Melbourne is the food capital of Australia, and the Melburnian hospitality scene doesn’t take this label lying down. Every week we see new restaurants, bars, and cafes open in Melbourne’s CBD and in its suburbs. Keeping track of the newest Melbourne restaurants can be tough, so we’ve made it easier for you with the following run-down of the best new restaurants in Melbourne.
Lately, we’ve seen everything from floating bars to tequila bars to late-night haunts, everything you need for a great night out in Melbourne. These are the best new restaurants and bars that opened in Melbourne.
Matsu, Footscray
Chef Hansol Lee’s journey from Kenzan to Matsu, a cozy four-seat gem in Footscray, reflects his decade-long mastery of Japanese cuisine. With partner Elly Hong, they craft kaiseki, a traditional multi-course Japanese dining experience. Matsu, named after “pine tree” in Korean and Japanese, follows a strict format, offering exquisite dishes like Tasmanian oysters with Siberian caviar and blowtorched wagyu. Though unable to cater to dietary restrictions, Lee’s one-man show, coupled with optional sake pairings, creates an intimate culinary experience at Matsu. They recently received one hat from GoodFood too.
Julie, Abbotsford
With a menu highlighting seasonal delights sourced from the kitchen garden and Collingwood Children’s Farm, head chef Julieanne Blum’s culinary journey unfolds with ever-changing dishes, complemented by a drinks selection featuring small-scale producers and classic cocktails. The heritage dining room with high ceilings and vibrant colours accommodates 50 seats, while the outdoor area offers 30 more amid the convent grounds, ideal for group dining and celebrations.
Yan, South Yarra
At Yan, the Sydney smokehouse by Narada Kudinar and its Melbourne counterpart in South Yarra, traditional Chinese flavours meet innovative techniques. Kudinar breaks convention, infusing a subtle smokiness into diners’ hands as they peel smoked king prawns. The menu, featuring dishes like grilled corn with teriyaki butter and beef short ribs with sansho pepper, embraces smoke-infused elements. East Asian-inspired cocktails, such as the Yuzu Tom Collins, and unique desserts like the Hong Kong milk tea layer cake, complete the dining experience.
Antara 128, CBD
This isn’t your average bakery experience. Expect a diverse all-day menu curated by talented chefs, where mornings feature artisanal sourdough and laminated pastries and lunch and dinner presents refined dishes like Wagyu short rib with a beer-and-malt glaze and woodfired clams with borlotti beans. The woodfired oven touches everything, from mains like smoky clams to the enticing apple tart dessert.
Vue de Monde, CBD
Melbourne’s iconic Vue de Monde is back after a three-month revamp, offering fresh interiors and a revamped chef’s tasting menu. Located 55 floors above the CBD, it’s not just about the views — there’s a significant menu makeover too. Creative director Shannon Bennett’s touch is evident alongside executive chef Hugh Allen’s Aussie-inspired creations, from grilled lamb sweetbreads to marron tail with fried native herb paste. A casual, culinary marvel with a breathtaking backdrop.
Studio Amaro, Windsor
Windsor’s just scored itself an Italo-disco and dining on Chapel Street. The two-level, light-filled space features retro elements like corduroy banquettes, retro tiling, and timber floors. Chef Daniel Migliaccio brings Italian heritage to the kitchen, offering ever-changing menus blending classic Italian dishes with local twists. Custom wood grills, house-made bread, and an extensive amaro-focused cocktail list enhance the experience, complemented by Napoli Italo-disco tunes for a lively, non-club atmosphere.
Puttanesca, Kew
Puttanesca, inside the 19th-century Clifton Hotel, is Guy Grossi’s ode to a classic pasta sauce with a colourful history. Revamped with sunset-coloured terrazzo and Sophia Loren film posters by Grossi and the hospitality group Public, the menu has familiar comfort dishes from Grossi’s other Melbourne venues. The signature puttanesca sauce showers cured kingfish, spaghetti, and slow-fermented dough pizzas, even making its way into a Vecchia Romagna brandy cocktail.
Maggie’s, Brunswick East
Maggie’s, the newest hotspot on Brunswick East’s bustling Lygon Street, is set to open its doors this month, ushering in an era of playful and approachable dining. This neighbourhood bar and eatery focuses on seasonal, locally sourced produce, with a menu that strikes the perfect balance between seriously good and unpretentious. The venue itself boasts a vintage charm, with reclaimed materials and mid-century furniture, offering a shady courtyard and a luxurious cocktail lounge for private events.
Beso, Flinders Lane
Located at the New York end of Flinders Lane, Beso is a culinary gem that beautifully blends the essence of Spanish cuisine with global culinary techniques and the finest Australian ingredients. Their menu is a symphony of flavours, with standout dishes like the seafood platter and Córdoba oxtail dumplings enriched with Parmentier and Lanzhou chilli oil. A highlight is the 800g locally sourced, mature-aged steak, expertly grilled on the bone using Beso’s custom parrilla grill.
MING, CBD
Expect traditional Cantonese meets contemporary Australian cuisine at Queen Street’s newest restaurant. MING is a multi-dimensional venue with a formal indoor dining room blanketed in carpet flooring and ambient lighting, an outdoor courtyard for a more casual affair, and three private dining spaces for groups. The menu is extensive and filled with delicious dishes such as sesame prawn toast, kangaroo loin, and cured Hiramasa kingfish with salmon caviar. The layered miso dulce le leche cake is already a favourite and a must-try. MING offers a banquet menu priced at $105 per person and has a bottomless yum cha every Sunday from 12-2 p.m.
Odd Culture
Fitzroy
After a successful run in Sydney, Odd Culture Group is bringing their game-changing Odd Culture venue to Melbourne for the first time ever. Located in a beautiful heritage building that used to serve as Fitzroy’s post office generations ago, the hybrid bar and bottle shop is an exploration of fermentation. It is rumoured to be Brunswick Street’s new watering hole for the weird and wonderful, serving up one of the most extensive offerings of its kind. Expect natural wine, a wild ale bar, and their small signature plates, including beer bread and cultured butter. Odd Culture Fitzroy open its doors on July 5.
Henrietta
Windsor
Henrietta is a beloved charcoal chicken restaurant in Sydney, known for its succulent well-spiced chicken and sides. It has a cult following in the harbour city, and we have no doubt Melburnians will love it just as much. As the first Melbourne venture for ESCA Group, Henrietta is moving into Chapel Street, joining a strip of trendy, well-loved restaurants. Drawing inspiration from the diverse flavours of the Middle East, Henrietta combines modern Aussie flair with this unique cuisine and brings the heat with fire at the heart of every dish. Whilst the menu is different for Melbournites, all those iconic things Sydneysiders love about Henrietta (think: the falafel, the charcoal chicken, and the garlic toum) are available in their newest 80-seater dining space. If you don’t have time to dine in, visit the takeaway menu and enjoy your Mediterranean feast at home.
Reine and La Rue
Melbourne Stock Exchange
Al and Rebecca, Yazbek of NOMAD Group, are set to open a French restaurant and bar within the Melbourne Stock Exchange, taking over a grand space that has been derelict for over 20 years. The original heritage space boasts a highly decorative, gothic interior consisting of solid limestone walls and vaulted ceilings, marble dado, encaustic floor tiling and prismatic glass floor tiles with solid grey granite columns.
As for the food, NOMAD Group’s executive chef, Jacqui Challinor, will work alongside Reine and La Rue’s head chef Brendan Katich (NOMAD Melbourne), to create a menu inspired by French classics. With the wood-fired hearth as the centre point of the kitchen, Jacqui and Brendan will be working closely with Victorian producers as a key focus.
The heated external courtyard off the main dining room accommodates 40 guests and alongside that sits La Rue, an eight-seater speakeasy that both compliments and provides a counterpoint to the grandeur of Reine. With black stained timber joinery, black terrazzo floor, art commissioned by Melbourne artist, Lucy Roleff, and a premium wine vault, La Rue will offer the menu of Reine but will be walk-in only.
BrewDog Pentridge
Coburg
BrewDog’s first Melbourne pub is open. In partnership with Australian Venue Co., BrewDog has opened its first Melbourne bar inside the ominous halls of Pentridge Prison. Calling E division home, BrewDog has given nods to the site’s history and features an indoor dining room, function spaces, and a beer garden. BrewDog Pentridge can fit 500 people across two levels.
Read more about BrewDog Pentridge here.
Amphlett House
CBD
Opening in Melbourne’s CBD on Little Bourke Street on November 10, Amphlett House comes from the minds of Andrea Gualdi—from Sydney’s World’s 50 Best Bars entrant, Maybe Sammy—and Melbourne hospitality legend Ian Curley. Amphlett House features 120 seats and will have a range of beers and cocktails on tap. Expect to see elevated pub classics on the menu.
Read more about Amphlett House here.
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