JAMES

Right on Clarendon Street sits a culinary masterclass—JAMES. Forget standard modern Australian fare. This is a hyper-creative collision of native Melbourne produce and sharp Korean technique. The city's most discerning eaters are quietly pointing their friends here for tasting menus that absolutely thrill. Familiar comforts, brilliantly reimagined. One dish might channel the deep, savory soul of authentic jeonbokjuk—the next delivers a punchy gochujang emulsion draped over flawless Murray cod. Patrons are completely fixated on the Amaebi—a wild, textural ride of dashi buttermilk, yuzu caviar, and prawn oil—not to mention the impossibly good potato bread smeared with nori butter. Delicate. Expertly plated. Wildly inventive. Drop in for a stellar lunch set paired with house-made yuzu soda, or settle in for a date night finishing on roasted koji miso custard. Sensational value. Unforgettable flavors. Get in before the rest of the city catches on.