Ishizuka

It's the Japanese fine-dining experience characterised by intricately plated dishes, an intimate setting, and a produce-led menu that celebrates that perfect balance of taste, texture and precision. But most people haven't heard or experienced the concept of kaiseki quite like you will at Ishizuka — a contemporary 16-seat restaurant from famed chef Tomotaka Ishizuka, situated in Melbourne's CBD.

The subterranean Bourke Street restaurant is only tiny — and incredibly well hidden down an alleyway off Bourke Street — but delivers big things in the flavour department, as the team — led by Executive Chef Katsuji Yoshino — delivers an expert interpretation of one of Japan's most respected culinary traditions.

As is custom, Ishizuka's food offering is built around respect for fresh, seasonal produce and served with a healthy side of theatre. The oft-changing set menu of 11 dishes is both refined and experimental  — think an amuse-bouche of lobster, fried eggplant and aosa jelly, followed by delicate sashimi and nigiri creations, an assembly of snow crab, caviar and lettuce, a grilled saikyo-miso black cod, and a melt-in-your-mouth A5 kumamoto wagyu beef served with truffled pumpkin.

A course of zensai (or small pretty things) features four petite delicacies and is an absolute delight. The first is an anago sushi of sea eel, soy sauce, mirin, and rice. The second showcases fresh jewels of the sea – scallop and ark shell paired with Mozuku seaweed, pickled onion, and okra for a subtle crunch. These favours are offset by Surinagashi — a combination of sweet corn and rich sea urchin. Sweet and tangy notes are then highlighted within the final Tsukidashi plate of pickled tomato and citrus. This is what was on offer for summer 2025 — and of course, will change regularly, but the food will always strike the same balance of being seemingly simple but consisting of countless intricate elements that are effortlessly plated up right in front of you.

And the artful arrangements don't end with the food. Providing a fittingly dramatic backdrop to Ishizuka's culinary offerings is an avant-garde space courtesy of acclaimed design practice Russell & George. Custom-made tableware by Kyoto ceramicists Shigeo and Yotaro Takemura help bring the food to life, while an award-winning drinks list changes regularly to complement the culinary delights coming from the kitchen.

For those truly waiting to treat themselves here, we highly recommend jumping on the paired wine and sake train — with the team picking rare and unique tipples to be paired with each of the courses. None of this comes cheap thopugh — so be sure to save this for a special occasion — with the food coming in at $315 per person and alcoholic drinks pairing going for $250 a head.