Eating Out In Melbourne

Melbourne Restaurant Guide

Melbourne is a diverse city, meaning that a diverse range of eating options are available. Many of the top restaurants, hotels, snack bars and cafes are in and around the CBD, with further great food choices in popular suburbs such as St. Kilda and Southbank. Here we take a look at just a selection of Melbourne’s best options for eating out.

CBD

The CBD is the place to head for the busiest eateries, with a huge range of cafes and snack bars for those fancying a light bite, whilst those seeking something a little more substantial can find almost any variant of restaurant imaginable.

Restaurants

Whatever type of restaurant meal you crave, there will be at least a dozen matches within Melbourne CBD. Simply listing all of the Melbourne restaurants would fill this article several times over, so the best advice is to simply search around. Probably the most common type of cuisine on offer is described as ‘Modern Australian’ – traditional dishes that have been heavily influenced by Asian and European ingredients. Restaurants of this type can be found all around the CBD – try crocodile fillets on a bed of saffron rice at Feddish on Swanston Street, or the chicken, tiger prawn and shitake ravioli at Dish on St. Kilda Road.

Asian dishes are also extremely popular in this part of Australia. BBQ King (Lonsdale Street) seats a whopping 420 people, and is known as something of a local legend when it comes to cheap and delicious Chinese food. Several other recommended Chinese options can be found along on Little Bourke Street, including Shark Fin House, Shanghai Noodle House and Golden Orchids – which also offers an excellent range of Malaysian curries.

If Asian or Modern Australian are not your thing, don’t fret – Italian, Indian, Spanish Tapas, Mexican and Seafood restaurants can also be found in abundance.

Food Courts

Food courts can be found all across the city, offering excellent portions at budget prices. Simply head inside, pick from a number of eating options such as Chinese, sushi, pizza, pasta, and chain outlets such as McDonalds, Hungry Jacks and Subway, then sit down to eat in the communal area. These are an ideal option for larger groups that have a number of different opinions on what they fancy. Ong Asian Food Court at 265 Little Bourke Street and the food courts in the Melbourne Central Shopping Centre are two of the most popular options.

Cafes

Café culture is thriving in Melbourne, with many now offering far more than just a cup of coffee. It is hard to walk for more than a few metres without stumbling across a coffee-related variant, whether it be a branch of the traditional big chains of Starbucks, Hudson’s Coffee or The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf – where you can enjoy a snack and catch up on your e-mails via the Wi-Fi – or one of the thriving independent coffee shops, which have an ever-increasing amount of themes, such as the specialist chocolate café Max Brenner Chocolate Bar on Lonsdale Street, the salads, rolls and fresh quiches at Wedge Café on Swanston Street, or the bookshelf-lined Journal Canteen on Flinders Lane.

Fast Food

Of course eating out does not always mean sitting down with a knife and fork, or even sitting down. Fast food outlets can be found in abundance in Melbourne, the majority of which offer take-away and dine-in options. As well as the usual suspects of McDonalds and Hungry Jacks, don’t forget the healthy sandwiches at Subway, the fresh roast chicken on offer at Red Rooster, and the Australia-based pizza chain Eagle Boys. Also expect to see several branches of Noodle Box – the stir fried noodle chain has its headquarters in the city.

Pub Grub

It is almost criminal visiting Melbourne and not sampling a counter meal in one of the city’s many watering holes. You can expect pies, steaks, and in general huge portions for good prices wherever you go, but some of our favourites include The Mitre Tavern on Bank Place and James Squire Brewhouse, which has its own micro-brewery and an ideal marina location at Waterfront City. Also In the heart of the CBD lies Melbourne’s ‘coolest’ venue, the Chill On Ice Lounge, where cocktails and light meals can be enjoyed at minus 10 degrees.

Outside of the CBD

There are many more restaurants outside of the CBD, in suburbs such as St. Kilda and Southbank. Southbank lies just across the water from the CBD, on the banks of the Yarra River, and possesses a great array of eating options such Melba – which has open kitchens and a variety of dishes from around the globe, and Bear Brass – which serves good old fashioned pub grub.

Don’t forget St. Kilda! Many visitors head straight into the CBD and neglect this attractive suburb that lies just 6km south of the city centre. Café lifestyle is in full swing here, particularly along Acland Street, which is home to a number of famous cake shops and bakeries. Fitzroy Street has more café-bars and restaurants, and leads visitors down to the bay area, where seafood is the order of the day at popular establishments such as Claypots Seafood Bar (Barkly Street) and Donovan’s (Jacka Boulevard).

And Finally…

If you are struggling to choose, and fancy doing a little exploring whilst you eat, the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant operates from a fleet of three vintage trams, and runs along selected trams routes through the city and suburbs, providing quality food and unlimited alcohol along the way. The trams are boarded from near the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, and tables should be booked well in advance for this extremely unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.