Five Beautifully Designed Eateries in Melbourne Where You Can Get a Visual (and Actual) Feast

Simply walking into Di Stasio Citta is an experience in and of itself. Narrow glass doors and high brutalist-style concrete walls provide a striking first impression. Nostalgic Italian tunes from the 60s play softly in the background, while eye-catching video installations by popular Australian artists are projected all around you. Touches of red are scattered here and there to create a warm but somewhat ominous glow. It’s mesmerising.

But, so is the food. The housemade pasta, a thin capellini with generous helpings of crab, chilli and garlic, is a must. There’s also tender veal, served with semolina gnocchi or in a sandwich, and decadent omelettes with truffle oil.

Image: Kate Shanasy.

Floating pale pink light bulbs, pastel pink walls and blush-coloured booths with pillowy seats — that’s what awaits you at Peaches. If Barbie’s dream house had come complete with a dazzling bar and eatery designed by Wes Anderson, this place is what it would’ve looked like. The vibe is retro, thanks to the contrasting but complementary moss-green stools, a large sparkling disco ball and the speckled terrazzo tabletops.

The drinks menu, however, takes its inspiration from every era. Cocktails are available in the form of four themes: 90s pop, funk, metal and disco. But it’s the just sweet enough stylings of the ‘It’s Brittany Bitch’ (gin, vermouth, raspberry and basil) that seems the most fitting choice in light of the surrounds. Once your cocktail is sorted head upstairs to the rooftop terrace for the most satisfyingly crisp and Sichuan-spiced fried chicken burger you could possibly hope for. Although, the tofu sangas and salty chips are pretty good, too.

Image: Kate Shanasy.

There are no shortage of Japanese restaurants with lovely lanterns. But, how about a place that makes you feel like you’re actually dining within one of those intricately designed paper lights? Welcome to Ishizuka, where the shadows of hanging orchards become unexpected artworks, and Shigeo and Yotaro Takemura’s textured custom-made tableware is coveted by every diner in the room.

The spectacle doesn’t end there. Behind the smooth wooden counter, chef Tomotaka Ishizuka and his team prepare a highly detailed traditional kaiseki meal that promises to take your tastebuds on a journey through Japan. Delicate plates of thinly cut fish, soba seeds, quail egg, black tiger prawn and Mayura wagyu all make an appearance during the 11-course meal. It’s art on a plate.

When the Stokehouse burned down in 2014, it was an absolute tragedy. But, in typical Aussie fashion, St Kilda’s famous seaside dining spot took its chance to make lemonade out of some pretty sour lemons and came back swinging with a gorgeous new fit-out designed by Pascale Gomes-McNabb. Panoramic views abound due to floor-to-ceiling windows that span the entire space, while pale blue booths, undulating drop lights, wooden accents and the 12.5-metre oval bar all work together in a strange cohesion that feels both contemporary and welcoming at the same time.

Meanwhile, the food is a love letter to the sea, which, given the restaurant’s location, is not surprising. Expect briney ceviche with pickled chilli and desert lime or fancy fish ‘n’ chips made up of King George whiting and moreish triple-cooked fries.

Taking its design cues from the colonial architecture of Singapore’s Raffles Hotel and St Kilda’s 1850s Chinese cookshops, Mya Tiger is opulent without being obnoxious. Green sets the tone by asserting itself on forest-coloured velvet booths, delicate tropical-themed murals and an almost teal carpet. Dark timber and gold notes finish off the look with the help of soft yellow drop lights and vintage bar stools and roof fans.

The kitchen is all about one thing and that’s Cantonese cooking, which means share plates. Punchy ginger poached chicken, sweet caramel glazed eggplant or a meat plate with crunchy pork belly, rich roast duck and sticky pork.

Image: Simon Shiff.