four impressive levels, Maison Bâtard includes two floors of restaurant space, a rooftop terrace, and a basement supper club. The menu celebrates the French brasserie tradition with opulent seafood towers, rotisserie chicken, and caviar-topped omelettes.
This article includes content referenced from Gourmet Traveller. Full credit to the original source and author.
