Best Food You Must Try in Melbourne

Flinders Lane's produce-driven institution pairing standout oysters with a walk-in wine bar.

Ben Shewry's three-hat degustation turns native Australian ingredients — kangaroo, saltbush, green ants — into edible storytelling.

Melbourne's benchmark Argentinian grill — smoky steaks and tartare in a buzzing laneway.

Flinders Lane's buzzy Asian fusion icon, famed for its lobster roll and open kitchen theatre.

Melbourne's go-to Peruvian kitchen — bottomless pisco sours and ceviche on AC/DC Lane.

Brunswick's beloved halal Lebanese institution - 30-plus years of kafta, shawarma and unbeatable portion-to-price value.

Footscray's legendary pho institution — rich broth, huge portions, brutally fast service.

A 1950s Bourke Street institution where an unwritten wall-board menu and legendary espresso rule.

Melbourne's landmark Spanish tapas restaurant on Hosier Lane, still winning praise a decade on.

A hatted Little Bourke Street pasta bar built around a marble bar and open kitchen.

Flemington's laksa institution — decades of regulars swear by the combination bowl.

Swanston Street's Thai institution — $3.50 pork bone soup, pad Thai, nightly queues.

Southbank's riverside Argentinian grill, famed for open-fire steaks and exceptional service.

Fitzroy fine-diner in an old metalworks factory — dry-aged duck, open kitchen, polished service.

Footscray's beloved Ethiopian table, known for a warm welcome and a proper coffee ceremony.

Carlton's cult Chongqing noodle den — five dishes, spice-adjustable, done to obsession.

Fitzroy's celebrated wine bar for European share plates, with cacio e pepe potato dumplings regulars can't stop ordering.

Chef Thi Le's fire-driven Vietnamese-Lao tasting menu on Bridge Road, quietly Melbourne's finest.

Ferntree Gully Southern Thai spot praised by Thai diners for authentic massaman, duck curry and moo hong

Hatted Brunswick East share-plate restaurant blending Modern Australian and Asian flair.