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Melbourne is no stranger to fashionable punters—after all, the city is dubbed the fashion capital for a reason. You wouldn’t be the first to be in awe of someone’s fit as they walk down Swanston Street, and you certainly wouldn’t be the last. Wondering where everyone is going? It could very well be SWOP. 

Casual, elegant and nostalgic. You might think there aren’t many pubs in the CBD that tick those boxes–until now. Springrock Public Bar is a delightful amalgam of modern Melbourne and a good old fashioned pub experience. It’s the type of place where you'll find a curated wine list but also be able to join 200 other punters crowded around a game of footy on the TV. 

Gertrude Street has fast become Melbourne's trendiest strip. Fancier than Brunswick Street, more artsy than Chapel Street, Windsor. And if there's one restaurant that sums up that whole effortlessly chic vibe, it’s Cutler & Co.

Named after the ultra-fine "double zero flour" that’s a pasta-maker's secret weapon, tipo 00 has firmly cemented itself as one of the most coveted dining experiences in Melbourne’s CBD. And when we say coveted, we mean reservations are a competitive sport—so be ready to snag that spot.

Windsor is about to get a futuristic twist with Chapel Street’s latest opening: The Chapel. This isn’t just another bar or restaurant, it’s a portal to a dystopian world where art, music, cocktails, and a Mediterranean-inspired menu collide.

Chin Chin is Chin Chin, there's no doubt abot it. You can’t talk about Melbourne’s culinary scene without mentioning the neon-lit institution. Over a decade in the game and you’ll still see punters lining up for those signature cocktails, punchy South-East Asian flavours and upbeat vibes. 

If you are seeking an authentic, fine dining Italian experience in the CBD, you simply cannot go past Bourke Street stalwart, Grossi Florentino Upstairs.

Two years after opening their second location in Malvern, the cult-followed charcoal chicken shop continues to expand its dynasty with their third location opening soon along Glen Huntly Road.

The brainchild of the one and only Shannon Martinez and renowned Melbourne chef Ian Curley, Lona Misa is the plant-based venue South Yarra didn’t know it was waiting for. Tucked away inside the Ovolo South Yarra Hotel--aka, the world’s first entirely plant-based hotel group—the 90-seater venue is a cafe by day, and bar by night, giving guests the best of both worlds when they dine inside. 

It's the Sydney-born brand that’s worked with the likes of Kendall Jenner and Travis Scott, and has outposts in all of the major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and London. Now, the streetwear label is returning to its aussie roots with a flagship store in Melbourne.

Ruby Dining is an understatedly elegant diner in Melbourne’s mid-town, serving up a cornucopia of tasty snacks, clever entrees and larger plates, a la New York bistros.

Drawing from their wealth of culinary expertise, Mamas Dining Group has just unveiled their latest venture on Chapel Street, Windsor Wine Room. Departing from the Asian-inspired approach of their renowned restaurants like Hochi Mama, Straight Outta Saigon, and Kiss & Tell, this wine bar embraces a European-influenced dining experience.

Indian diner Bibi Ji is bringing the spices of India to Carlton’s Lygon Street, Melbourne’s Italian dining epicenter, with an 80-seat restaurant specialising in dishes inspired by Indian street food. From the team behind the acclaimed Australian-Indian restaurant Daughter-in-Law, Bibi Ji, which translates to ‘mother’ in Punjab, is the brainchild of chef and co-owner, Amar Singh (Horn Please and Dhaba at the Mill).

Celiacs, rejoice. Newcomer Hotel Nacional's main schtick is an entirely gluten-free offering. It’s from the many brains behind Repeat Offender and Rufio, two Latin American-leaning restaurants known for ridding gluten from the kitchen. But with both those out in Elwood and St Kilda respectively, it was only a matter of time before the crew brought their signature flair to the CBD. And after having their eye on the former Campari House place for well over a year, the doors for Hotel Nacional are now open.

Sitting atop Vibe Hotel on the corner of Queen Street and Flinders Street is the tallest rooftop bar Flinders Street has in its repertoire—Fleet. It’s an impressive 68 metres tall which for a visual reference, Melbourne Central’s Shot Tower tops out at 50 metres. 

In 2024, Pinchy’s is lookin’ extra fresh. After four years residing on Bourke Street, the seafood restaurant and bar is ushering in a renewed era, assigning a new chef in the kitchen and rewriting the entire menu.

The humble North Fitzroy Arms. With new ownership comes a new team and a decent sprucing of the space, but the same amount of love that has been poured into the pub for the last 150-years remains steadfast. 

The Bon Vivant's Companion is the latest addition to Mornington’s bar scene—marble bench tops, brass detailing, deep timber floors, and splashes of emerald green. It’s moody, sleek and the epitome of a cocktail bar. Which is what they’re calling themselves, but with over 200 Australian spirits on the shelves, and a whisky and gin list that spans across 10 pages, it’s clear the crew are serious about their drinks.

At Albert Park, you’ll typically find sleek eateries and bars residing in almost every nook and cranny. For owner Baxter Pickard, that was the story of how he came to establish Wally’s: by being in the right place at the right time. By stumbling upon a vacant corner located next door to Bread Club, he envisioned a wine bar fueled by his love for wine and so, brought it to fruition.

Port Melbourne’s Starward Distillery and Bar, named Australia’s Most Awarded Distillery of the Year at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, has unveiled a revamped hospitality experience featuring an open-plan bar and intimate booth seating. 

Straight off the bat, the fit-out at Casa Chino already tops as one of the most beautiful restaurants in Melbourne. The undercover alfresco dining space is adorned with vibrant greenery running overhead along exposed wooden beams, and the centre-piece tree lights up with fairy lights, emitting a soft, warm hue. Inside, the pastel colours and contemporary Latin flair sets the tone for Casa Chino among the suede booth seating, poppy floor tiles, and curved archways.

Tableside amaro, rare home-grown Italian veggies, and a head chef with impressive creds—Bau Bau is opening in Mount Eliza.

If you dare climb Swanston Street’s Curtin House stairs or simply take the lift, you'll find Mexican tequila bar and kitchen Mesa Verde sitting high on the sixth floor, just underneath Rooftop Bar.

Niku Shiki has graced The Glen for two years, cementing itself as the epicenter for premium wagyu in Melbourne. Now, the three-in-one Wagyu specialist has landed in the heart of Melbourne’s bustling CBD.

The pair behind Johnston Street’s ‘70s-style bar Gum, Chris and Miles Brooks, are unveiling another decades-inspired eatery next door. This time, they’re bringing us back to the ‘80s with The Continental, or The Conti for short—the duo’s take on grab ‘n’ go deli with a touch of funky flair.

Shopping centres are picking up their dining game as of late. Last year, Chadstone poured $70 million big ones into the culinary precinct The Social Quarter that boasts chic restaurants like Cinque Terre and Cityfields. Now, the sustainable shopping centre in Melbourne’s east is following in similar footsteps by introducing a slick new all-day dining rooftop, Rombe.

Figlia made a splash in the Brunswick East dining scene a couple of years back now, and has had its praises sung far and wide ever since. It’s from the crew behind the Tipo 00 and Osteria Illaria Famiglia and, like its sibling venues, there’s one star of the show at Figlia—pizza.

Restaurateur Jason Jones and designer Brahman Perera—the minds behind Entrecote—are partnering up for Hopper Joint, an 80-seater Sri Lankan eatery.

The restaurant and sibling bar duo isn’t a new concept by any means, but it is one we’ve loved since day one. Apollo Inn and Gimlet, March and IDES, Rocket Society and Rumi—the pairings are designed to extend the dining experience late into the night, and for some of Melbourne’s best restaurants, why wouldn’t you want to? And with that, we welcome Bianchetto, the booze-forward sibling to Mister Bianco in Kew.

Joining a growing line up of Korean restaurants across Melbourne, Doju is a sultry fine diner on Little Collins Street that's perfect for a lunch date or post-work snack. 

The Wagyu Ya Group are a seemingly unstoppable force, with three locations operating and now a fourth one just over the horizon. With the success of Wagyu Ya, Yakikami, and Niku Ou, another venture was almost to be expected, and they haven’t disappointed. Introducing Wagyu Ya Teppanyaki, a brand new teppanyaki experience for those who are hungry for all things wagyu. 

Still rocking the Auckland Italian food scene, Otto (formerly Cotto) is one of the top Italian restaurants in the city. This spot showcases that Italian food doesn’t always have to come with a hefty price tag, with their menu ranging from $8-$28 and every single dish tasting like a million bucks. 

South Melbourne has always been a foodie hotspot with the iconic South Melbourne Market, but as of late, there have been more venues popping up left, right and centre. We welcomed UGO Burrata Bar with open arms in January, a flashy Mediterranean restaurant called Lucia swung open it’s doors this month (more on this soon), and mega Brewmanity is gracing the inner suburb any day. Now, cult-followed craft beer Pirate Life is opening its first venue in Victoria after a slew of spots across the nation.

Morgan Hipworth was just 15 years-old when he opened his now widely successful bakehouse, Bistro Morgan, quickly making a name for himself as the doughnut kid. Fast forward to today, and Hipworth has starred on MasterChef’s Dessert Masters, had his name splashed across his very own cookbook, opened a second Bistro Morgan site, and now Hipworth made his debut into the restaurant world with Maven at the age of 22.

The Albion Hotel has returned to its roots after a few different stints, the space formerly known as Perry’s, a private events venue, and Punter’s Palace in the 90s, a particularly lively pub. Taking on the original name that it wore for the first 120 years of its life, The Albion is reinstating its taproom atmosphere, having been bought by the owners of Bodrigging Brewing Co., Pete Walsh and Anthony Daniel, alongside Jon Costello and Greg Scott. 

Melbourne is unapologetic about its current sanga craze, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. Down in the south-east, Cheltenham has a fresh face on the scene in the form of Robin’s Deli, fittingly from the team behind Merrymen in Hampton. Head Chef Cristina Kelly’s menu is designed to balance unique flavours, marrying classic sandwiches with more modern combinations. 

The Skin Bar has finally arrived in Melbourne with its new outpost in Armadale. Securing a shop front on the bustling High Street right next door to Green Cup, you’ll spot this luxury skin clinic by its simplistic, forest emerald green exteriors.

Somewhat surprisingly, Melbourne hasn’t had a rooftop brewery bar in her midst yet, but that’s about to change with Brewmanity. With three levels including their brewery, a beer hall and two rooftop bars, Brewmanity will have you covered from top to bottom. 

Most sushi restaurants lean towards austere, restrained, and monochromatic—not Sushi Baby. Their distinctive pastel colour scheme perfectly offsets the bright colours in their sushi: think vivid orange salmon, deep pink tuna, fresh green cucumber, and bright white rice. Their mascot, a smiling child reminiscent of the Gerber baby, encapsulates their playful take on a sushi restaurant. Originally opening as a takeaway shop, their Brighton venue has opened its doors to dine-in customers, complete with an outdoor courtyard and a private dining space. 

YAWYE is Little Collins Street’s all-new smoothie and acai bar here to level up your nutrition game. 

Sunbury’s Ball Court Hotel is back in the game after a multi-million-dollar transformation—including an all-new 600sqm beer garden. 

Gertrude Street is known to harbour some exquisite food and drink spots, and this leafy green hub is now home to yet another killer venue—Gertrude Hotel.   

What started as a modest pop-up in the Docklands has transformed into an omakase with a waitlist of 4000 hungry patrons looking for a booking—Rōnin has settled into a permanent location in the middle of the CBD. 

If you’ve had your ear to the ground waiting to hear the rumblings of a fresh new restaurant set to shake up the scene, Tokyo Motto might finally be music to your ears.

After several months of rumblings, hospo heavyweights Maurice Terzini and Joe Jones link-up to bring you an authentic disruption to the city’s bar scene—Purple Pit. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the good-times bowling alley that is The Keys, now is the time to get involved. They’ve just announced an epic new expansion to level-up your dining while you bowl and drink yourself to victory. 

Pascoe Vale South has a new all-day brunch spot that’s begging you to feel at home, Emil’s. The space is packed to the brim with memories and cosy vibes—once their childhood home, brothers John and George El-Khoury have refurbished their parents' milk-bar into a delicious destination, keeping much of its raw aesthetic from their childhood. 

Scent is arguably the most powerful of all the senses—it can transport you to another place, or a different time. Born out of a warehouse and raised in Melbourne, Flâner Fragrances is a niche fragrance house that are all about using scent to tell a story, with each product in their perfume line developed with a distinctive profile and place in mind. Although they only launched in 2022, they’ve already developed a keen following, and are now opening up their very own boutique store on the iconic Gertrude Street in Fitzroy.

After many culinary residencies (Fitzroy’s Rochester Hotel, Avani Winery and more), Keralan cuisine chef Mischa Tropp has secured his first permanent venue on Collingwood’s Smith Street—Toddy Shop by Marthanden Hotel. 

The crew at Brick Lane Brewing have a brand new venture launching at the end of November 2023, and cracking a few cold ones is all but guaranteed. Introducing Brick Lane Market, conveniently located right in Queen Victoria Market. The iconic location is only matched by the building itself—once the premise of the infamous Mercat Cross Hotel (if you know, you know).

Harboured on a quiet side street in Bentleigh, Freddie’s Pizza Kitchen is a hole-in-the-wall shop championing wood-fired thin-crust pizza. At the helm is owner and pizza maker, Milton, who fuses his Jamaican heritage with years spent honing skills in Tuscany and New York.

Melbourne’s love affair with la dolce vita is not slowing down anytime soon, as embodied by the opening of a brand new aperitivo bar in the heart of the CBD. Torino Aperitivo is the new kid on the block, by the seasoned team behind Beneath Driver Lane. The focus is on bringing aperitivo culture to Melbourne, which entails succulent bites designed to whet your appetite, alongside a few drinks of course. Torino Aperitivo wants to infuse the sweetness of aperitifs with the vibrancy of Melbourne’s unique food scene, aiming for a match made in heaven. 

Nestled across from the Fitzroy Gardens is Roccella—East Melbourne’s all-day Italian eatery, backed by generations of family recipes. Fuelled by his Catania heritage, head chef Francesco Crifo brings over 20 years of experience, after residing in some of Iltaly’s most famed pizzerias and perfecting the foundations of each province’s pizza. 

Rosemary Andrews, the famed ex-pastry head chef of Ben Shewry’s Attica Summer Camp, is opening a dessert-dedicated, long-term pop-up store in Malvern. Still being fitted out, Mietta By Rosemary will be a minimal and monochrome store, with the spotlight on an art-gallery-like cake display. 

Mount Macedon Winery has just gone through one helluva glow-up, and within the evolution comes the introduction of Uumm, a fine diner focusing on the produce of Mount Macedon Winery and surrounds. 

Red Hill’s Southern-style barbeque and craft beer hall, Red Gum BBQ, has expanded to Seaford with a new concept—Red Gum At Home. 

New York’s famed mezcal bar, Ghost Donkey, is bringing its Mexican flair and fairy-light-covered ceiling to longstanding nightlife destination Crown Melbourne. 

Positioned tactfully near several LUCAS' venues at the iconic 80 Collins, this diner is (one of) restaurateur Chris Lucas' crown jewels. There are several elements to this stunner, with SOCIETY being the hero, which takes form as a grand dining room and lounge. And just as the space is grand, so is the menu—don't miss the wagyu striploin, and the stunning salmon en croute. 

Commune Group's dedicated open-grill diner, Firebird, is a fiery Vietnamese eatery driven by flame-focused cooking and punchy flavours.

Bringing Michelin-starred experience and European-style dining to Warragul is Messmates. The new bistro and wine bar in the Gippsland town is a joint venture from Jess and Chris Odrowaz alongside and chefs Michael Clarke and Jodie Odrowaz.