The late, great Anthony Bourdain once said he’d rather eat in Melbourne than Paris. Who can blame him? Australia’s cultural and sporting capital is also one of the world’s most dynamic epicurean destinations, one shaped by superlative local produce, rockstar chefs, and the multicultural traditions of its 5.3 million denizens.
Much of my professional and personal life is spent chowing around Australia and the globe, and I’m forever amazed by the breadth, depth and quality of my hometown’s culinary offerings. And that’s before we even mention the coffee and cocktails. Peckish? Parched? Add these personal favorites to your Melbourne hitlist.
1. The all-day breakfast at Top Paddock
Melburnians take breakfast seriously and the all-day breakfast menus at Melbourne cafes are often next level. A case in point is Top Paddock. Years on, it still draws crowds with its buzz, good looks and creative, sustainably minded dishes (reserve a table on weekends to avoid a long wait). My standard order is the blueberry and ricotta hotcake – soft, fluffy and topped with crunchy seeds, maple syrup and double cream. If the rest of my morning is free, I like to wander across Church Street Bridge and drop by the Prahran Market, a food lovers’ wonderland trading since 1864.
How to get it: The all-day breakfast runs from 7am-4pm, Monday to Friday and from 8am-4pm on weekends.
2. Aromatic breakfast curries at Lankan Tucker
For something altogether different, start the day at Brunswick West’s Lankan Tucker, an upbeat, light-filled café where breakfast gets the Sri Lankan treatment. Top billing goes to the turmeric-laced Hip Hopper, a crispy, bowl-shaped ‘crêpe’ plonked with a soft-fried egg and paired with your choice of aromatic curry. Like Top Paddock, the locally roasted coffee is excellent, though it’s hard to pass up on the brownie-pimped iced Milo, a glass of malty nostalgia for many Aussies.
How to get it: Walk-ins are welcome, though you might want to book on weekends.
3. Creamy espresso tonics at Bench Coffee Co
Coffee is a veritable religion in Melbourne and you’ll find no shortage of exemplary micro roasters. In Downtown (known as the Central Business District or CBD), slurp at Bench Coffee Co. While it’s far from the only top-notch coffee joint in the area, it’s the only one with a glass-block counter inspired by a Parisian Modernist building (Maison de Verre). For an effervescent recharge, order their creamy espresso tonic. Around the corner is Block Arcade, an exquisitely mosaicked 19th-century shopping arcade inspired by Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II.
How to get it: It’s open from 8am Monday to Friday, and from 9am on weekends.
4. Indonesian-inspired sandwiches at Warkop
Eating out in Melbourne isn’t cheap. That said, a smashing feed south of $20 isn’t impossible, especially for lunch. In the CBD, Warkop peddles mouthwatering sandwiches with Indonesian twists, including a standout fried rockling and sambal matah (Balinese raw sambal) combo.
How to get it: You can order online or find a handful of tables onsite. If the weather’s fine, devour yours in the nearby Treasury Gardens. It’s open daily until 3pm.
5. Warm spinach triangles at A1 Bakery
North of the CBD, indie-spirited Brunswick claims A1 Bakery, a much-loved Middle Eastern bakery, café and grocer in one. Don’t let any queue put you off: it moves quickly enough and any wait is worth A1’s citrusy, oven-warm spinach triangle.
How to get it: Order to go and take a walk along Sydney Road, an atmospheric melting pot of inked hipsters, Lebanese ‘aemam (uncles) and Sicilian nonne (grandmothers).
6. Woodfire pizzas and house-made pastas at Roccella
For excellent Italian, I’d take you to Roccella, a slick, all-day eatery overlooking the magnificent Fitzroy Gardens. It’s the stomping ground of Catania-born, internationally acclaimed pizza master and chef Francesco ‘Ciccio’ Crifo. While the house-made pastas are fantastic, it’s the wood-fired pizzas – most of which are under $30 – that have made this my own Italian family’s local. The bases (which include an activated charcoal dough made from coconut shells!) are light, and pizzas include Ciccio’s sophisticated take on Australia’s controversial ham-and-pineapple ‘Hawaiian’ – a sultry marriage of charred pineapple, 24-month-aged prosciutto, stracciatella and vincotto. Walk-ins are welcome, though I prefer to book on weekends.
How to get it: Walk-ins are welcome, though I prefer to book on weekends.
7. Pre-dinner tipple and snacks at Marion
For a pre-dinner tipple and snacks, you might find me at Marion in Fitzroy. It’s one of Melbourne’s best wine bars, with well-versed staff and a sharp, rotating wine list never short of an unexpected drop. On my last visit, I quaffed a delicious local skin-contact Friulano – just the match for some chickpea panisse with whipped ricotta and rosemary.
How to get it: If you can, sit at the window or at a sidewalk table: the people-watching on fashion-forward Gertrude Street is always good fun.
8. Charcuterie at Mirror Mirror Rooftop Lounge (and kangaroo tartare at The Clarendon)
My new regular across the river is South Melbourne’s Mirror Mirror Rooftop Lounge. With skyscraper views and a lush, resort vibe, it’s an evocative epilogue to an afternoon exploring market stalls, boutiques and cosy Coventry Bookstore on nearby Coventry Street. The good-value happy hour (3pm to 6pm, Wednesday to Sunday) includes $10 beer, cider, wine and spirits, though the real forte are the cocktails: the signature drinks, inspired by Snow White, include a spicy, habanero-spiked Hot Doc. Bar snacks – which include an interesting charcuterie selection – are overseen by Ryan Spurrell, executive chef at downstairs sister venue The Clarendon Restaurant. To properly savor his talents, reserve a table at the latter, where local ingredients and East Asian flavors conspire beautifully in creations like charred kangaroo tartare with togarashi, rice crackers and charcoal dressing. Spurrell’s prowess isn’t surprising given that his prior stints include Melbourne’s lauded Vue de Monde and London’s Michelin two-starred The Ledbury.
How to get it: Walk-ins at Mirror Mirror Rooftop Lounge are okay but you’ll likely need to book a table at The Clarendon.
9. Vegetarian beyaynetu at Savana
If the budget is tight, we’d tuck into soulful Ethiopian and Eritrean at Collingwood’s lo-fi Savanna for dinner. Softly spoken owner Misrak is a tour de force, both cooking and serving authentic dishes from her homeland. The must-order here is the beyaynetu, an epic tasting platter of different stews and curries served on a disc of spongy injera (sourdough flatbread). There are vegetarian, vegan and carnivorous iterations, with the combination vegetarian beyaynetu for two at a bargain $40.
How to get it: Reservations aren’t essential but much appreciated, so contact Misrak via the Savanna Facebook page or call ahead.
10. Late-night supper at Gimlet
For sheer buzz and glamor, it’s hard to beat dinner at Gimlet. The Deco-era dining room is a grand affair, with tiered seating and a Gatsby vibe. Like Marion, it’s owned by powerhouse executive chef Andrew McConnell, and it’s as satisfying for an impromptu martini at the bar as it is for dining-room dry-aged Muscovy duck breast with Corella pear and liquorice. Gimlet’s Supper Menu, served from 10pm on Friday and Saturday, includes an unforgettable cheeseburger worth its $28 price tag. After a show in the CBD’s East End Theatre District, it’s my late-night delight.
How to get it: Walk-ins are welcome at Gimlet, but tables are hot property and last-minute lunch reservations are easier to score than last-minute dinner slots (unless you’re happy to dine after 8.45pm). As a general rule, reserve a table at least a week ahead if heading in later in the week.