Must-see restaurants in Victoria
Victoria
Formerly known as the Bridge Hotel, this historic spot and Echuca's oldest pub was built in 1859 by town-founder Harry Hopwood. Now it's a family-oriented…
Great Ocean Road
The pick of Aireys' cafes at the bottom (as opposed to top) shops, this predominantly vegetarian and vegan spot offers healthy concoctions such as yogi…
Melbourne
Popular and packed, Tiamo is a go-to for the Aussie-Italian dining experience, but that doesn't make the food or service the best on Lygon St. There's…
Melbourne
Accessed via the unmarked door on Hardware Lane beside Kirk's Wine Bar, this très chic space features a zinc-topped bar all the way from France,…
Melbourne
According to local dumpling experts, New Shanghai, in a flash corner of the Emporium shopping complex's food hall, serves up Melbourne's best xiao long…
Melbourne
The vibe couldn't be more different than that of the much-loved original MoVida at this financial-district outpost. Darkened, bohemian and intimate have…
Melbourne
Trunk's beer garden turns into a prime city-centre office-worker watering hole on Friday night, but don’t let Bryan from the marketing department put you…
Victoria
Located in front of the visitor information centre and overlooking the lake, this modest spot serves up some big flavours, especially with its cakes (don…
Victoria
Dining under open-sided thatched and teak-wood huts in a tropical garden, you’ll think you’ve been transported to Southeast Asia. The authentic cuisine is…
Great Ocean Road
Sharing space with the Portland Maritime Discovery Centre, directly overlooking the ocean, this cafe boasts unquestionably the best view in town. Its…
Melbourne
Sandblasted oak stools, whitewashed timber and a wintry forest mural evoke Scandinavia at this contemporary cafe with smooth coffee and a smart, produce…
Melbourne
The southside branch of Fitzroy burger royalty, Huxtaburger is famed for its sweet brioche buns, grass-fed wagyu patties and crinkle-cut chips (best…
Melbourne
Reflecting Melbourne's current obsession with American cuisine, this dark, smartly fitted-out restaurant serves up the ol' American-Italian classic…
Melbourne
Fun, thumping Fonda serves Mexican-with-a-twist street food. Tacos are from La Tortilleria in Kensington and the crispy prawn version with guacamole and…
Melbourne
This wooden restaurant with sake bottles and Japanese lanterns is mostly casual and affordable, but what really gets people in the door is the $40 all-you…
Melbourne
Head down a laneway and up some stairs to step into this restaurant – and into another era. Opened in 1947, it still has 1950s drapes, wood panelling and…
Melbourne
If you eat with your eyes, White Mojo is your kind of cafe: the menu has been designed with Instagram in mind. The fitout – all blond wood and white…
HuTong Peking Duck & Dumpling Bar
Melbourne
This Prahran outpost of the city restaurant, known for flawless, made-from-scratch xiao long bao, also specialises in Peking duck. Other bite-size…
Victoria
The stylish but unpretentious GPO is rated highly by locals for its lively atmosphere and solid, all-round menu where you can't really go wrong. Choose…
Melbourne
This enticing Italian deli has everything you need for the ultimate cheese and charcuterie board, as well as Italian groceries and affordable panini…
Melbourne
Melburnians have long adopted the humble chicken parmigiana as their own, but Mrs Parma's takes things to a whole new level with 14 types of parma, of the…
Melbourne
In an Indian eating strip in West Footscray, this place specialises in crispy pancake-like filled dosas, biryanis (baked rice dishes) and a range of Indo…
Melbourne
The views of the city skyline are superb through this 35th-floor restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows (there are even memorable views from the toilets!)…
Melbourne
The kitchen here is steered by Abla Amad, who arrived in Australia in 1954 and has since inspired a generation of local Lebanese chefs. The flavour-packed…
Melbourne
This down-to-earth meze bar might be tiny, but it's filled with big Greek flavours. Think cauliflower 'popcorn' and slow roasts, best shared and washed…
Melbourne
What's not to love about a 24-hour 'souva' joint? Especially when it's been doling out late-night lamb souvlakis in Melbourne for nearly 40 years. Located…
Melbourne
Gilson straddles the line between cafe and restaurant but misses the mark with snobby service. It's not a problem if you're just here to sip coffee and…
Victoria
The name alone should guide you to this quirky licensed cafe on the Esplanade, opposite the footbridge. There's good locally roasted coffee, all-day…
Melbourne
Since 1892 patrons have been nibbling pinwheel sandwiches here, taking tea (with pinkies raised) and delicately polishing off a lamington. Hopetoun's…
Melbourne
It’s unclear whether you’re in a diner or trapped inside a video game at this popular takeaway, which serves the kind of juicy burgers in brioche buns…
Victoria
Tucked away off the main road is this friendly artisan bakery that uses an old wood-fire Scotch oven to bake its organic sourdough. It's only open on…
Great Ocean Road
At the back of Timboon, across from the golf course, is this farm where you can pick your own strawberries and blackberries (250/500g $4.50/7) between…
Great Ocean Road
Rebuilt by volunteers from the community after succumbing to a fire in 2017, this much-loved supermarket specialises in regional, seasonal fruit and veg…
Melbourne
For the best-value veg meal in town, you can't go past this humble Hare Krishna–run institution. The food is both tasty and cheap: the 'feast plate' gives…
Victoria
Taking over the former premises of a plant nursery, these sisters have opened a charming cafe with a herb-scented, plant-filled courtyard garden that is a…
Melbourne
This basement deli is true to its NYC name, with bagels schmeared with the traditional (cream cheese and smoked salmon) to the local (Vegemite). It also…
Melbourne
This bakery-cafe smells like warm bread and a comforting hug. Order a house pie (with a daily vegetarian and vegan option), panini, simple breakfast or…
Melbourne
Inhabiting one of those post-industrial spaces that Melbourne does so well, the Grain Store adds a touch of class to Melbourne's downtown cafe scene…
Melbourne
Wonderbao does only one thing – no prizes for guessing what. Its bao (steamed buns) range from the traditional sticky-barbecue-pork variety to oddities…
