What’s the best new restaurant in Melbourne? This is a question we’re often asked at Boss Hunting, and one we’ve almost certainly got the answer to. In that spirit, we’ve compiled a rolling list — updated on a quarterly basis — of all the best new Melbourne restaurants (all opened within a year) below.
Note that this list is not ranked.
Jump To:
- Gigi, Prahran
- Tombo Den, Windsor
- Shusai Mijo, Fitzroy
- Carnation Canteen, Fitzroy
- Bistra, Carlton
- Brico, Carlton North
- Askal, Melbourne CBD
- Kafeneion “emeis & emeis” Melbourne (Melbourne Supper Club), Melbourne CBD
- Lucia Melbourne, South Melbourne
- Wang Wang BBQ, Malvern
- Castlerose, South Melbourne
- Token, South Yarra
- The Walrus, St Kilda
- JollyGood Diner, Collingwood
- Doju, Melbourne CBD
Gigi, Prahran
A visit to Gigi’s website will promise you, “the glamour and decadence of 1930s Paris,” and just from the decore along, it’s a promise to be believed. Opened by the team behind the enduringly popular Entrecôte, Gigi is a wine bar offering a casual blend of French food and local staples — with menu items including party pies filled with beef bourguignon — as well as an excellent wine list.
Opened by restaurateur Jason M Jones and interior designer Brahman Perera, it’s immediately obvious Gigi isn’t their first rodeo (Jason has a career that counts no less than 32 venues in total). The 60-seat restaurant offers 60 seats and enjoys immaculate decor with Persian rug-covered floors, crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceilings and more than lives up to its description as the “sultry little sister of Entrecôte.”
Address: 143 Greville Street, Prahran VIC 3181
Opened: October 2024
Price Guide: $$$
Opening Hours: Wednesday — Sunday (5 PM — 12 AM)
Bookings: Essential
Tombo Den, Windsor
The indefatigable Chris Lucas has announced the opening of his latest venture, Tombo Den, in Windsor, offering an elevated menu of Japanese cuisine, sake, and beyond. Lucas already owns and operates the power venue Kisumé, but Tombo Den takes a slightly edgier approach with walls covered by eye-catching contemporary artwork, an upstairs cocktail bar, and a karaoke room.
The main attraction is a long 26-seat bar serving up sushi, sashimi, and nigiri from a menu that’s updated daily, but there’s also a more varied menu with different-sized plates including dishes from the hibachi grill. On the booze front, expect top-notch cocktails and sake, as well as an extensive whisky collection and a wine list that focuses on small producers.
Address: 100a Chapel St, Windsor VIC 3181
Phone: (03) 9960 9702
Opened: September 2024
Price Guide: $$
Opening Hours: Monday — Thursday (5 PM — 10 PM); Friday — Saturday (12 PM — 11 PM), Sunday (12 PM — 10 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Shusai Mijo, Fitzroy
Fitzroy’s restaurant offering gets better with every passing year and Shusai Mijo has recently joined the fray as an intimate eight-seat omakase venue. The team running the restaurant is understandably small, but every member of the staff are expert in their respective craft, led by chef Jun Oya boasting alongside sous-chef Takuro Abe and sake sommelier Matthew Ng.
In line with the suburb in which it is located, Shusai Mijo presents a slightly less formal dining experience than the likes of Minamishima or Kisumé, while also working from a smaller menu in terms of the number of dishes served. You can tell that every element has been carefully considered and refined, resulting in an experience that distils the essence of omakase dining to its core elements.
Address: 256 Johnston St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9599 2799
Opened: March 2024
Price Guide: $$
Opening Hours: Tuesday — Saturday (6 PM — 10 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Carnation Canteen, Fitzroy
Another newcomer to Fitzroy is Carnation Canteen, located just off Smith Street and diagonally opposite the Union Club Hotel, which offers an experience that feels more like a well-to-do friend’s dinner party than a typical Melbourne restaurant. Operated by the wife and husband team of Audrey Shaw and Alexander Di Stefano, Shaw used to work at London’s Michelin-starred Ellory and now oversees the kitchen and menu at Carnation Canteen.
The menu generally changes once a week and offers a curated selection of starters, mains and sides that use plenty of locally sourced produce, while the wine list aims to champion sustainably focused and female winemakers. Before working in some of London’s best kitchens, Shaw was an architect and also designed the entire fit-out of the venue, which offers a play in contrasts punctuated by touches of soft pink.
Address: 165 Gore St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Opened: July 2024
Price Guide: $$
Opening Hours: Wednesday — Thursday (4 PM — 10 PM); Friday — Saturday (12 PM — 10 PM), Sunday (12 PM — 6 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Bistra, Carlton
Bistra is a recently opened wine bar in the heart of the CBD that offers a quintessentially Melbourne fusion of flavours from around the world. Opened by Henry Crawford (of Bar Romantica fame), Joseph Ho, and Alexei Taheny-Macfarlane, Bistra is set in a charming, double-storey space that Pip McCully and the team at Studio Wonder designed.
The menu is wide-ranging, serving up classic dishes including onion soup, cheeseburgers, king prawns, and cider-braised chicken Maryland, as well as your staple market fish and eye filet. Thanks to the team behind Bistra’s tenure in the industry, the wine list is very impressive and boasts at least 460 different bottles with a focus on locally grown grapes.
It’s equal parts charming and nostalgic, and well worth keeping on your list for the next date night you.
Address: 157 Elgin St, Carlton VIC 3053
Phone: (03) 9000 5607
Opened: April 2024
Price Guide: $$
Opening Hours: Wednesday — Thursday (5 PM — 3 AM); Friday — Sunday (12 PM — 4 PM, (5:30 PM — 10 PM))
Bookings: Recommended
Brico, Carlton North
Anyone who says Melbourne has too many wine bars is, unfortunately, incorrect, and the arrival of Brico in Carlton North is all the proof you need as it articulately refines the format we know and love so much. Opened by Josh Begbie (of Bar Liberty) and Phil Bracey and their partners, Robyn Nethercote and Tegan Ella Hendel, the menu covers everything from Sydney rock oysters and country-style pork terrine, to lamb and rosemary pot pie and confit duck leg.
Spinning a sizable record collection on a nightly basis and pouring plenty of sustainably produced bottles, this 30-seat venue is the kind of spot you’ll want to stop in on the commute between work and home.
Address: 555 Nicholson St, Carlton North VIC 3054
Phone: (03) 9191 7990
Opened: March 2024
Price Guide: $
Opening Hours: Wednesday — Friday (5 PM — 11:30 PM); Saturday (12 PM — 11:30 PM); Sunday (12 PM — 6 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Askal, Melbourne CBD
Combining Filipino cuisine and the kind of refined dining experience you might expect from a CBD venue, Askal was opened by Michael Mabuti (Toddy Shop, Kariton Sorbetes) and chef John River (Kariton Sorbetes, ex-Amaru, Sunda, and Lume) and serves up traditional flavours straight from the Philippines. The seasonal menu brings classic Filipino dishes to life using contemporary techniques and includes dishes like natural Pacific oysters, bluefin tuna & lap cheong sinuglaw, and torched scallop adobo.
Situated in the former Shakespeare Hotel and designed with an open bar and kitchen, the exposed brick walls of the interior are as warm and homey as the food on offer. Well worth making a reservation if you find yourself in the CBD for an evening.
Address: 167 Exhibition St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9639 2795
Opened: April 2024
Price Guide: $$
Opening Hours: Monday — Friday (5:30 PM — 10:30 PM); Saturday (11:30 AM — 3 PM, 5:30 PM — 10:30 PM); Sunday (11:30 AM — 4 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Kafeneion “emeis & emeis” Melbourne (Melbourne Supper Club), Melbourne CBD
Nestled between The European ceiling and the Siglo bar floorboards, the Melbourne Supper Club has warmly welcomed the Con Christopoulos and Stavros Konis-owned restaurant Kafeneion. The new venue has already established an intimate atmosphere under the watchful eye of the iconic Columbia Pictures logo, with space for up to 100 diners to enjoy the Athenian tavern-inspired hospitality.
You can expect a menu that includes a carefully curated selection of Greek classics, including braised beef cheek and pork, lamb and potatoes, oven-baked Greek pasta with chicken, and more. There are also fried sweetbreads, spicy cheese croquettes, and other delicacies to look forward to, while Greek-grown wine is available by the carafe or the glass.
Address: First Floor, 161 Spring St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9654 6300
Opened: February 2024
Price Guide: $$
Opening Hours: Tuesday — Saturday (5 PM — 3 AM)
Bookings: Recommended
Lucia Melbourne, South Melbourne
Melbourne’s already burgeoning dining landscape has levelled up even further with the arrival of Lucia Melbourne, bringing together decades of local hospitality experience under one roof. Opened by the same team responsible for Riserva, Baia Di Vino, and San Lorenzo, it’s located in South Melbourne’s new high-rise, Eleven Eastern.
With a 25-seat private dining area known as “The Vault” available for gatherings on the larger side — complete with a soundproof ceiling and a marble bar — the main restaurant is split across two sections, while there’s also a bar to perch at with a cocktail in hand. Expect modern European cuisine on the menu, while the wine list is up there with some of the very best in Melbourne after the owners spent much of the pandemic collecting rare and otherwise hard-to-get vintages.
Address: 11 Eastern Rd, South Melbourne VIC 3205
Phone: (03) 9765 6444
Opened: March 2024
Price Guide: $$$
Opening Hours: Tuesday — Saturday (12 PM — 10 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Wang Wang BBQ, Malvern
Recently opened on Glenferrie Rd, Malvern, WangWang BBQ is already turning heads with the enticing sight of meat and veg sizzling over table-integrated charcoal grills visible from the street. Boasting a modern ambience that’s both spacious and inviting, you’re immediately greeted by the aroma of a dozen barbecues, before you’re presented with a pair of tongs and Wang Wang’s signature blend of seasonings after you order.
The menu is focused on traditional Qiqihar barbecue with thinly sliced seasoned beef and premium Wagyu sets, as well as other northeast Chinese dishes that include gada soup and rice noodles. As far as drinks go, you’ll find fun Chinese-style cocktails, including the Lychee Daiquiri and Jasmine Negroni, rounding off a distinctive dining experience.
Address: 267 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern VIC 3144
Phone: 0432 801 267
Opened: February 2024
Price Guide: $$$
Opening Hours: Tuesday — Sunday (11 AM — 3 PM, 5 PM – 10:30 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Castlerose, South Melbourne
With an atmosphere that’s been meticulously considered by Melbourne hospitality veteran Glen Bagnara (responsible for Hemingway’s Wine Room and Clementine), Castlerose is a 40-seat underground bar and restaurant that’s recently opened doors in South Yarra. The kitchen is taken care of by Head Chef David Yuan, whose menu celebrates classic European fare with a modern twist and is designed for communal enjoyment.
Highlights from Yuan’s menu include delights such as ratatouille tarte tatin and succulent roast chicken bathed in black garlic and lemon gravy, while the Wagyu rump cap 6+ with Yorkshire pudding is a must-try. As you’d hope, the wine menu is no slouch either, serving Old World bottles with a specific emphasis on Champagne and Burgundy, alongside half a dozen thoughtfully presented house cocktails (naturally, the classics are also available).
Address: 67 Palmerston Cres, South Melbourne VIC 3205
Phone: (03) 9982 9369
Chef(s): David Yuan
Opened: February 2024
Price Guide: $$$
Opening Hours: Wednesday — Saturday (4 PM – 11 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Token, South Yarra
South Yarra already enjoys some of the very best restaurants in Melbourne, but its ranks have swollen with the opening of Token, an izakaya-inspired diner bringing the energy and diverse flavours of Japanese food. Created by the masterminds behind some of the city’s most beloved brunch spots — Higher Ground, Top Paddock, and The Kettle Black — Token is poised to become another local hotspot with 150 seats designed for casual dining and socialising.
Token offers an enticing array of sashimi and temaki from its raw bar, alongside flame-grilled delights from the yakitori grill, with the concept celebrating the informal beer-and-bar snack tradition that has seen a recent resurgence in Melbourne. With a focus on shared plates, Japanese beers, cocktails, and sake, Token is ready to offer a dining experience that brings together the culinary tradition of Japanese yakitori in a contemporary and unmistakably “Melbourne” setting.
Address: 151 Toorak Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141
Phone: (03) 9000 8937
Chef(s): Jun Sun
Opened: January 2024
Price Guide: $$$
Opening Hours: Monday — Sunday (5 PM — 9 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
The Walrus, St Kilda
The Walrus, the latest wine and oyster bar to grace the former Mr Wolf site on Inkerman Street, is swiftly becoming a cherished addition to the neighbourhood. With its warm, inviting atmosphere and friendly service, it was opened to offer St Kilda locals a place to enjoy a great glass of wine.
Visitors can indulge in an extensive selection of more than a hundred premium wines from Europe and Australia, with approximately 20 varieties available by the glass at the affordable price of around $14. Complementing the wine list are daily-rotating pintxos and a changing assortment of fresh Australian oysters, while the venue’s turntables provide the score for what combines into an idyllic scene.
Address: 9 Inkerman St, St Kilda VIC 3182
Phone: (03) 8626 7711
Opened: February 2024
Price Guide: $$
Opening Hours: Tuesday — Thursday (3 PM — 10 PM); Friday — Saturday (12 PM — 11 PM); Sunday(12 PM — 6 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
JollyGood Diner, Collingwood
JollyGood Diner, the latest venture from ex-Gimlet chef Raphael Exton-Pery, marks a delightful evolution from fine dining to the laid-back charm of a classic US diner, tinged with a touch of Melbourne’s wine bar polish. The venue combines booths, a communal high table, and a bar with stools, crafting a casual, inviting atmosphere that transitions seamlessly from morning coffee (something Collinwood is famous for) to late-night drinks.
As a homage to diner-style classics, the menu has been refined through Raph’s extensive travels in the US, with breakfast highlights including buttermilk pancakes and a hearty breakfast sandwich, while the evening menu features JollyGood’s stacked New York deli sandwiches and burgers. If you’re after a pick-me-up, the team is serving Supreme coffee, while if you’re after something to relax into the evening with, you’ll find beer, wine, and inventive house cocktails like the bourbon and peach iced tea-infused Arnold Palmer.
Address: 27A-29A Johnston St, Collingwood VIC 3066
Opened: January 2024
Price Guide: $$
Opening Hours: Monday — Wednesday (11 AM — 5 PM); Thursday (11 AM — 10 PM); Friday — Saturday (9 AM — 11 PM); Sunday (9 AM — 4 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Doju, Melbourne CBD
Recently opened by owner and head chef Mika Chae, Doju is a testament to Chae’s journey from South Korea to becoming a respected chef in Australia, with stints at Sezar, Attica, and as head chef at Grain of the Silos in Launceston. This journey enriched his appreciation for Australian produce, closely working with Tasmanian farmers to source the finest ingredients, an approach that is now a hallmark of Doju’s ethos.
As a result, the menu is inspired by Korean flavours and techniques with a focus on local produce, offering a compelling line-up of snacks and small dishes, such as gochujang-flavoured sourdough and beef tartare on a seaweed cracker. Larger dishes feature seasonal vegetables and meat cooked over a charcoal grill, while you can also expect a curated list of wines, soju, beers, and house cocktails with Korean elements, like yuzu and gochujang.
Address: 9/530 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9576 7447
Chef(s): Mika Chae
Opened: January 2024
Price Guide: $$$
Opening Hours: Tuesday — Thursday (3 PM — 10 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Feeling like the tried-and-true favourites instead? Check out the Best Restaurants in Melbourne.
If you’ve enjoyed this round-up of the best new restaurants in Melbourne, consider checking out these other locally-based dining guides below:
