The Arcadia Hotel on the corner of Punt and Toorak Road in South Yarra has been serving up cold ones since before the American Civil War. And it’s no surprise it’s a survivor. 

Beautifully restored back in 2021, the 150-year-old Orrong Hotel — an art deco gem in Armadale — is the kind of pub you keep returning to once you discover it. 

Mesa Verde in Curtin House (also home to The Toff, Cookie, and Metropolis Bookshop) is known for being one of the best Mexican restaurants in Melbourne. But it also has one of the best steaks in Melbourne. 

The Railway Club Hotel is a true Melbourne institution — with a happening bar at the front and an elegant dining room upstairs, it caters for all diners looking for a great host of experiences. 

‘Beautiful’ is probably not the first word you’d pick to describe your local butcher shop. But then again, Victor Churchill isn’t your average meat store. It’s an undeniably dapper space, clad in warm timber, green marble floors, and chic copper accents.

Designed to look like a traditional Japanese tea house, Marble Yakiniku is the best place to be in Melbourne if you’re after authentic Japanese cuisine prepared with locally sourced wagyu cuts (plus some hailing from Japan).

L’Hotel Gitan fuses classy French fare with a casual pub buzz in Prahran — a combo that makes it incredibly popular with locals. And as it is with any good French restaurant, the red meat here is top quality and treated very simply. 

Greville Street is a dapper meat destination in Angus & Bon, a New York-inspired steakhouse in the former Prahran Post Office. It's the brainchild of Liam Ganley, who brought you Lemon Middle and Orange, Freddie Wimpoles and The Bay Hotel.

After a cocktail next door, don’t be surprised if you find yourself at San Telmo, succumbing to the enticing pull of the Argentinean grill. Inside, carnivores congregate around the Parilla, feasting on slabs of tender, smokey charred meat.

A true legend of the game, France-Soir has been dishing up French-accented goodness from its Toorak brasserie since 1986. Many consider it a go-to for those timeless, simple French classics, thanks to its menu of expertly executed fare. 

We are spoilt for choice when it comes to fabulous Japanese restaurants in the city, but Yakikami is the only one that serves up a lavish wagyu beef degustation experience. 

This grand Flinders Lane restaurant from Melbourne hospitality stalwart Chris Lucas (Chin Chin, Yakimono, Society, Kisume) is quite the showstopper. 

When it comes to creating smash-hit venues, legendary chef Andrew McConnell knows what’s what. He’s the mind behind favourites like Cumulus Inc, Cutler & Co, Supernormal and Marion, to name a few. 

On one of Jason Jones’ trips to Paris, he stumbled upon three rules of Parisian dining. Keep it simple. Serve it till late. And never shirk on the fries. Thus, Entrecôte was born — modelled closely on the Parisian restaurant L’Entrecôte.

With an opulent interior of floor-to-ceiling curtains and immaculately presented dining tables, you know from the moment you enter the Steer Dining Room that you are in for an extra special dining experience.