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SpecialEstelle special
Head Chef Georgina's answer to a cold night on High Street: Cape Grim wagyu beef cheek, braised low and slow until it falls apart with caramelised onion and a green peppercorn sauce. Served with a glass of house red wine. $40, every Wednesday & Thursday through winter. Come in from the cold and pull up a chair.
SpecialLongrain Melbourne special
Celebrate Father’s Day with the whole family. Settle in for lunch or dinner, order the banquet or go full à la carte, and let the table do the talking. This year we’re marking the occasion with two specials made for sharing — lamb ribs and beef short ribs, on the menu for Father’s Day only. Bring the family. Bring an appetite.
EventDoju event
Doju × Lana Dinner 18 August | $165pp For one night only, this August, we’re welcoming Alex Wong, Executive Chef of Lana at Hinchcliff House, into the Doju kitchen. Alex’s cooking has always been shaped by curiosity. After years leading some of Sydney’s most celebrated Italian kitchens, he’s now looking closer to home, reconnecting with his Chinese and Vietnamese heritage through Rue de Saigon pop-up dinners. A shared menu inspired by tradition, shaped by different cultures, and built on the ingredients and techniques we both believe in. Book now.
Eventevent
Hops & Hoppers 2026: Sri Lankan Streat Eating Tour, First friday of each month! Hops & Hoppers is back in 2026, and we’re kicking things off on Friday 6 February with a pairing we genuinely love — Sri Lankan food and Mornington Peninsula Pinot Gris. Join us as we explore outstanding Mornington Peninsula Pinot Gris from Quealy, Stonier, Ocean Eight, Polperro, and Even Keel, and see how these wines dance with the flavours coming off the grill. On the menu, a deliciously smoky Lankan seafood barbecue. Think fresh fish cooked in banana leaf, along with prawns, octopus, scallops, punchy sambols, lacy hoppers, and fragrant curries. On the bar, it’s a deep dive into Mornington Peninsula Pinot Gris — whether you’re already converted or just curious. Most excitingly, it’s a rare chance to relax and chat with the winemakers themselves: Kathleen Quealy (crowned the “Queen of Pinot Gris” by James Halliday for her pioneering work at T’Gallant in the 1990s), and her son Tom McCarthy (Quealy Winemakers), Aaron Drummond (Stonier Wines), Sam Coverdale (Polperro and Even Keel Wines), together with Mike Aylward (Ocean Eight), who both led the charge in promoting the pairing of Mornington Peninsula Pinot Gris with South-East Asian cuisine many years ago. And it wouldn’t be Hops & Hoppers without a little hops — our refreshing rice lager will be pouring, alongside cocktails to round out the offering. No tickets. No RSVP. Just drop in between 5–8pm. All food and drinks are ordered and charged on consumption at menu prices.
Eventevent
From Berlin to Melbourne: Ma-Makan Pop-Up at Boire | Sun 8 Feb For the first time, Ma-Makan (Berlin) is popping up in Melbourne. A homecoming cook-up at Boire, North Melbourne, where the chef returns to cook for friends, family, and the city that started it all — sharing the flavours and stories shaped over years in Berlin. 📍 Boire, North Melbourne 🗓 Sunday 8 February ⏰ 10AM–4PM Seats are limited. Bookings are live now.
EventCHAE event
Jongga x Chae CHAE teams up with global kimchi leader Jongga for a year of immersive culinary experiences: Elevate Your Banchan (Dec 2025–Jul 2026): Explore how Jongga kimchi transforms everyday meals through innovative banchan pairings. Roll Up Your Sleeves (Jul–Aug 2026): Hands-on kimchi workshops co-hosted with Jongga, teaching traditional methods and fermentation secrets. Discover Jongga (Oct–Nov 2025 & Jul–Aug 2026): Dive into the history, heritage, and global impact of Korea’s most beloved kimchi brand in a special exhibition. Experience authentic flavors, rich culture, and hands-on learning — all celebrating the artistry of kimchi.
Restaurants in Melbourne
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The Most Recommended Cafes in Melbourne
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The Most Recommended Bars in Melbourne
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Explore the most loved venues in Melbourne.
No.VenueAboutAddressPhone
01.Carnation Canteen● 40 RecommendationsGetting a seat inside this Gore Street space takes foresight—or a sudden Melbourne downpour to shake up the book. The dining room is tight. Conversations accumulate rather than travel. Back in the kitchen, they run a weekly-rotating rhythm, trusting local produce to do the work. Fitzroy regulars single out the buttery snapper as a non-negotiable order. It is confident cooking. You find clean oysters handled with respect. A sweet corn pasta holds its richness in check. Then the scallops arrive. They swim in a smoky capsicum sauce that dictates an extra order of bread to clear the plate. Floor staff skip the theatre. Service runs sharp and informed. Drinkers navigate a European-leaning wine list built for serious glou-glou enthusiasts, though the Pomegranate Cosmo remains a constant draw. Ask for a spot in the heated courtyard. Let them feed you.165 Gore St, Fitzroy VIC 3065, AustraliaNone02.Earth Angels● 35 RecommendationsBookcases tucked into corners. A tiny upstairs art gallery. A glass of their house-made *vin orange* in hand. Earth Angels isn't just another West Melbourne watering hole—it's a masterclass in mood. Date-night veterans constantly tip off their friends about this space, pointing straight to the South-East Asian-inspired small plates. The undisputed heavyweight? The '5-star Chooken'—a sticky, honey-glazed triumph that pairs flawlessly with a skin-contact Orbis Fiano. Thursday nights bring live jazz—kept at the exact right decibel for actual conversation. Sure, the kitchen’s pacing can sometimes reflect that ultra-relaxed, no-rush atmosphere, but nobody minds when the cocktails are this sharp. Grab a plate of freshly shucked oysters, settle into the warm, eclectic dining room, and let the evening blur.225-229 Victoria St, West Melbourne VIC 3003, Australia61 4 7277 724203.Bistra● 30 RecommendationsBistra brings brilliant bistronomy straight to Carlton's bustling Elgin Street. Think cosy, intimate energy—tight seating that only amplifies the lively, convivial charm. The menu? A masterclass in balancing classic roots with sharp, modern twists. Melbourne’s discerning pasta purists are already championing the superb mushroom agnolotti as some of the city's finest. Start with the rich chicken liver pâté, delectable prawns, or the spinach ricotta dumplings. For mains, it’s a toss-up between buttery scallops, a famously juicy cheeseburger, and the steak. That steak is a true tour de force—boasting a flawless cuisson and fantastic sear, finished with a punchy peppercorn sauce and flanked by an unapologetically generous mountain of chips. Front-of-house executes relaxed, genuinely kind service, happily accommodating shared plates or pouring from their impressive wine list. Here’s the insider play: take advantage of their $30 BYO policy. Crack open a prized vintage, order a round of gin and ouzo cocktails, and finish with their highly praised creative desserts.157 Elgin St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia+61 3 9000 560704.Pincho Disco● 25 RecommendationsCambridge Street’s pulse just got a little quicker. Pincho Disco—Collingwood’s wildly energetic eatery—serves up high-voltage vibes and fiercely tasty Latin-inspired bites. Beautiful indoor aesthetics. Grooving soundtracks. This is where you go for a proper night out or a vibrant casual dinner. Melbourne’s seafood purists are already tipping their hats to the chef’s meticulous *aguachile* and scallop ceviche, swimming in punchy, citrus-laced *leche de tigre*. Flavour-packed small plates rule the table, backed by tender, perfectly seasoned spatchcock and tangy choux pastry profiteroles. The bar program? Lethal in the best way. Their take on the classic Pisco sour hits every single time, making happy hour an absolute must. Run by friendly, fiercely passionate staff who know their menu inside out—right down to pulling an outstanding long black. Skip the basic spots. Book a table indoors, order a round of sours, and let the rhythm take over.59 Cambridge St, Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia+61 3 9124 738005.Circl● 20 RecommendationsTucked away with that effortless Punch Lane cachet. Circl isn't just another modern European spot—it’s a masterclass in precision. Culinary purists are already predicting a second hat for Executive Chef Elias Solomon’s flawless, hyper-seasonal plates. The move here? The chef’s tasting menu. Expect direct-from-the-boat Corner Inlet calamari singing with rich nduja, and Macedon Ranges duck paired with Davidson plum harissa. Serious diners point straight to the Blackmore Wagyu—boasting ridiculous MB9+ marbling and unreal tenderness. The space itself hums with an intimate, wood-warmed sophistication. Dim lighting. Gorgeous private cellar. A seriously sharp somm pulling rare cuvées to match that refined caviar service. Confident. Polished. Undeniably exciting. Book your table before the waitlist gets impossible.22 Punch Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia+61 3 9125 1777