Melbourne’s many different restaurants are mostly within walking distance of the city center. Chinatown has Chinese, Malaysian, Thai, Indonesian, Japanese and Vietnamese restaurants. In Carlton you can eat Italian, in Richmond Greek and Vietnamese, and in Fitzroy inexpensive Asian, Turkish, Mediterranean and vegetarian. Gourmet restaurants are mostly on Chapel Street and Toorak Road in South Yarra. St Kilda’s Fitzroy Street and Acland Street have long been popular for their wide range of eateries.
The restaurants below are divided into three categories:
Expensive (over A $ 75),
Moderate (A $ 30 to A $ 75),
Inexpensive (up to A $ 30).
The prices quoted are the average price for a three-course menu for one person and half a bottle of house wine or a comparable drink. Both VAT and service are included. An additional tip is optional.
Lifted
Taxi dining room
Taxi Dining Room is one of the best restaurants in all of Melbourne. The ambience is bright and friendly, the food varied. There is a lot of delicious sushi as well as filling western dishes with Eastern influences – from Atlantic salmon to roast rabbit. The large windows in the dining room have a wonderful view of Federation Square, Southbank Road and St. Kilda Road.
Address: Melbourne
Telephone: (03) 96 54 88 08.
Website: http://www.transporthotel.com.au
Vue de Monde
Those who have an appetite for historic French cuisine with a modern and extravagant twist will be impressed in this fine restaurant with its original, skillfully prepared dishes made from high-quality ingredients. Chef Shannon Bennett, who has already worked for Marco Pierre White in London, offers guests the truly stunning “Menu Gourmand” with five to 14 courses for lunch and dinner. Reservations are essential and can be made up to four months in advance.
Address: 430 Little Collins St, 3000 Melbourne
Telephone: (03) 96 91 38 88.
Website: http://www.vuedemonde.com.au
Flower drum
The best Cantonese restaurant in Chinatown can compete with any of its kind across Australia. You should definitely try the Peking duck in the style of the house (with pancakes), and if you don’t know abalone – a large, highly sought-after shellfish – you can confidently try it here. The service is polite, the ambience pleasant and the wine list impressive.
Address: 17 Market Ln, 3000 Melbourne
Telephone: Tel: (03) 96 62 36 55.
Website: http://www.flower-drum.com
Moderate
Fifteen Melbourne
In Jamie Oliver’s charity “Fifteen Foundation”, young, chance-free people are trained by experienced chefs according to a tried and tested recipe. Under the supervision of chef Tobie Puttock, the new apprentices quickly learn how to create tasty, modern Mediterranean dishes from the best Australian ingredients.
Address: 115/117 Collins St, 3000 Melbourne
Telephone: 1300 79 94 15.
Website: http://www.fifteenmelbourne.com.au
Donovans
The Donovans is an extremely pleasant restaurant with its elegant decor and the magical view of the water, where you can also enjoy very fresh fish and seafood. The view of Port Phillip Bay arouses a lot of appetite for the delicious dishes that are conjured up in the kitchen, starting with baked oysters and wild bass, organic pork chops, Black Angus T-bone steaks and juicy legs of lamb.
Address: 40 Jacka Blvd, 3182 St Kilda
Phone: (03) 95 34 82 21.
Website: http://www.donovanshouse.com.au
Il Bacaro
The cuisine in this seductive, dark-paneled restaurant, which looks very European, is Italian from the Venice region. With its flickering candles, the intimate atmosphere, the starched white tablecloths and the generously portioned, delicious dishes, Il Bacaro is a Melbourne institution.
Address: 168/170 Little Collins St ,, 3000 Melbourne
Telephone: (03) 96 54 67 78.
Website: http://www.ilbacaro.com.au
Cheap
Pint on punt
This casual bistro pub, where you can get inexpensive, nutritious food, is also a hostel for backpackers.
The menu is typical Australian home cooking and convinces with juicy steaks, hamburgers, fish and chips, pasta dishes, risotto and the good old bangers and mash (sausages with mashed potatoes).
The Pint on Punt is located in the city center and is quickly accessible from the business district and St. Kilda. There are many attractions nearby, such as the Grand Prix circuit.
Address: 42 Punt Rd, 3182 Windsor
Phone: (03) 95 10 33 10.
Website: http://www.pintonpunt.com.au
Hopetoun Tea Rooms
In a city where people actually pay homage to coffee, it is surprising that tea has been served in the cultivated Hopetoun Tea Rooms since 1892. After a stroll through the city, the heavenly cakes and scones – not to mention tea – simply taste great.
Address: Melbourne
Telephone: (03) 96 50 27 77.
Website: http://www.hopetountearooms.com.au
Yu-U
Yu-U, a restaurant with an unmarked entrance and a graffiti-painted alley, may be Melbourne’s coolest budget place.
You descend and plunge into the opposite of the hectic chaos that rages up the street. The minimalist furnishings made of wood and concrete and the clean lines for which Japanese culture is famous determine the ambience here.
The best place to eat is with friends, as the yakatori skewers, the sashimi (but not the sushi), the grilled pork belly and similar dishes are meant to be shared. The Bentoboxes are an inexpensive, quick and uncomplicated lunch.
Address: 137 Flinders Ln, 3000 Melbourne
Telephone: (03) 96 39 70 73.