Melbourne
10 Best Restaurants with Lunch Specials in Melbourne
This guide helps you choose a Melbourne lunch venue by dining style rather than by cuisine alone. Compare quick CBD meals, shareable modern Asian dishes, business lunches, special-occasion settings and restaurants with distinct drinks or dietary options.
How this guide is ordered
Think of this as the list you would want if you were hunting for restaurants with lunch specials in Melbourne yourself: people who know the job, clients who come back pleased, an easy way to get hold of them and a spot not far away.
Paying for a visibility service is open to any business, so a few listings here are more prominent.
Full list
10 Restaurants with Lunch Specials in Melbourne Compared
Ho Liao Melbourne by Ho Jiak (Enter from Rainbow Alley)
Ho Liao Melbourne by Ho Jiak is a central restaurant entered via Rainbow Alley, serving modern Asian food in a setting with a Singaporean hawker-hall feel. It offers dine-in, takeaway and delivery, with lunch, dinner, small plates, set menus, cocktails and a broad selection of dishes including Hainanese chicken, roast duck, curries and stir-fries. Generous portions and multiple dish sizes make it particularly suited to sharing.
Stands out: Singaporean hawker-hall atmosphere with bold, flavourful cooking
Groups wanting a broad, shareable modern Asian menuDiners seeking lunch, dinner or a pre-show meal in a central locationGuests needing vegetarian or vegan optionsLevel/2 Rainbow Alley, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaLexy Restaurant and Bar
Lexy Restaurant and Bar is an Asian fusion restaurant in Melbourne offering dine-in, takeaway and delivery, with lunch and dinner reservations recommended. It suits intimate celebrations, group dinners and solo meals, combining small plates, vegetarian options, cocktails and wine with a cosy, trendy setting. The menu is distinguished by bold, layered flavours and dishes such as dumplings, cured king salmon, lobster on fried shokupan and wok-fried crab egg noodles.
Stands out: Innovative cocktails paired with bold, layered Asian fusion dishes
Special dinners, celebrations and Asian fusion sharing meals377 Flinders Ln, 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.
Stands out: 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, 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.
Stands out: 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, AustraliaCDMX Melbourne Central
CDMX Melbourne Central serves Mexican street-food-style meals in Melbourne Central, with dine-in, takeaway and delivery options. Its menu includes tacos, small plates and vegan and vegetarian options, while the Melbourne Central location is described as halal certified. Birria tacos, handmade salsas and authentic marinades are recurring parts of its offering, making it a practical choice for a quick CBD meal or casual group visit.
Stands out: Birria tacos with slow-cooked beef and consommé
Diners seeking halal Mexican food in Melbourne CentralQuick bites, takeaway or casual dine-in mealsVegan and vegetarian dinersElla Precinct, Melbourne Central Shopping Centre, 211 La Trobe 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.
Stands out: 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, AustraliaCaterina's Cucina E Bar
Caterina's Cucina E Bar is a lunch-only Italian restaurant in a Melbourne basement, designed around business lunches and an extensive wine selection of more than 400 bottles. It suits diners looking for comforting Italian food, seafood dishes and a long, relaxed meal in a quietly tucked-away setting. The menu and drinks are supported by attentive table service.
Stands out: A basement setting creates a tucked-away escape from the CBD
Business lunches and extended celebrationsDiners seeking Italian food with a broad wine choice221 Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaSan Telmo Melbourne
San Telmo Melbourne is an Argentinian restaurant centred on chargrilled food in an eclectic, high-ceilinged space with hanging cow hides. The menu suits diners who enjoy steak, chorizo, empanadas, grilled vegetables and chimichurri, with an open kitchen and grill adding to the atmosphere. Portions are substantial enough for a filling dinner, while empanadas may be shareable.
Stands out: Open kitchen and grill at the heart of the restaurant
Diners seeking Argentinian chargrilled foodGroups wanting a lively dinner with shareable dishes14 Meyers Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaPastuso
Pastuso is a Melbourne Peruvian bar and grill pairing ceviche and other modern Peruvian dishes with pisco-based cocktails. The menu features seafood sourced from Australia and New Zealand, alongside dishes such as Wagyu anticuchos and scotch fillet. Dark timber, geometric tiles and a cosy, slightly dim setting shape the experience.
Stands out: Ceviche and pisco-based cocktails provide a clear Peruvian focus
Modern Peruvian dining, group meals and special occasions19 AC/DC La, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaIl Solito Posto
Il Solito Posto is an Italian restaurant in a warm, rustic basement setting with wine-stacked shelves, alongside a casual upstairs café. It suits diners looking for comforting Italian food, wine and a cosy Melbourne atmosphere, including date nights and pre-show meals. The bar is open throughout the day, while the dining room opens in the evening.
Stands out: Offers both a rustic basement dining room and an upstairs café
Cosy date nights and pre-show dinnersDiners seeking Italian food with a considered wine selectionBasement/113 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Each number on the map is a business in the list.
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Lunch formats and dining styles
- Shareable modern Asian lunchHo Liao Melbourne offers small plates, set menus and multiple dish sizes, while Lexy combines Asian fusion dishes with vegetarian choices and drinks.
- Quick casual CBD mealsKhao Man Gai focuses on chicken rice and quick service; CDMX Melbourne Central offers tacos, small plates, takeaway and delivery.
- Business lunches and wineCaterina’s Cucina E Bar is described as lunch-only, with Italian food, seafood and more than 400 wines in a tucked-away basement setting.
- Longer lunches and celebrationsBistrot d’Orsay, San Telmo, Pastuso and The George suit diners seeking a more considered meal, distinctive atmosphere or group occasion.
- Dietary and menu varietyHo Liao, Lexy and CDMX include vegetarian or vegan options in the supplied material, with CDMX’s Melbourne Central location described as halal certified.
How to choose a Melbourne lunch restaurant
- Pick the paceFor a quicker meal, consider Khao Man Gai or CDMX. For an extended lunch, Caterina’s, The George or Pastuso offer a more leisurely format.
- Match the menu to the groupChoose shareable dishes at Ho Liao or San Telmo, or select a focused comfort-food option such as chicken rice or Italian cuisine.
- Check the occasionBistrot d’Orsay and Lexy suit special dinners and celebrations, while Caterina’s is explicitly positioned around business lunches.
- Confirm bookings and timingReservations are recommended or advisable at several venues, and Il Solito Posto has separate bar and dining schedules plus a stated busy-period dining window.
- Consider atmosphereCompare hawker-hall energy, a cosy trendy room, an open grill, a dark Peruvian setting or a rustic basement before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
Which Melbourne lunch restaurant is best for a business lunch?
Caterina’s Cucina E Bar is specifically described as a lunch-only restaurant designed around business lunches, Italian food and an extensive wine selection.
Where can groups share lunch dishes?
Ho Liao Melbourne offers multiple dish sizes and set menus, while San Telmo includes shareable empanadas alongside chargrilled food and vegetables.
Which venues offer vegetarian or vegan choices?
Ho Liao, Lexy and CDMX have vegetarian or vegan options in the supplied information. Confirm the current menu when booking.
Are any listed lunch venues suitable for a quick CBD meal?
Khao Man Gai is described as offering quick service, and CDMX Melbourne Central is positioned for quick bites, takeaway or casual dine-in.
