Melbourne CBD is slowly coming back to life after it went through perhaps the worst of Australia’s lockdowns, in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Although it’s still a bit quieter than usual, the CBD of Melbourne is always a bit of a daunting place to look for great restaurants, as there are so many to choose from and it can become overwhelming.
MORE: The Best Restaurants All Over The Rest Of Melbourne
But don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Here are the best restaurants in Melbourne’s CBD.
Embla
Russell Street
Embla is a narrow wine bar/restaurant in the heart of Melbourne-town, known for it’s quirky ever-changing wine list, super knowledgeable staff, and uncomplicated approach to food. Simple, clean, adventurous and inviting. Ranging from carpaccio to mussels, to homemade bread and cured greens, Embla has it all. It’s a great place to try something new; a wine from a region you’ve never heard of, or a vegetable prepared in a way you’ve never seen. The interiors of Embla are effortless, slightly European and somehow calming, even though there’s a constant flow of buzzing people coming in and out.
How to book: You can book here, via their website.
Farmer’s Daughters
80 Collins Street
Farmer’s Daughters is Melbourne CBD’s first true farm-to-table restaurant, bringing a little piece of Gippsland to the city. It has fast become one of Melbourne’s best restaurants. With a simplistic approach to food, chef Alejandro Saravia is passionate about showcasing the flavours of country-Vic at their absolute best, with zero wastage. Part of the new 80 Collins development, the fit-out is breathtaking, taking inspiration from the colours of Gippsland; gum-green, bark-nude, cold soil-charcoal. Farmer’s Daughters is three levels of magic, with each level a different mood: a deli, provedore and casual eatery on the ground floor, a degustation restaurant with sophisticated views on the first floor and a rooftop cocktail up top, complete with a native herb garden.
How to book: You can book here
Tipo 00
Little Bourke Street
Tipo 00 is pretty well-known for its incredible homemade pasta and top notch Italian flavours and techniques. Although it’s only a small restaurant, its reputation is impressive, and with good reason. With a seasonally rotating menu, their winter menu offers things like gnocchi with braised duck and porcini, squid ink tagliolini with squid and bottarga and tagliatelle with Gippsland rabbit, saffron and peas. The energy inside Tipo 00 is warm, cozy and approachable, while still managing to feel like a high-end restaurant. People come from all over Australia and the world to try their incredible homemade pasta and perfect sauce combinations that are sometimes unexpected and always exceptionally executed.
How to book: You can book via the website.
Supernormal
Flinders Lane
Supernormal exists among the office bustle of Flinders Lane. It’s an all-day eating house with a menu influenced by the cuisine and restaurants of Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul and Hong Kong, with classic dishes revisited and some new beauties created. Supernormal is a classic mix of neon cherry fun, and a light-filled, plant-filled and modern food hall feel. Another one of Andrew McConnell’s projects, Supernormal is Asian-fusion done right, with an infamous lobster roll and ‘Fried Chicken Mondays’. It’s a beautiful combination of refined and casual, with an entire menu designed to be shared and a restaurant layout that feels busy, buzzy and yet somehow, spacious.
How to book: You can book here
San Telmo
Meyer’s Place
San Telmo offers up Melbourne CBD’s best Argentinian, in our humble opinion. Their menu centres around the Spanish ethos that food is an experience shared between friends, family and lovers. The decor is dimly-lit yet somehow still vibrant, with a dark sexy feel, much like the Argentinian Tango, really. The food is quite high-end, it’s not so much a casual tapas restaurant as it is refined plates to be shared as a fine-dining experience. Think smoked meats, an intricate take on tapas-style plates, with fresh, colourful fruit and veg elements. Rich with a cellar of Spanish reds and a 2.5 metre Parrilla charcoal grill, San Telmo delivers true to its roots; named after the oldest neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. San Telmo also serves up possibly one of the best steaks. Ever.
How to book: You can book online, via their website.
Daughter In Law
Little Bourke Street
Jessie Singh’s newest restaurant Daughter In Law combines Indian and Australian cuisines, and just opened on Little Bourke Street. Following on from siblings, Horn Please, Babu Ji and Don’t Tell Aunty, the newest member of the Singh family serves up ‘inauthentic’ Indian-Australian fare from a luxe Bollywood-inspired setting. Expect things like lamb chops cooked in a tandoor with mint chutney, masala prawns, and naan bread pizzas topped with chilli cheese.
How to book: Book online.
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