From new rooftop bars to soon-to-open restaurants in the Melbourne CBD, there are always plenty of new venues to know about in Melbourne. Here, we’ve picked the most noteworthy venue openings to have on your radar in 2024.
Whether you’re keen to know about a Bristish-leaning brasserie located right next to one of Melbourne’s best cocktail bars; a Mediterranean restaurant opening in an old cordial factory; a spruced-up hotel dining room; or a snacky speakeasy, we have you sorted.
Here are the best new restaurants in Melbourne.
Reed House
Who doesn’t love a good Scotch egg? Cool Britannia is alive and well at Reed House, a British-leaning brasserie right next to the cocktail pros over at Caretaker’s Cottage. Owners Mark Hannell and Rebecca Baker spent time in kitchens and on the floor of some of London’s best restaurants, including Ottolenghi’s Nopi, and are looking to other Old Blighty classics such as St. John for menu inspiration. So, Scotch eggs, roasts and more are all inbound. And to drink, there’s a tight wine and cocktail line-up, with a post-prandial nip across the courtyard to Caretaker’s, sure to become standard practice.
Circl
If wine bars are all about food now, why shouldn’t a new restaurant be all about wine? That’s the angle at the newly opened Circl, a “wine-centric restaurant” on Punch Lane, in the Melbourne CBD. There are more than 1500 wines here – 150 of which are by the glass – and the list, presided over by Ten Minutes by Tractor’s former head somm, includes some of the most hallowed vinos in the game. For food, the seasonal menu serves up classic Euro bistro snacks with a native ingredient edge.
Tombo Den
The Windsor end of Chapel Street will be home to a new two-storey venue by Chris Lucas. Located next to Hawker Hall, Tombo Den incorporates a sushi bar, private dining spaces and karaoke rooms. Pulling inspiration from the ever-colourful and dynamic city of Tokyo and its late-night izakayas and yokochos, the kitchen will be lead by Dan Chan (ex-Yardbird in Hong Kong and Supernormal). As the third Japanese restaurant in Lucas’ expanding empire (joining Kisumé and Yakimono) Tombo Den will offer a sprawling menu that isn’t pinned to one specialty, with a raw bar, rice and noodle dishes, dumplings and charcoal-barbecued seafood and meats. Tombo Den’s dedicated sushi counter will be spearheaded by Kisumé sushi masters Niigata-born Toaki Kyo and Carlos Lopez, with handrolls, nigiri and specialty seafood dishes.
Anchovy
After a two-year hiatus, Anchovy reopened in its Richmond digs on Bridge Street last month. The loved and lauded Vietnamese restaurant immediately hit a nerve when it first opened in 2015 with food billed as “Asian, Australian, a little bit in between”. This time around, co-owners Thi Le and Jia-Yen Lee announced on Instagram that Anchovy’s “DNA remains the same but… has returned with a stronger sense of self and a deeper conviction in its identity as a Viet Kieu (Vietnamese person living overseas).
Expect dishes such as casarecce with Lao sausage and snake beans; mì xào giòn of crispy egg noodles, King Dory, ginger and shallot; raw mullet, persimmon and mắm tép; and (hoành thánh) wontons swimming in smoked pork broth.
While Anchovy only reopened recently, the pair have been busy at other Bridge Street addresses, Laotian restaurant Jeow and their bustling Bánh Mì shop Ca Com.
Morena Melbourne
After launching Morena in Sydney earlier this year, chef Alejandro Saravia is bringing Morena to Melbourne’s CBD in a slightly different format. Slated to open this spring, Morena Melbourne will join Saravia’s Farmer’s Daughters restaurant at the swish 80 Collins precinct, split across two venues — Morena Restaurant and Morena Barra.
The first is a more formal dining experience offering both a la carte and set menus, while the latter is pitched as a lively all-day dining joint inspired by Latin American cantinas. Both venues will showcase dishes from Saravia’s home of Peru, while also exploring Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil. Sticking with his food ethos of working closely with producers (much like Saravia’s Melbourne restaurant Farmers Daughters), Australian produce will be used to showcase the flavours of Latin America.
morenarestaurant.com.au/melbourne
Cannoleria Carlton
A favourite at Melbourne markets, Cannoleria is opening its flagship in Carlton this winter. In ostensibly Italian fashion, the soon-to-open Sicilian dessert spot is opening on Lygon Street and promises a relaxed interior with indoor seating for 18 punters (a first for Cannoleria venues) and a rotation of innovative cannoli flavours on top of its traditional range, featuring That’s Amore ricotta. Plus, St Remio coffee will be on offer, brewed traditionally in a Moka Pot, alongside a few other hot beverages and chilled San Pellegrino drinks.
To celebrate its new flagship, Cannoleria Carlton will give away 1000 mini cannoli on its first day of service. To stay up to date, follow Cannoleria’s Instagram.
Aster
In the CBD, Aster is a new bar by the folks behind the hip Section. With an entrance via “Melbourne’s smallest laneway” (Tattersalls Lane), an original brick fireplace, live music and a lengthy cocktail list, Aster brings together Melbourne’s music and bar cultures in one venue. On the snack front expect poached prawn rolls with pickled celery and burnt butter aïoli; and a duck pancetta and pistachio terrine. Old faithful party hit, a trio of dips, gets a spruce up, with a shiitake mushroom and lentil parfait; whipped smoked trout dip served with trout roe; and mortadella mousse with pistachios.
Orlo
Collingwood is preparing to welcome a new Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and bar with a Guy Grossi-trained chef at the helm. Orlo will see executive chef Matteo Tine (ex-Grossi Florentino locally and Pixie Food and Wine in Byron Bay) lead the charge, alongside owner and operator James Klapanis. Shaped by his Sicilian heritage, Tine will work alongside head chef Simon Polkinghorne with a brief of ‘bistro-theque sophistication’, melding European sensibilities with techniques from France, Spain and the UK. Carlo Grossi will be looking after the wine list, while Joe Jones is designing a cocktail list that takes cues from the building’s former life as the Dyason Cordial Factory.
Elio’s Place
Brother-sister duo Adam and Elisa Mariani will swing open the doors to their third all-day European-inspired eatery Elio’s Place, named after their late father. Before taking on the Flinders House location, the siblings honed their skills opening Greta and Maverick, both in the CBD. Their new venue will continue their exploration of Italian-leaning eats. A big drawcard will be aperitivo hour from 3pm to 5pm daily, where you can expect snacky things to sit alongside well-priced glasses of vino from Old and New World producers. Executive chef Gareth Flood is overseeing the menu, that will also have English, French and British nods throughout.
Elio’s Place is slated to open in July.
Bistro Bisou
Tucked into Hotel Indigo on the corner of busy Flinders Lane and Spencer Street, newly opened Bistro Bisou marks chef Luke Mangan’s return to Melbourne’s dining scene after more than a decade. Head chef Rory Kennedy (Vex Dining, Bar Romantica) has curated a relaxed menu that pays homage to France’s progressing food scene. Think the likes of deconstructed prawn cocktail with Marie Rose sauce and raw scallops with confit potato for snacks, and decadent wood-roasted poussin and lobster thermidor for mains. Fans of the classics will be pleased with cheese soufflé, chicken liver parfait and, for dessert, apple tarte Tatin with vanilla bean ice-cream. The sprawling 96-seater is fitted out with leather banquettes, gold pendant lights, custom-made rattan chairs, and a cream carpet. For drinks, expect two-sip martinis and absinthe aperitifs, as well as a robust French-leaning wine list bolstered by plenty of local tipples.
Ross and Sunny Lusted to open two venues in Melbourne
Melbourne will score not one but two new venues from Ross and Sunny Lusted later this year, with a restaurant and a basement bar set to open. The names of both venues are still to be confirmed, but both join the launch of boutique hotel Melbourne Place in the CBD. A couple in and out of the restaurant, Ross and Sunny have worked in 15 hotels across the world, and currently head up Woodcut in Crown Sydney.
In their first Melbourne ventures, they’ll pin focus on Iberian coastal dining, with Ross set to explore the European peninsula’s sun-soaked cities and cuisines. “Having spent years living and travelling throughout coastal Europe, produce markets and local fisheries are woven into the fabric of each city and are integral to the rituals of daily life,” said Ross in a statement.
Bistra
In Carlton, Bistra is a fresh 60-seater European bistro. “Our fare draws its influence predominantly from British, French and Italian cooking and technique, and yet it is quintessentially Australian,” says co-owner Joseph Ho, who is behind the venue alongside Henry Crawford and Alexei Taheny-Macfarlane. Head chef Alex Nishizawa spent time in the kitchens of Attica, Bar Liberty and Falco. Here, he plates up refined European bistro standards, perhaps bubbling onion soup with a Comté-laiden crouton; or a rectangle of rich chicken liver pâté. A signature cheeseburger served with a whole pickle steers things into a more relaxed territory; while scotch fillet comes with a classic peppercorn sauce and fries; and red emperor is served with a white bean ragù and braised fennel. Panisse (chickpea fritters) come served with warm autumnal vegetables; while casarecce is dotted with squid, fermented chilli, olives and preserved lemon. The dining room takes on a restrained brief thanks to interior designer Pip McCully of Studio Wonder.
Mill Place Merchants
Gussied-up party pies, devilled eggs and whisky cocktails are the top orders at Mill Place Merchants, a new speakeasy-inspired bar and eatery in the CBD. Originally home to the Flemington Meat Preserving Company, the entrance to the 60-seat venue is hidden behind a grand gilt-framed mirror. Cocktails favour classics and use housemade garnishes including Tasmanian cherries macerated in Bourbon; and small pickled onions. Order up alongside devilled eggs topped with Yarra Valley salmon roe; jamón croquettes with green garlic aïoli; a mortadella, mozzarella and bush tomato relish sandwich; and mini steak onion and ale pies.
Prince Dining Room
Sydney chef Mitch Orr has revamped the menu at the Prince Dining Room to bring snacks and seafood to the St Kilda hotel restaurant. Working alongside head chef Ben Parkinson (ex-Pipis Kiosk) Orr brings
a menu coloured with some of his signature moves, so expect smoky flavours, Japanese kombu, anchovies and Australian seafood. Orr’s Jatz cracker-lead snack will get a Melburnian makeover, with Arnott’s Savoys on the menu, with crab cocktail on top as well as served alongside salumi and pickles. Flounder topped with yellow curry and fried curry leaves is one star of the woodfired-powered kitchen, alongside David Blackmore wagyu skirt with yuzu kosho; and braised mustard greens with hazelnuts. Orr’s playful approach to both pasta is also on show, with plates of mafaldine with beer and dashi braised beef short rib ragú; and maltagliati with saltbush kimchi and garlic chives. Snacks also get the Orr treatment. Expect crumpets with smoked butter and anchovies; and grilled Abrolhos Island scallops with kombu butter.
theprince.com.au/price-dining/room
Zareh and Sarafian
Hummus heavyweight and talented chef Tom Sarafian is set to open two new venues this winter, joining forces with Nathan Toleman who’s behind the Mulberry Group (Hazel Restaurant and Dessous). After closing Bar Saracen in early 2021, Sarafian spent time working on personal projects, including making his own hummus, toum and harissa products, as well as carefully making plans for his next ventures.
In the coming months, Melbourne’s CBD will welcome both Zareh, a restaurant and bar; and Sarafian, a deli and casual eatery. Zareh is named after the chef’s grandfather and will explore Levantine cuisine with a decidedly Melbourne feel, including Sarafian’s signature dish of king prawn and spanner crab hummus. You can also expect meats and seafood cooked over a custom-made Armenian barbecue; and a focus on flatbreads and pastries from Lebanon, Egypt, Armenia and more. At the eponymous deli, Sarafian’s handmade products will be on full display – think freshly made yoghurt, cheeses, jams and cured meats – alongside a dine-in menu.
instagram.com/zareh.melbourne and instagram.com/sarafian.melbourne
Fidels
A lively new rooftop bar opens in Melbourne’s Southbank this week, transforming the former Merrywell Rooftop at Crown Melbourne into a vibrant Cuban-inspired bar with bright-hued furnishings, Latin tunes and a lush terrace. Named Fidels, the bar is slated to open Thursday 18 April and promises playful cocktails; an extensive selection of rum and whisky; and a tapas-style menu – think braised lamb empanadas, salted cod croquettes and rum-glazed pork belly.
crownmelbourne.com.au/restaurants/fidels
The Walrus
Seaside ‘burb St Kilda has welcomed The Walrus, a sunny-hued, local-leaning wine and oyster bar. A 20-strong wine-by-the-glass list rotates regularly, and the wider list includes everything from bubbles to a dedicated page of wines that specifically pair well with bivalves. You’ll find different oysters served atop hand-carved ice, from Wapengo Lakes in NSW, Albany in WA and Duck Bay in Tasmania; and you can order an oyster “mezze” with oysters joined by cold cuts, pickles, dip, bread and salad. You’ll also find an assortment of seafood snacks including mussel beignets, prawn sandwiches and gildas.
Castlerose
Following year-long delays, South Melbourne has finally welcomed Castlerose, a moody supper club conceptualised by Glen Bagnara (Hemingway’s Wine Room and Bar Bianco). Twentieth-century opulence is channelled through the interiors with timber floors, slick marble and Italian terrazzo. Head chef David Yuan explores Euro wine bar snack standards – think duck rillettes with fig jam, cornichons, and toast; ratatouille tarte Tatin; and covertly plated confit duck, served from the table in a cigar box.
Doju
In the CBD, Korean food is setting the city abuzz, with Doju opening on Collins Street. Mika Chae (whose surname you may recognise as the cousin of eponymous restaurant owner Jung Eun Chae) heads up the operation, slinging South Korean-meets-modern Australian snacks with an emphasis on using top-notch produce. This may mean charred leeks come with crisp chicken skin, cashew cream and brown butter; or West Australian marron is served with garlic butter, stinging nettle noodles and green sauce. There’s also odes to some of Korea’s most loved dishes including galbi (Korean beef short rib) with horseradish, shiitake mushroom and chive kimchi; and market fish hwe (a sliced raw fish dish) with sunrise lime, doenjang (fermented soy bean paste), cucumber and Yarra Valley roe.
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