Owned by renowned restaurateur Scott Pickett (founder of Estelle, Matilda and Pastore), Longrain is a vibrant modern Thai restaurant set in an impeccably restored horse stable, featuring a relaxed and communal eating experience.

When people are queuing for a table on a Wednesday, you know there’s got to be something damn good about Bar Lourinha. Seasoned regulars know that it’s got a combination of the three aspects of any great venue: food, wine and service. 

MoVida is the name of Frank Camorra’s still-brilliant tapas joint in Melbourne CBD. Tucked away in stencil-drenched Hosier Lane, MoVida offers a grazing extravaganza in an enchanting room akin to what you’d actually get in downtown Barcelona.

If you’re after the real deal when it comes to Sichuan hot pot, you’ll find yourself in expert hands at this Melbourne CBD restaurant — the first local outpost of a brand that originated in hot pot’s heartland of Chengdu. 

There are few restaurants in Melbourne’s CBD that instantly make you feel special. Tonka (formally Honky Tonks) is one of them. The moment you walk in, you know this place is different. 

A pop-up turned perennial favourite, Supernormal first opened the doors to its current Flinders Lane digs in early 2014 and has been earning fans ever since for its crafty fusion fare — including the famous signature New England lobster roll.

Yet another hit from legendary chef Andrew McConnell (Cumulus Inc, Cutler & Co, Marion) Gimlet is a suave Melbourne restaurant and cocktail bar located in the 1920s-built Cavendish House. 

An oldie but a goodie, Mamasita is one of the OG players in Melbourne’s Mexican wave, first opening its doors back in 2010. That famous front staircase has seen many a lengthy queue as people scramble to get their food fix.

From the minds behind Sunda, this top Melbourne CBD restaurant draws culinary inspiration from those early days of trade between Indonesian seafarers and northern Australia, championing the flavours of Southeast Asia, Japan and China.

The simplest way to describe Kisumé may be this: three storeys of considered grandeur. This is true for its design, food and eye-wateringly impressive drinks program. 

This ambitious Melbourne restaurant venture by chef Alejandro Saravia champions the whole of Victoria and its diverse regions. Overlooking the Yarra, it’s a multi-faceted homage to our state’s produce, people and places.

While food is king here, it’s hard to talk about Di Stasio Citta without mentioning its grand modernist design. It feels more like a contemporary gallery than a restaurant, with high concrete-clad walls and white videos projected onto the walls.

Hidden in a basement just off Little Collins street, Dodee Paidang is a vibrant eatery bursting with aromatic fragrances and bustling conversation which perfectly captures the energy of a Bangkok diner. 

The Mulberry Group’s Hazel graces two levels of the T&G Building where the team is cooking with a woodfired grill and oven fuelled by Aussie ironbark. At Hazel there are myriad things to tempt snackers and feasters alike.

Brought to you by those clever folks behind the Town Mouse (which sadly closed back in 2018), this Russell Street wine bar is instantly inviting with a slick yet warm European charm. 

The Waiters Restaurant (formerly The Waiters Club) has been around since 1947 and still resembles an old canteen from the ’70s, but it remains a city stalwart. 

Tucked away in Flinders Lane is one of the most striking dining rooms in all of Melbourne. Black granite, dim lighting, sleek leather furniture and a dazzling, illuminated red ribbon streaking through the room from the ceiling. 

Soi 38 is an authentic Thai street food restaurant in the CBD with an atmosphere that echoes the vibrant hustle and bustle of a Bangkok market. With plastic stools, this is the kind of place you come to experience terrific Thai flavours with zero pretension.

Kenzan is a proper Melbourne dining institution. For over 35 years, it has led the local Japanese restaurant scene, training up some of the best Japanese chefs in the country who have gone on to work at spots like Usami, Matsu and Minamishima.

Scott Pickett’s Chancery Lane resides in the historic Normanby Chambers site at 430 Little Collins Street. The space is kitted out with moodily lit dining zones, curved banquettes and arched windows framed in dapper black steel.

No one understands the magic of a comforting bowl of quality pasta quite like the cosy, ever-buzzy Tipo 00. Named in a nod to the traditional flour used to make pizza and pasta, the restaurant serves some of the city’s best interpretations of these dishes.

Melburnians rejoiced when Miznon, the world-famous Israeli street food eatery run by celebrity Israeli chef Eyal Shani, landed on Hardware Lane. The CBD restaurant might look small, but the whole space weaves around three narrow floors.

Filling the shoes of now-closed CBD institution Ezard, is the first Melbourne outpost of Sydney’s much-loved Mediterranean restaurant Nomad. Owners Rebecca and Al Yazbek transformed the Adelphi Hotel’s lower ground floor into Nomad.

The team behind The Everleigh and Heartbreaker created this chic yet relaxed underground French bar and restaurant. At Bar Margaux, the fun kicks on till midnight on weekdays and 3am on Fridays and Saturdays. with a supper menu of classic French fare.

Internationally recognised for outstanding Cantonese cuisine and exceptional service, Flower Drum’s menu emphasises fresh seafood and meat with a creative modern twist. 

Tucked away in a cosy basement space on Little Bourke Street lies this late-night mezcal bar and taqueria slinging good times and ripper tacos right through until 1am.

The team behind South American restaurants San Telmo, Pastuso, Palermo and Asado has taken a jaunt to Japan for this Tokyo-accented eatery set within a playful, minimalist space sporting futuristic elements and neon lights aplenty.

Although the Grossi family hasn’t always owned it, Florentino has stood at this site since 1928. While i’s changed ownership quite a bit, the sentiment has remained the same: Florentino has always been about authentic Italian fine dining and great wine.

Freyja provides Melbourne with a sophisticated taste of contemporary Nordic cuisine thanks to executive chef Jae Bang, who’s worked at several global award-winning restaurants — most notably, Norway’s Michelin-starred Re-naa.

Three years after Society was first announced, the much-anticipated venture from Chris Lucas finally made its home within the 80 Collins dining precinct in 2021.