The 12 Best Restaurants in Melbourne (2026)

Updated October 2026 · 12 picks

The best restaurants in Melbourne in 2026 are Flower Drum for classic Cantonese, Attica for a once-in-a-lifetime tasting menu, Gimlet and Embla on Russell Street, and Cumulus Inc. on Flinders Lane. For pasta, Tipo 00 is the city's favourite, and Etta in Brunswick East is the best neighbourhood restaurant.

Melbourne's restaurant scene is concentrated in the CBD, especially around Flinders Lane and Russell Street, with the best neighbourhood places in Fitzroy, Carlton, Brunswick and South Yarra. The top places release bookings weeks or months ahead, but many keep bar seats for walk-ins — arriving at opening is the best way to get in without a reservation.

1. Flower Drum — CBD (Chinatown)

Melbourne's grand Cantonese dining room, the benchmark for service and Peking duck.

$$$$ Splurge

Flower Drum has been the city's most celebrated Chinese restaurant for decades, in a hushed, red-carpeted room upstairs off Market Lane. The cooking is classic Cantonese done with superb produce, and the service, with dishes finished at the table, is among the best in Australia.

Order the Peking duck, carved and wrapped at the table, and whatever live seafood is recommended, or take the set banquet. It is formal and expensive, and ideal for a celebration or a business dinner.

Good to know: Ask the waiter to guide you; the off-menu suggestions are often the best dishes of the night.

17 Market Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

Google Maps Website

2. Attica — Ripponlea

Ben Shewry's tasting-menu restaurant, Australia's most internationally lauded.

$$$$ Splurge

Attica, in a quiet shopfront in the southern suburb of Ripponlea, serves a long tasting menu built around native Australian ingredients and the stories behind them. It is playful, personal and unlike any other restaurant in the country, and it has featured on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

There is one menu, with wine and non-alcoholic pairings. It is the most expensive meal on this list, so save it for a special occasion, and book as soon as reservations open.

Good to know: Bookings are released in advance online and fill quickly; set a reminder.

74 Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea VIC 3185

Google Maps Website

3. Gimlet at Cavendish House — CBD

Andrew McConnell's glamorous, grown-up dining room and cocktail bar.

$$$$ Splurge

Gimlet occupies the ground floor of the heritage Cavendish House on Russell Street, with soaring ceilings, a long marble bar and a menu of European-leaning dishes built on top-quality produce. It feels like an old-world grand café updated for now.

Start at the bar with a gimlet and some raw seafood, then move on to the wood-grilled meats and fish. It works for a big night out or a long late lunch, and the bar takes walk-ins.

Good to know: Can't get a table? The bar menu serves much of the food and holds seats for walk-ins.

33 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Google Maps Website

4. Embla — CBD

The wine bar every Melbourne chef loves, with wood-fired cooking and a brilliant list.

$$$ Upmarket

Embla is a narrow, buzzy wine bar on Russell Street with a wood-fired oven and grill at its heart. The menu of small and larger plates changes constantly, and the wine list leans to natural and minimal-intervention bottles, with plenty by the glass.

Order the bread, a few snacks and then whatever is coming off the grill. It is ideal for two at the bar, and its upstairs sibling, Lesa, has a more formal set menu.

Good to know: Walk-ins are welcome at the bar; arrive at opening on a weeknight.

122 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Google Maps Website

5. Cumulus Inc. — CBD (Flinders Lane)

The all-day Flinders Lane restaurant that suits breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between.

$$$ Upmarket

Cumulus Inc. helped define modern Melbourne dining when it opened, and it is still one of the city's most reliable restaurants: a long, light-filled room with a bar, an open kitchen and a menu that runs from breakfast to late. Service is warm and quick.

The slow-roasted lamb shoulder for sharing is the signature, and the madeleines baked to order are a must. It is good for groups, solo diners at the bar and everything in between.

Good to know: Come for breakfast; it is one of the best in the CBD and easy to get a seat.

45 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

Google Maps Website

6. Marmelo — CBD

Ross and Sunny Lusted's fire-led Portuguese restaurant, one of Melbourne's best recent openings.

$$$ Upmarket

Marmelo opened inside Hyde Melbourne Place on Russell Street and quickly became one of the city's most talked-about restaurants. The cooking draws on Portugal and the Iberian coast, with charcoal and wood fire at the centre of the kitchen, in a handsome, warm dining room.

Order the seafood and anything grilled, and lean on the Portuguese wines. It suits a smart dinner for two or a group, and the basement bar in the same building, Mr Mills, is good for a drink first.

Good to know: Dinner books out at weekends; lunch is the easier booking.

130 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Google Maps Website

7. Vue de monde — CBD (Rialto)

Fine dining on level 55, with the best restaurant view in Melbourne.

$$$$ Splurge

Vue de monde sits on the 55th floor of the Rialto tower, looking out across the city and Port Phillip Bay. It serves a multi-course tasting menu of contemporary Australian cooking, with plenty of theatre and a deep wine list.

It is the place for a proposal, an anniversary or anyone who wants a big, polished occasion. Book a window table, and allow three hours or more.

Good to know: Book an early sitting in summer to see the view in daylight and at sunset.

Level 55, Rialto, 525 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Google Maps Website

8. Tipo 00 — CBD

The pasta bar Melbourne queues for, with handmade pasta at fair prices.

$$ Mid-range

Tipo 00 is a small, packed pasta bar on Little Bourke Street that has been one of the city's favourite places to eat since it opened. Pasta is made in-house daily, and the short menu changes with the seasons.

Start with the antipasti and share two or three pastas; save room for dessert. It is great value for the quality, good for a date or a quick dinner before a show, and keeps seats for walk-ins.

Good to know: No booking? Arrive just before opening for a seat at the bar.

361 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Google Maps Website

9. Etta — Brunswick East

The neighbourhood restaurant that out-cooks most of the CBD.

$$$ Upmarket

Etta is a relaxed, wine-led restaurant on Lygon Street in Brunswick East, cooking seasonal, produce-driven food in a warm, unfussy room. It has a loyal local following and has been recognised internationally, including on The World's 50 Best Discovery list.

Order across the menu and share, and let the staff steer you to something interesting on the wine list. It is worth the tram ride north for anyone who wants to see how Melbourne's suburbs eat.

Good to know: Tram 1 or 6 north on Lygon Street gets you close; book ahead at weekends.

60 Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC 3057

Google Maps Website

10. Lee Ho Fook — CBD

Modern Chinese cooking with real precision, down a laneway off Flinders Lane.

$$$ Upmarket

Lee Ho Fook takes Chinese flavours and techniques in a modern direction, in a stylish dining room tucked away on Duckboard Place. It is one of the most consistent restaurants in the city and a step away from the Flower Drum style of classic Cantonese.

Share the crispy eggplant and anything with chilli. The set menu is good value for a first visit, and there is a strong wine list to match spicy food.

Good to know: Take the set menu for the best overview of the kitchen.

11-15 Duckboard Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000

Google Maps Website

11. Chin Chin — CBD (Flinders Lane)

Loud, fun South-East Asian food on Flinders Lane, perfect for groups.

$$ Mid-range

Chin Chin has been one of Melbourne's busiest restaurants since it opened in 2011, serving punchy, South-East Asian-inspired dishes in a noisy, high-energy room. It opens from lunch until late every day.

Order the kingfish sashimi with lime and chilli, a curry and something from the grill, or let the kitchen send out the 'Feed Me' set menu. It is ideal for groups and birthdays, less so for a quiet conversation.

Good to know: Downstairs, GoGo Bar is a good place to wait for a table with a drink.

125 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

Google Maps Website

12. France-Soir — South Yarra

A classic French bistro that has been a South Yarra institution for decades.

$$$ Upmarket

France-Soir is a bustling, old-school French bistro on Toorak Road, with tightly packed tables, paper tablecloths and waiters who have seen it all. It is a favourite with locals for long lunches and late dinners.

Order the steak frites, the escargots or the duck, and choose from one of the deepest French wine lists in the city. It suits a lively dinner for two or a group, and is a short tram ride from the CBD.

Good to know: Book ahead for Friday and Saturday nights; it is always full.

11 Toorak Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

What is the best restaurant in Melbourne?

For a special-occasion tasting menu, Attica in Ripponlea is the restaurant most often named as Melbourne's best and appears regularly on international lists. For a classic dinner in the city, Flower Drum's Cantonese cooking and service have been the benchmark for decades.

Do I need to book restaurants in Melbourne?

For the top tier — Attica, Flower Drum, Gimlet, Vue de monde — yes, often weeks ahead. Most others, including Embla, Cumulus Inc., Tipo 00 and Chin Chin, keep some seats or bar space for walk-ins, so arriving at opening time on a weeknight usually works.

How much does dinner cost at a good Melbourne restaurant?

Expect roughly A$90–150 per person for a good restaurant meal with a drink, around A$200–350 for a tasting menu at the top end before wine, and A$30–50 for a bowl of pasta or a casual dinner. Tipping is not expected in Australia, though 10% for good service is appreciated.

Which Melbourne restaurants are good for a group?

Chin Chin and Cumulus Inc. are lively, shared-plate places that work well for groups, and both offer set menus. Flower Drum has private rooms for larger parties.

Where should I have brunch in Melbourne?

Brunch is a Melbourne institution with its own scene — see our best brunch cafés in Melbourne.

1. Flower Drum — CBD (Chinatown)

2. Attica — Ripponlea

3. Gimlet at Cavendish House — CBD

4. Embla — CBD

5. Cumulus Inc. — CBD (Flinders Lane)

6. Marmelo — CBD

7. Vue de monde — CBD (Rialto)

8. Tipo 00 — CBD

9. Etta — Brunswick East

10. Lee Ho Fook — CBD

11. Chin Chin — CBD (Flinders Lane)

12. France-Soir — South Yarra

Frequently asked questions

Related lists

The 11 Best Hotels in Melbourne (2026)

The 11 Best Brunch Cafés in Melbourne (2026)

The 12 Best Attractions in Melbourne (2026)

The 12 Best Restaurants in Sydney (2026)

The 10 Best Rooftop Bars in Sydney (2026)