A Complete List of Melbourne Restaurants That You Have to Try

After 28 years of being known as the Geebung Polo Club, the iconic Auburn Hotel has returned to its original name from 1888! A beautiful heritage-style building, the Auburn has stylish bar and lounge facilities, a recently revamped dining area, and an extensive outdoor courtyard boasting a retractable roof.

The menu features contemporary meals and classic pub dishes, thoughtfully crafted with a focus on premium, mouthwatering meats straight from the grill. The Pumpkin Gnocchi is a standout thanks to its crunchy pepita seeds, but truthfully, the entire menu is a winner here. Pair these options with a cold beer or glass of local wine, and you are in for a treat!

The Golden Gate Hotel is another iconic spot that was established in 1853. This historic gem seamlessly blends a modern dining experience with the warm and inviting ambience of a traditional pub. Their stylishly renovated dining room is a great place to catch up with your crew and dive into the contemporary menu, expertly curated by a highly experienced team that celebrates the diversity of Australian and International cuisine.

The showstopper here is the Eggplant Parma which offers crispy crumbed eggplant, tomato sugo, melted mozzarella, and a sprinkle of fragrant basil. Accompanied by a fresh house salad and perfectly cooked chips, this winner exemplifies the quality the Golden Gate Hotel is known for. Head down when the next footy match is on, and enjoy it on the big screen with something scrumptious.

The Newmarket Hotel in St Kilda is essentially Melbourne’s home of the parma. Think your classic pub vibe but with a modern, stylish sheen and exceptional attention to detail across every meal released from the kitchen. You can have a lot of fun here watching sports across the venue or hanging in the beer garden with your dog. Yep, that’s right, furry friends are absolutely welcome to hang out here as well.

The Newmarket team host bottomless brunches every weekend, so you can eat and drink until your stomach is content. If the classic parma isn’t your vibe and you are trying to watch those calories, the Roasted Root Salad with quinoa, pumpkin, beetroot, dutch carrot, and greens is a delicious way to keep things healthy. No matter what you choose, the Newmarket is a great spot to hang out for lunch or dinner.

The Smith is perfectly located on High Street in Prahran and frequented by the locals for their boozy Gospel Brunch and Drag Sundays. People also love to hang in the jungle-themed atrium while enjoying the menu, which celebrates fresh seasonal ingredients that pair beautifully with a carefully chosen wine list and a huge range of quirky cocktails.

When you pop down to The Smith, you can expect a range of meals that are particularly focussed on delighting your tastebuds with an unusual but brilliant mix of flavours. For example, the Harissa Spiced Woodfired Pumpkin Salad with quinoa, roasted peppers, and a delicious slow-roasted cauliflower is the definition of the chef’s kiss emoji. Trust us when we tell you that you’ll love being in this brilliantly-designed venue as much as you’ll love the food.

Pop over to Church Street in Richmond and visit the Prince Alfred’s beer garden to catch up with your mates or relax with your partner and soak in the atmosphere of this classic venue. The menu and huge (really huge) drinks list make this one of the best places to treat your tastebuds in Richmond.

The eats are updated seasonally with handpicked local produce, and the share plates are a true standout. Great for nibbles with your friends and to help soak up the many drinks you’ll want to work your way through when you see the selection, the share menu deserves repeat visits. The deep-fried eggplant tenders alone will have you saving this address in Google Maps under your favourites list, we promise.

If you are going to pub, you may as well gastropub, right? Why not bump up the level of quality in what you will be eating with a more explorative menu? Well, that’s exactly what is on offer at The Middle Park Hotel. The seasonal menus champion the best of Victorian produce via bespoke dishes crafted by the skilled team here.

The Wild Mushroom and Truffle Risotto is a standout, but we recommend sitting down for the ‘Feed Me’ menu and truly experiencing everything this spot has to offer. The vegan version is particularly spectacular, and you’ll be lucky to even make it through to the end with the amount of dishes that will be coming your way. It’s a great time for all involved!

The Station Hotel’s reputation is one for the steak-lovers as they proudly serve the best steaks in the west. Their premium, locally sourced steaks are delivered with classic cooking techniques and a range of cuts and sizes to suit all preferences.

Beyond steaks, the remainder of the menu is French-inspired with local and seasonal ingredients. While you may not expect it for a place that is known for its steaks, the Plant Based Burger is one to try! With a pumpkin bun, this burger has vegan cheese, ketchup, mustard, cos, tomato, pickles, and a side of skin-on fries. It’s a delicious combo that is worth a trip over to the west side.

The Duke of Wellington is Melbourne’s oldest pub (it was built in 1853), and its central location makes it a destination for lovers of sport or people who just want to hang on their rooftop bar. Smack, bang in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, you can opt for some classic pub eats or try an elevated dining experience in the dining room for a pan-fried gnocchi with mushroom ragout, pumpkin seed pesto, and reggiano.

You can also pop into Arthur’s Cocktail Bar for something exciting to drink. We recommend something fresh and fruity to pair with the Warm Beetroot & Pumpkin Salad that includes spiced hummus, almonds, toasted nuts and seeds, and some red endive to keep you feeling reinvigorated on a sunny weekend in the city.

This is a special one; State of Grace is a European-inspired gem that includes a hidden cellar bar called Fall From Grace and a rooftop that offers an ambience like no other. Inside you’ll find huge share plates, a seasonal menu, tons of cocktails, and more under the chandelier lights.

Fall From Grace is accessible from Thursday to Saturday, offering expertly mixed signature cocktails paired with late-night bites to keep you chatting with your buddies into the wee hours. Back upstairs, the most popular dish on the menu is the Potato & Ricotta Gnocchi, with includes broad beans, zucchini, and squash blossom. If you want to envelope yourself i some true Melbourne style while dining on something special, this is the spot.

The Sarah Sands Hotel is the oldest local pub in the heart of Brunswick (established in 1854), and its Executive Chef has created a menu that offers traditional pub classics with a range of vegetable-focussed dishes with native ingredients.

What does that look like you ask? How does a Roasted Beetroot Salad with roquette, witlof, candied walnuts, goat’s cheese, flaxseed, and white balsamic sound? Well, we’ve tried it, and the answer is excellent. Pop down and try one to see for yourself.

You’ll never go hungry again with this huge list of Melbourne restaurants that you simply have to try. Work your way through them but be warned; many will require repeat visits once you’ve seen how many great options the menus have on offer. Australian Venue Co. is here to keep you well-fed in some of the coolest surroundings in Melbs; we hope you enjoy!