There are plenty of cities with good food and, while I might be a little biased, I think Melbourne has something a little more interesting: a food culture that feels like the city itself. Diverse, curious, somewhat scruffy around the edges and dotted with just enough genuinely passionate producers.
You can eat extremely well here without spending a fortune or booking three months ahead. A great coffee and pastry, a bánh mì eaten standing up, a long lunch, a late-night bowl of noodles or a glass of Victorian wine with something delicious to nibble on. These are some of the things I think Melbourne does particularly well.
What Melbourne does well
We love a small wine bar with a tight, seasonal menu and focussed drinks list. The kind of joint that doesn’t pander to all and sundry but is confident in what it offers. Go for a vino and a nibble or go all in and stay awhile.
You want names? Try Punch Lane, Embla, Vinesmith, Reed House, Bijou, Elio’s, Byrdi, Le Pub, Gracie, Her, Bar Lourinhã…. and I really could go on.
What to avoid?
Personally, I tend to skip large format venues or big chains. Thankfully the city has a plethora of independent businesses. Go online and see what other venues your selection is linked to. It’s usually very present on their website. Does the menu appear formulaic across the group or does it have a distinct point of view? I want a place to reflect its location in its offerings, from local spirits on the cocktail list to food that is in season in our part Australia at this time.
I do think the Australian food scene is doing some exciting things right now. Being involved behind the scenes with the food and beverage awards, I get to see a slew of small, highly skilled producers. By no means is this an exhaustive list but I love Del Bocia butter, Salt Kitchen smallgoods, Spud Sisters potatoes, Maidenii and Saison distillers and when it comes to cheese: Long Paddock, Mill Grove Dairy, Berry’s Creek, Prom Country, Curdsy and Dreaming Goat Dairy just to name a few.
Breakfast?
Melbourne magic coffee – double ristretto with milk – similar to a flat white but shorter and stronger, paired with your pastry of choice. We have many spots that offer a twist on traditional viennoiserie options. Things like croissants, morning buns, and brioche fused with flavour profiles you may not expect like pandan, black sesame, kaya and so on. Where? Publique, Bakemono, Bloomwood etc
Lunch?
Got to be a bánh mì. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If there’s one thing I think you should eat in Melbourne it’s a bánh mì. You can go traditional with one filled with cold cuts or opt for the crispy roasted pork with crackling or look further afield and you might discover a housemade duck curry sausage or lemongrass chicken. Light crusty roll, pickled vegetables, lashings of pâté and mayonnaise and just the right amount of fresh chilli.
Dinner?
Wander through Chinatown and see what takes your fancy. You don’t need to go far to find something truly tempting. Melbourne saw an influx of migrants from China during the 1850s goldrush and our cuisine hasn’t been the same since. Growing up, heading to the local suburban Chinese restaurant was not an uncommon event. Many westernised Cantonese dishes are firm family favourites. San choi bao, chicken & cashew nut, beef & black bean. Gee, the 1980s were grand.
Post WW2, waves of migrants from Greece and Italy also graced our shores, spreading their food cultures into our increasingly suburban lives. Souvlaki, pizza, and pasta quickly cemented themselves as go-to meal options. Things have only grown since. The suburbs welcomed Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Indian and many more cuisines that I haven’t the time to mention here. Naturally, our ingredients and cooking methods moulded and shaped versions of these dishes along the way.
Feeling inspired to go shopping?
Obviously, the Queen Victoria market is a great start. Go visit the delightful and knowledgeable team at Ripe & Cured for all your cheese and smallgoods needs – and they are needs not wants, to be clear. Fresh seafood, 100% Australian meat, a stunning breadth of fruit and vegetables. The market will inspire and delight.
Spring Street Grocer at the top of the city is a well stocked store for everything from niche gift shopping through to something-delicious-for-dinner shopping.
Blackhearts and Sparrows for all your beverage needs – wine, beer, spirits and n/a drinks, they’ve got it all.
So many Asian stores throughout the city will improve your meals immeasurably. Plus where else can you buy a dozen different types of kimchi and chips of every flavour imaginable.
What souvenir should you take home?
Murray River Pink Salt Flakes are lightweight, shelf-stable and pale pink, making them a lovely finishing salt. Inland salinity is an issue here in Australia, and this salt is produced by pumping mineralised brine from an underground aquifer in the Murray-Darling Basin. The sun then does the hard work, evaporating off the water and, voilà, pretty pink salt flakes you’ll reach for every day.
Gewürzhaus (15 stores around Australia) started by two sisters of German background whose mission it was to recreate the delicious spice blends their family had used for years. Fresh, small batch blends perfect for baking and cooking whatever the cuisine. One smell of their warm, heady baking blends will be enough to convince you. They also offer a range of uniquely Australian bush foods and spice blends (bbq rubs, chicken salt, etc).
Overrated? Bubble tea. I don’t want to offend anyone but it’s just not my jam. Truth bomb – You’re unlikely to find me drinking my day’s allotment of calories unless it contains alcohol. Sorry not sorry.
Underrated? A totally unique eatery is Bossa Nova Sushi. Yes it’s Japanese food and drinks but it’s so much more. There’s a sushi train and a la carte menu replete with daily specials board and everything I’ve tried there over multiple visits has been great. Go, be surprised and have fun.
Worth seeking out? Casse-croûte is located in one of our many, many CBD laneways and is a recent addition. This Monday to Friday daytime sandwich shop offers fresh-filled baguettes – current fan-favourite is the raclette baguette – homemade cakes and coffee.
New? Roma Ristorante is a most handsome trattoria from industry veterans that is currently wooing Melbournians. With a broad range of quality pastas, tantalising offal dishes, as well as many vegetable-forward options, it is a menu that seems designed to please all.
Classic? We can’t help ourselves with the desire for al fresco dining regardless of the season. The European and City Wine Shop are stalwarts of the Melbourne food scene and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Something unique? Jamsheed Wines is an urban winery and restaurant located in an old industrial warehouse in Preston. Stop in for a glass of their minimal intervention wines, settle in for a meal or invite a group of friends to hang out around the pool table.
Family friendly in the city? Try one of the HK cafes dotted around the city. It’s all about a quick turnaround and an approachable menu that won’t break the bank.
Unexpected bite
Aru restaurant – if they have a signature dish it has to be their bánh mì pâté en croûte. Such a skilled execution blending classic European technique and Vietnamese snack (which is firmly seated in the Melbourne palate). Plus, I think most of us could do with more whimsy in our lives.
Our food culture has been built by generations of people bringing their cooking, ingredients and traditions with them, then making them their own. That mix is what makes eating here so much fun.
Melbourne is a city that rewards curiosity. Take a different tram, turn down a laneway, follow the smell of something delicious or walk into somewhere you’ve never heard of. You don’t need a grand plan.
Come hungry. Leave room for something you didn’t know you were looking for.
There are plenty of cities with good food and, while I might be a little biased, I think Melbourne has something a little more interesting: a food culture that feels like the city itself. Diverse, curious, somewhat scruffy around the edges and dotted with just enough genuinely passionate producers.
People often say they want a village, but they’re not always ready to become an active participant in one. Being part of a community requires actually walking the walk.
I’ve been sharing meals with family and friends more often recently, and every so often someone asks what’s in a dish – or, brazenly, whether they can get the recipe.
