The 20 Best Restaurants in Melbourne

Housed in a beautifully restored Victorian terrace near Carlton Gardens, Epocha serves refined European cooking with a strong emphasis on whole-animal butchery and seasonal produce. The pasta and the slow-cooked meats are consistently excellent, and the wine list is thoughtfully European-leaning. The room is romantic and the service is genuinely warm. A slightly under-the-radar gem compared to some CBD counterparts.

A stunning French fine-dining restaurant hidden inside the heritage-listed Cathedral Room within the original Melbourne Stock Exchange building on Collins Street. The kitchen delivers beautifully rich French cuisine with impeccable service and attention to detail—try the duck. The main caveat: it's pricey ($$$$), though reviewers consistently say it's worth it for special occasions.

Pastuso is a Peruvian restaurant in Melbourne's CBD that consistently delivers exceptional food and attentive service. Must-try dishes include the ceviche, Wagyu anticuchos (skewers), and steak with smoked chilli salsa. The main caveat: the dining room is notably dark, which some may find atmospheric but others might find too dim.

San Telmo is a highly-regarded Argentinian steakhouse in Melbourne's CBD known for charcoal-grilled meats and vibrant atmosphere. Must-tries include the pork jowl, provoleta cheese, perfectly cooked steaks with chimichurri, and crispy empanadas (which are larger than they sound). One heads-up: the dining room is quite dim, so bring glasses if you need them to read the menu.

A small, warm Little Bourke Street pasta bar that many locals rate as Melbourne's best — handmade pasta done with real precision, like the squid-ink tagliolini and duck-and-porcini gnocchi. A friend sends you here over any red-sauce tourist joint. Caveats: it's closed Sundays and the room is tiny, so book ahead or aim for an off-peak walk-in at the bar.

One of Australia's most celebrated fine dining restaurants, Attica offers a deeply personal tasting menu rooted in native Australian ingredients and Ben Shewry's New Zealand heritage. The experience is theatrical yet warm, with dishes like the potato cooked in the earth it was grown in becoming iconic. Bookings open months in advance and sell out almost instantly, so plan well ahead. The journey to Ripponlea is worth every bit of effort.

The best tonkotsu ramen in Melbourne, full stop — Hakata Gensuke's rich, cloudy pork bone broth is made to an authentic Fukuoka recipe and the noodles are perfectly springy. The signature God Fire ramen with extra chashu is the move. Queues are common at peak times but they move quickly, and the price point is exceptional for the quality. A must-visit for ramen lovers.

A highly-rated Thai restaurant on Collins Street serving vibrant, carefully-prepared dishes with strong vegetarian options and an excellent cocktail and wine program. Order the curries, dumplings, pad thai, and pork belly—the bartenders and service staff are notably attentive. No caveats emerged from the reviews.

Creative Malaysian fusion restaurant hidden in a Rainbow Alley laneway, with standout dishes like Maotai crispy roast duck, laksa bomb, and lotus leaf steamed mud crab with foie gras. The sophisticated white and brown interior and attentive service make it feel special, though it's tucked away enough that you need to know where to look.

Chef Koichi Minamishima's omakase restaurant is the gold standard for Japanese fine dining in Melbourne, with a counter experience that is meditative and deeply respectful of the craft. The nigiri is exceptional — sourced from premium Australian and imported Japanese seafood — and the progression of the meal is flawless. It is expensive and bookings are extremely hard to secure, but it is a genuinely world-class experience. One of the few Melbourne restaurants that genuinely competes on a global stage.

An authentic German beer hall in the heart of Melbourne serving hearty traditional fare with a lively, fun atmosphere and live entertainment. The schnitzel and pork knuckle are standout dishes with massive portions, excellent beer selection, and friendly service—just come hungry, as the plates are genuinely enormous.

Chef Thi Le's Vietnamese-inspired small-plates restaurant on Bridge Road is one of Melbourne's most exciting and genuinely personal dining experiences. The menu draws on her Vietnamese heritage filtered through a fine-dining sensibility — the kingfish with nuoc cham and the pork neck are standouts. It's a small, intimate space that books out quickly, and the natural wine list is thoughtfully curated. One of the best value fine-casual meals in the city.

Lucy Liu is a bustling Asian restaurant in a laneway off Oliver Lane with industrial interiors and a signature red neon sign. The kitchen excels at wontons, soft shell crab, and creative tasting menus—go for the chef's selection if you want variety. Book ahead, especially for dinner, as it fills up quickly and walk-ins may struggle to get a table.

Maha is a sophisticated Lebanese fine dining restaurant in Melbourne's CBD known for beautifully crafted dishes and cocktails, with standout items like whipped hummus, garlic dumplings, and lamb. The service and ambiance are generally excellent for special occasions, though the restaurant doesn't always acknowledge advance notes about celebrations, and acoustics can make conversation difficult.

The European is a polished, confident French-Italian restaurant opposite Parliament House that executes a succinct, carefully curated menu with impressive technical skill. Standout dishes include the ox tongue, steak tartare, barramundi, and rabbit ragout—all executed with precision and generous portions. Service is attentive and gracious without being fussy, though the place has a formal, slightly aloof atmosphere that rewards those who appreciate understated elegance over casual warmth.

Mjølner is a Viking-themed restaurant in Melbourne's CBD serving high-end Nordic cuisine with theatrical ambience and attentive service. Reviewers rave about the meat dishes (particularly the Tomahawk), innovative drinks, and staff who go above and beyond for special occasions—though at $$$ pricing, it's positioned as a celebration destination rather than casual dining.

French-born pastry chef Agathé Kerr runs one of Melbourne's finest patisseries from her South Yarra location, producing technically brilliant croissants, tarts, and entremets. The kouign-amann and the seasonal fruit tarts are exceptional, and the coffee is excellent. It's a small space that gets busy on weekends but the quality is consistently outstanding. A genuine neighbourhood treasure that punches well above its weight.

Melbourne's loudest restaurant success story — a big, neon-lit Flinders Lane room doing punchy Thai-ish sharing plates since 2011, open 11am to 11pm daily. A friend says: the food (kingfish sashimi, pad see ew) still delivers, but it's a hyped, high-decibel scene and prime-time waits can hit an hour-plus since walk-ins rule. Go off-peak.

NOMAD is a refined Middle Eastern–inspired restaurant in Melbourne's CBD that excels at share-style plates and set menus (the $115 Feast is a standout). The kitchen executes with technical precision and thoughtful flavour layering, with attentive service that accommodates dietary preferences seamlessly. One note: the flatbread, while aromatic and flavourful, is notably difficult to tear or cut, which some find frustrating despite its quality.

Melbourne's grand old Cantonese restaurant — five decades in a Market Lane dining room where trolley service, white tablecloths and a legendary Peking duck still define special-occasion dining. A friend sends you here for a milestone dinner, not a casual bite: book well ahead, dress up a little, and expect to spend properly. It remains worth it.