Serai

Filipino-inspired share plates and wood-fired grill in a hidden Melbourne laneway wine bar.

Intimate laneway wine-bar feel with warm low lighting, an open kitchen and a polished but relaxed buzz. Staff set the tone with friendly, knowledgeable banter and the soundtrack stays playful rather than formal.

Wood-fired grill cooking, chef's and feed-me set menus with optional wine pairings, Filipino-leaning cocktails and mocktails (pandan, ube), outdoor seating and a bar that suits solo diners.

Filipino-inspired and modern rather than traditional. Filipino diners are split: some taste home and childhood, others find the flavours too reworked and far from classic Filipino cooking.

Feed-me menus start around $99 a head before drinks, and a three-person lunch with drinks was reported near $279. Most diners find the flavour and service justify it; a few felt the cheaper feed-me menu fell short.

Summary drafted with AI from public reviews.