Where to Eat in Melbourne: The CBD Edition

Wondering where to eat in Melbourne when you visit? No offence to the rest of the world, but Melbourne has THE best food scene.

In Melbourne, the influence of Australia’s multicultural history is clearly illustrated in the diverse dining options available. You truly can eat your way around the world in this city, with everything from Afghani to Italian to Yiddish food on offer, and everything else in between.

While that means a world of choice, it can also mean overwhelming decisions about where to eat in Melbourne. If you’re only visiting Melbourne for a few days, how do you decide which restaurants deserve your stomach space? There’s so much good food in Melbourne, you’ll have some tough choices to make!

Never fear, I have you (and your tastebuds) covered with my Melbourne food guide. Melbourne’s my home city, and after returning here after spending 8 years away as an expat, I’ve been combing the city going back to my old faves and trying new restaurants.

Here are my recommendations for where to eat in Melbourne. This guide is focused on the central business district (CBD), covering restaurants in the Melbourne CBD, Docklands and Southbank. -Later on in this article I do link to food guides for other areas of Melbourne. I update this guide every few months as I try new places and remove old favourites that may have closed or no longer make the cut.

About this food guide

There are thousands of restaurants in Melbourne and while I haven’t tried them all I am working on it! This guide lists restaurants that I’ve actually eaten at and recommend. I’ve of course eaten at waaayyy more restaurants than are listed here, but if I didn’t rate it, I haven’t included it here.

Each listing has a rough price guide (from $-$$$$) so you can see straight away which Melbourne restaurants fit into your budget. There’s no doubt that eating out in Melbourne ain’t cheap, but there are still some bargains to be devoured.

PS. Love food? Why not try a Melbourne food tour? There’s even a dumpling tour!!

Melbourne restaurants pricing guide

$ – Under $20 per person
$$ – $21-$30 per person
$$$ – $31-$50 per person
$$$$ – $50+ per person

This pricing guide is based on the price of a main meal, no drinks included (or dessert or an entrée). It’s based on enough food to fill your stomach for a dinner out (so, for example, if a tapas bar is listed here, it’s not the price of one tapas dish, but rather the number of tapas dishes required to fill your tummy).

Map of best Melbourne restaurants

So you can plan your Melbourne itinerary, here’s a map that shows all my recommended Melbourne restaurants. This includes the CBD restaurants listed in this guide, as well as my choices across other neighbourhoods – so all my recommendations are in one map!

Supernormal

Cuisine: Modern Asian
Address: 180 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Price range: $$$

One of celeb chef Andrew McConnell’s many Melbourne restaurants, Supernormal is a great spot for lunch or dinner or just a bite and a cocktail before a show. This is one of the best eats in Melbourne and where I always tell first-time visitors to go. It’s a in a spacious restaurant and the staff know their stuff – but aren’t snobby.

What to order: Supernormal is famous for its lobster roll, but you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. For dessert, the peanut butter parfait with salted caramel is to die for.

Maha

Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Address: 21 Bond St, Melbourne
Price range: $$$$

Prepare for a flavour bomb from chef Shane Delia. The only choice at Maha is the set menu – which means few choices to make. The setting is dark and moody and wait staff are discreet and knowledgeable.

What to order: The set menu (you’ve got no choice) – the lamb shoulder is to die for.

HuTong

Cuisine: Dim sum
Address: 14-16 Market Lane, Melbourne
Price range: $

As the owners say on the restaurant website, you don’t need to go overseas to try authentic dumplings, just head to HuTong. This is dumpling heaven. The restaurant is big and bustling, the staff busy but attentive. They also have another restaurant in Prahran.

What to order: All of the dim sum – just keep it coming!

Tim Ho Wan

Cuisine: Dim sum
Address: 206 Bourke St, Melbourne
Price range: $

A franchise of the Michelin-starred Hong Kong dim sum shop, come to Tim Ho Wan with a group to order up a big yum cha spread. The interior is light and bright, and there’s a steady stream of customers throughout the entire day.

What to order: I love the slippery vermicelli roll with shrimp and the barbecue pork buns (always a winner – although these ones are baked not steamed).

Operator Diner

Cuisine: Diner
Address: Shop 2, 130 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Price range: $

Solid breakfast options for decent prices. There’s nothing fancy here at Operator Diner, just good food in an American diner-style space. The food is diner-style but with an Aussie twist. The staff are wonderful. I loved the sausage patty on a breakfast roll (although I had to scrape off the excessive BBQ bacon chutney), while other breakfast faves include eggs on toast, pancakes and fried chicken. Address is Lonsdale St, but the entry is actually on Little Lonsdale (in Wesley Place).

What to order: The breakfast rolls or A-To-Vo (smashed avo with sundried tomatoes on a toasted bagel).

Shujinko

Cuisine: Japanese
Address: 225 Russell St, Melbourne
Price range: $$

This ramen shop is small so it’s usually packed – but you shouldn’t have to wait too long for a table at Shujinko. Choose from half a dozen types of delicious ramen, a rice bowl or other dishes like karaage. There are a handful of locations around Melbourne.

What to order: The black ramen is a bowl of deliciousness – especially on a cold day.

Mesa Verde

Cuisine: Mexican
Address: Level 6, 252 Swanston St, Melbourne
Price range: $$$

Mesa Verde is upscale Mexican with a focus on authentic cuisine. Plenty of tequilas and mezcals on the menu here. Staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming. The restaurant is in Curtin House, so start with a drink at Rooftop Bar before your meal (and be prepared to walk a few flights of stairs when the lifts are busy!).

What to order: My picks are the smoky potato flautas and the light, deliciously crunchy fish tacos.

Cookie

Cuisine: Thai
Address: 252 Swanston St, Melbourne
Price range: $$$

Grab a group of friends so that you can share several of the dishes on the menu at Cookie. This place is always buzzing – it’s been around for YEARS so the fact that it remains so popular is testament to the quality of the food. It’s great for a night out because you can eat dinner here, and then head upstairs to The Toff to see a gig or to Rooftop Bar for more cocktails.

What to order: The Massaman beef curry is always a winner, as is the Chinese broccoli with crispy pork.

Farmers Daughters

Cuisine: Australian/farm-to-table
Address: 95 Exhibition St, Melbourne
Price range: $$$

Farmers Daughters transports the fresh produce of the Gippsland region to Melbourne’s CBD. There are three levels of deliciousness – the deli (casual dining), restaurant and rooftop (light bites). I recommend the Chef’s selection to make the choice easier! Fantastic service as well.

What to order: Oh so hard! The soda bread, the asparagus, the baked scallops.

Miznon

Cuisine: Israeli
Address: 59 Hardware Lane, Melbourne
Price range: $$

Melbourne’s laneways are where you’ll find some of the best food in Melbourne, and Miznon is no different. Grab a table inside or sit outside on a nice sunny day and soak up the atmosphere.

What to order: The roasted whole head of cauliflower is a particular favourite here.

MoVida

Cuisine: Spanish
Address: 1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne
Price range: $$$

This iconic Melbourne restaurant is where I first started my love affair with Spanish food (and Spain in general). Dine to your heart’s content on tapas or larger raciones. If you can’t snag a table at the original MoVida, there are several outposts nearby that have similar menus.

What to order: Whatever the croquettes on the day’s menu are, the jamon iberico and the setas (oyster mushrooms with crispy potato, sherry vinegar and egg yolk).

Pellegrini’s

Cuisine: Italian
Address: 66 Bourke St, Melbourne
Price range: $$

This Melbourne staple has been here since the 1950s and serves up Italian comfort food in a diner-style environment. The staff here are efficient yet friendly. You absolutely can’t visit Melbourne without stopping in here.

What to order: A coffee, whatever pasta dish takes your fancy.

Lucy Liu

Cuisine: Asian
Address: 23 Oliver Lane, Melbourne
Price range: $$$

This sexy Asian restaurant can be found down a dodgy laneway and through a pipe-lined tunnel. Everything on the menu at Lucy Liu is top-notch, but if you can’t decide, there’s an express lunch menu or larger set menus.

What to order: Sashimi, all the dumplings, the drunken chicken.

Mamasita

Cuisine: Mexican
Address: Level 1, 11 Collins St, Melbourne
Price range: $$$

Melbourne never really had many good Mexican restaurants until Mamasita came along, kick-starting a new trend. This hip spot serves up Mexican with a modern, fresh twist. It also has a pretty decent tequila and mezcal selection.

What to order: The elotes and I’ve never had a bad taco here.

Chin Chin

Cuisine: Modern Asian
Address: 125 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Price range: $$$

Years after this funky Asian restaurant opened, people still clamour to line up for a table in one of the most popular places to eat in Melbourne. I find it too challenging to pick just a few things from the huge menu at Chin Chin, so I always go with one of the “feed me” options!

What to order: Save yourself the indecision and go with the chef’s selection (there are different options depending on how hungry you are and your budget).

Society Dining Room

Cuisine: Fine dining
Address: 80 Collins St, Melbourne
Price range: $$$$

Society Dining Room is a must for a special occasion. The food here is superb, with a focus on seafood. The decor is absolutely stunning – think soaring ceilings, chandeliers and velvet seating.

What to order: If you love oysters, get them. The lobster agnolotti is also both delicate and comforting.

Bodega Underground

Cuisine: Mexican
Address: 55 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
Price range: $$$

Bodega Underground is a fun Mexican joint with a modern take on Mexican food. I recommend the Feed Me menu to make the decision-making process easier – or sign up for the Bottomless Brunch for a boozy visit!

What to order: The kingfish ceviche and the birria quesatacos.

Bomba

Cuisine: Spanish
Address: 103 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Price range: $$

This lovely tapas restaurant also has a rooftop bar. Stop at Bomba for their well-priced Worker’s Lunch menu (weekdays only) and then finish off with sangria on the rooftop.

What to order: The manchego croquetas and the gambas al ajillo (garlic prawns).

Soi 38

Cuisine: Thai
Address: 38 Royal Lane, Melbourne
Price range: $

Soi 38 made a name for itself when it opened – squeezed into an underground carpark. Queues wound their way out the car park entrance, everyone keen to get their lips around spoonfuls of the rich and flavourful soups. They’ve now moved to a larger space – but maintained the plastic chairs and simple decor – and the authentic street food.

What to order: Boat noodles, the som tum for something lighter and fresher.

Tres a Cinco

Cuisine: Mexican
Address: 3-5 Hosier Lane, Melbourne
Price range: $$$

Fun, colourful new addition to the MoVida family. The chef at Tres a Cinco is from Guadalajara (one of my favourite cities in Mexico!). Make sure you order the meatballs! And more than one taco – they’re on the smaller side $$$

What to order: Taquito dorado de papa y queso, tuna tostada and calabaza (pumpkin) tacos). Save room for the tres leches cake!

Cumulus Inc

Cuisine: Modern Australian
Address: 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Price range: $$$$

Another Melbourne institution that’s a must on any Melbourne itinerary and somewhere I always send first-time visitors. Cumulus Inc celebrates fresh, local produce in unpretentious surroundings. They have a great-value chef’s tasting menu that I highly recommend.

What to order: All you need to know is to order the lamb.

Pastuso

Cuisine: Peruvian
Address: 19 AC/DC Lane, Melbourne
Price range: $$$$

I’m a huge fan of the fresh flavours of Peruvian food and Pastuso serves this up in spades with a fancy twist. Start with a Pisco Sour and then move on to the the tasting menu – a good option if you’re not familiar with Peruvian cuisine.

What to order: The ceviches are light and fresh, the pastel de choclo (corn cake) is an absolute must and the papas con huancaína are more-ish.

San Telmo

Cuisine: Argentinian
Address: 14 Meyers Place, Melbourne
Price range: $$$$

I used to live in Argentina so I can sniff out a parrilla from a mile away. Almost everything on the menu at San Telmo is cooked over the parrilla (a raisable BBQ that cooks food over hot coals and wood). The menu is – of course – meat heavy.

What to order: Everyone should try the provoleta (divine fried cheese that would probably be my death row meal) and your favourite cut of meat.

Daughter in Law

Cuisine: Indian
Address: 37 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
Price range: $$$

Stepping into this place is like stepping into a riot of colour, with pastel pink walls, royal blue furniture and flowers everywhere. Daughter in Law bills itself as an “unauthentic Indian restaurant and bar”. The food is delicious – I highly recommend the “feed me” menu so you can try something of everything. Warning: at night, the music can be quite loud!

What to order: Palak paneer, gol gappa (panipuri), the unauthentic butter chicken.

Higher Ground

Cuisine: Café
Address: 650 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
Price range: $$

Higher Ground in an upmarket café with huge ceilings, exposed brick walls and Instagram-worthy food – which makes it a popular spot! Which means you also need to book well in advance. Food is great, but given how packed it is (especially on weekends) service can be slow.

What to order: The ricotta hotcake for a sweet start or, for savoury, the prawn toast Benedict.

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I hope this guide to where to eat in Melbourne has you hungry! What are you looking forward to eating when you visit Melbourne? Let me know in the comments below. And I’d love to hear from you! If you’re a Melburnian with a fave that you think I should check out, or a visitor who tried somewhere that’s not on this list, please let me know.

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What to eat in Melbourne: Related posts

Before you go… you might like these Melbourne travel blogs:

• The best things to do in Melbourne (by a local)
• How to spend a weekend in Melbourne
• How to spend 3 days in Melbourne
• How to spend 5 days in Melbourne
• Where to stay in Melbourne: A guide to the city’s best neighbourhoods

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