Restaurants & Food Scene

Melbourne is Australia's undisputed food capital — a city where over 200 nationalities have brought their culinary traditions and created one of the most innovative restaurant scenes in the world. Here, you eat smashed avo on sourdough for breakfast, handmade dumplings in Chinatown for lunch, and a 12-course degustation at one of the best chefs in the Southern Hemisphere for dinner.

Fine Dining

• Attica (74 Glen Eira Road, Ripponlea): Ben Shewry's legendary restaurant — regularly among the top 50 in the world. Australian ingredients, Aboriginal-inspired techniques. Degustation 380 AUD. Book months in advance.
• Flower Drum (17 Market Lane, CBD): Melbourne's best Chinese restaurant for 40 years. Cantonese cuisine at star level. Peking duck (pre-order required!) is legendary. Mains 45–80 AUD.

Mid-Range & Street Food

• Chin Chin (125 Flinders Lane): Southeast Asian cuisine in a loud, energetic atmosphere. The crispy pork belly dumplings and Pad See Ew are a must. No reservations — queuing is part of the experience. Mains 24–38 AUD.
• Tipo 00 (361 Little Bourke Street): Handmade pasta by master hands. The mafaldine with duck is a dream. Pasta 26–34 AUD. Small, intimate location — reserve!
• Lune Croissanterie (119 Rose Street, Fitzroy): The best croissants outside France (some say: the best in the world). Queue on Saturdays from 7:30 — it's worth it. Croissants 7–12 AUD.

Budget

• Queen Victoria Market (Queen Street): Melbourne's largest market since 1878. Sausage stand (The Bratwurst Shop, 10 AUD), dim sum, borek, churros, and the best donuts in town. Open Tue, Thu–Sun.
• Laksa King (47 Pin Oak Crescent, Flemington): The best laksa in Melbourne — thick, rich, spicy. From 16 AUD. An institution since the 1990s.
• Richmond (Victoria Street): Melbourne's Little Vietnam. Phở from 14 AUD, Bánh Mì from 7 AUD. Dozens of restaurants side by side — just choose the busiest one.