Melbourne
10 Best Restaurants in Melbourne
This comparison brings together 10 Melbourne restaurants with different reasons to visit. Use it to narrow the choice by cuisine, occasion, menu format and atmosphere, whether you want a shared meal, a lively casual dinner or an extended fine-dining experience.
Our method for this guide
This selection of restaurants in Melbourne weighs each business's reputation, which anyone can check online, against how much of its work is devoted to this service. Those that do exactly this, and have done it well for years, come first.
Featured positions are clearly marked and only offered to businesses that already earned their place in the guide.
Complete list
10 Restaurants in Melbourne Compared
3 Brothersss Indian Restaurant QVM Elizabeth Street
3 Brothersss Indian Restaurant QVM Elizabeth Street serves traditional Indian street food, tandoori dishes and curries. It suits diners seeking generous, approachable Indian meals in a straightforward setting, with dishes such as naan, tandoori chicken, paneer and lamb curries forming a substantial shared spread.
Notable strengths: A menu spanning street food, tandoori dishes and curries
Shared Indian meals with a choice of curries, naan and tandoori dishesDiners seeking approachable, flavourful Indian foodQueen Victoria Market, 513 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaNavi
Navi is a compact, low-key fine dining restaurant in Yarraville offering multi-course menus built around thoughtfully sourced ingredients. An open kitchen places the preparation in view, while the food is presented as light, balanced and carefully explained. With attentive service, cocktails and personalised touches for special occasions, Navi suits diners planning an intimate celebration or a considered tasting-style meal.
Notable strengths: Guests can watch the kitchen team work in the open kitchen
Anniversaries, birthdays and other special dinnersDiners interested in multi-course menus and an open-kitchen setting83b Gamon St, Yarraville VIC 3013, AustraliaThai Town Melbourne
Thai Town Melbourne is a Melbourne Thai restaurant serving curries, noodles and Thai street-food-style dishes in a kitschy, vibrant setting. It suits diners wanting aromatic, balanced Thai flavours, generous plates and a lively meal, with dishes including green papaya salad, glass noodle salad, pork platters, green curry and tom yum.
Notable strengths: The menu combines curries and noodles with Thai street-food-style plates
Casual Thai meals with friends or familyDiners seeking street-food-style dishesPeople who enjoy generous portions and vibrant surroundingsQV Shopping Centre, Shop/25 Artemis Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaLa Cucina Melbourne
La Cucina Melbourne is an Italian restaurant suited to relaxed group meals, serving pizza, pasta and desserts such as tiramisu. Its thin-crust pizza, generous pasta portions and warm, lively atmosphere make sharing straightforward, while dishes mentioned include carbonara, rigatoni, Ortolana pizza, pesto pasta with shrimp and calamari. Service is described as attentive and welcoming.
Notable strengths: Thin-crust pizza is light enough to share between two people
Groups wanting to share pizza and pastaDiners looking for a casual but lively Italian mealopposite Holey Moley, Corner of Cosgrave lane, 628 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaThe George on Collins
The George on Collins is an upmarket Melbourne restaurant and bar serving contemporary Asian-inspired dishes. Its menu has included Chifa and Nikkei cuisine, Thai dishes, dumplings, ceviche, seafood fried rice, crispy barramundi and contemporary desserts, alongside cocktails and a broad wine selection. Bar seating and a bar menu make it a flexible option for a long dinner or drinks-led visit.
Notable strengths: The menu brings together Asian-inspired styles including Chifa, Nikkei and Thai influences
Long dinners centred on contemporary Asian-inspired foodDiners wanting cocktails, wine and bar-top service alongside a meal162-168 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaVue de monde
Vue de monde is an elegant fine-dining restaurant in Melbourne’s Rialto building, offering tasting menus and sweeping city views. It suits special occasions and diners seeking theatrical, highly detailed courses with attentive service, pairings and a refined setting. The experience can include interactive table presentations, bespoke cocktails and a kitchen tour, while non-alcoholic pairing is also available.
Notable strengths: Sweeping Melbourne views from the Rialto setting
Special occasions and destination diningDiners interested in tasting menus, pairings and interactive presentation55 Rialto Towers, 525 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaKhao Man Gai Restaurant
Khao Man Gai Restaurant is a Melbourne Thai restaurant centred on chicken rice, offering both poached and fried chicken with fragrant rice, dipping sauces and clear soup. The menu also includes seafood tom yum noodles, crab rangoon and Thai milk tea drinks. It suits diners seeking comforting, generously portioned Thai food with quick service.
Notable strengths: Poached and fried chicken can be combined in one meal
Diners craving Thai chicken ricePeople seeking generous comfort-food portionsCBD visitors wanting a quick Thai mealShop A&B/389 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaPhilippe
Philippe is an upscale French restaurant in Melbourne’s Paris End, presenting French cuisine, a raw bar and drinks in a white-tablecloth dining room. Its menu includes bistro classics such as onion soup, cassoulet, chocolate fondant and duck dishes. Pressed duck can involve a tableside presentation and requires pre-ordering, making it a considered choice for a special occasion.
Notable strengths: Pressed duck is presented tableside and requires pre-ordering
Special-occasion diners seeking an upscale French mealGuests interested in classic French dishes and a raw bar115 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaBistrot d'Orsay
Bistrot d'Orsay is an established French-Mediterranean restaurant in Melbourne with an ornate ceiling mural, wall prints and a timeless bistro atmosphere. Its menu is described as small and luxurious, with dishes including charcuterie, risotto and beef bourguignon. Warm, professional service and an elegant yet relaxed setting make it suitable for both special occasions and casual dinners.
Notable strengths: The dining room combines wall prints with an elaborate ceiling mural
Diners looking for French-Mediterranean foodSpecial occasions, lunches or relaxed dinners184 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaFoglia di Fico
Foglia di Fico is a Melbourne Italian restaurant offering handmade pasta and a substantial wine list in a polished, warm setting. Its dishes include seafood-filled black squid-ink pasta, seafood pasta, arancino, vitello tonnato, steak and tiramisu. The restaurant also offers a five-course meal, making it suited to diners seeking a structured Italian dining experience.
Notable strengths: Handmade pasta includes black squid-ink pasta filled with crab
Diners looking for handmade Italian pastaPeople interested in seafood pasta and a robust wine listGuests seeking a five-course dining experience585 La Trobe St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
The numbers on the map match the positions in the list.
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What these restaurants offer
- Cuisine-led choiceCompare Indian, Thai, Italian, Asian-inspired, French and French-Mediterranean dining without treating every restaurant as interchangeable.
- Shared casual meals3 Brothersss Indian Restaurant QVM Elizabeth Street, Thai Town Melbourne and La Cucina Melbourne suit diners who want generous plates, curries, noodles, pizza or pasta to share.
- Tasting and fine diningNavi and Vue de monde provide multi-course or tasting-style experiences, with open-kitchen or interactive presentation details.
- Special-occasion diningNavi, Vue de monde and Philippe are suited to celebrations, with options such as pairings, cocktails, a raw bar or a pre-ordered pressed-duck presentation.
- Drinks alongside dinnerThe George on Collins combines contemporary Asian-inspired food with cocktails, wine and bar seating.
- Distinctive settingsChoose between a vibrant Thai setting, an open kitchen, a white-tablecloth French room, an ornate bistro interior or city views from the Rialto setting.
How to choose a Melbourne restaurant
- Start with the occasionFor a relaxed group meal, look towards pizza, pasta, curries or street-food-style plates. For a celebration, consider a multi-course or tasting format.
- Match the cuisine to the groupShared Indian, Thai and Italian menus offer different routes to communal dining, while French and contemporary Asian-inspired options suit a more specific food brief.
- Check the pace of the mealVue de monde is described as an extended tasting-menu experience, whereas Khao Man Gai Restaurant suits a quick Thai meal.
- Consider the settingAn open kitchen, city views, a lively atmosphere or a compact room can materially change the feel of the occasion.
- Read the practical notesSeating may be limited or fill quickly at some venues. Philippe’s pressed duck requires pre-ordering, so plan that request ahead.
Frequent questions
Which listed Melbourne restaurants are suited to sharing?
3 Brothersss Indian Restaurant QVM Elizabeth Street offers curries, naan and tandoori dishes; Thai Town Melbourne serves generous street-food-style plates; and La Cucina Melbourne combines pizza and pasta for group meals.
Which restaurants are best for a special occasion?
Navi, Vue de monde and Philippe are described as special-occasion options. Their formats range from multi-course menus to tasting menus and a white-tablecloth French meal.
Are any of these restaurants suitable for a quick meal?
Khao Man Gai Restaurant is described as offering comforting Thai food with quick service. La Cucina Melbourne also suits a relaxed but lively casual meal.
Does Philippe require advance planning?
Yes. Its pressed duck is described as a tableside presentation that must be pre-ordered.
