20 casual dining worth the trip across Australia, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Australia guides.
Zareh ★ 4.6 · Melbourne
collingwood · 368 Smith Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Zareh on Smith Street brings Armenian and Lebanese cooking with a charcoal focus that makes it one of Melbourne's most exciting casual rooms of 2025.
Pho Hung Vuong 2 ★ 4.5 · Melbourne
richmond · 108 Victoria Street, Richmond VIC 3121
The defining pho on Victoria Street: long-simmered beef broth with rare beef and brisket in a no-frills Richmond room that has fed the city since the 1980s.
Roma ★ 4.5 · Melbourne
cbd · 120 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Roma on Collins Street is Melbourne's most disciplined Roman trattoria: cacio e pepe tableside, proper tonnarelli and a small menu that refuses to overstep.
Rita's Abbotsford ★ 4.5 · Melbourne
collingwood · 239 Johnston Street, Abbotsford VIC 3067
Rita's in Abbotsford makes semolina-crusted pizzas with wood-fired char most pizza rooms approximate: small room, short menu, real consistency.
Tipo 00 ★ 4.5 · Melbourne
cbd · 361 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tipo 00 on Little Bourke Street is Melbourne's pasta room of record: squid-ink tagliolini daily, short seasonal menu and a room that stays full every service.
A1 Bakery ★ 4.5 · Melbourne
brunswick · 643-645 Sydney Road, Brunswick VIC 3056
A1 Bakery on Sydney Road has been Melbourne's Lebanese bakery anchor since 1992: thick manakish, fresh flatbreads and meat pies at a walk-in counter.
Bar Liberty Bistro ★ 4.5 · Melbourne
fitzroy · 234 Johnston Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Bar Liberty in Fitzroy holds one Good Food Guide hat: Melbourne's best natural-wine bistro with seasonal small plates and a list that rewards exploration.
Pappa Laksa ★ 4.4 · Melbourne
south-yarra · 26 Burwood Highway, Burwood VIC 3125
Pappa Laksa in Burwood slow-cooks its coconut broth for five hours: rich, layered and served with barramundi or king prawns over rice noodles.
Ho Jiak ★ 4.4 · Melbourne
cbd · 1 Rainbow Alley, Melbourne VIC 3000
Ho Jiak on Rainbow Alley references Penang and KL regional traditions: precise Malaysian cooking with handmade roti at the counter in a compact laneway space.
Cumulus Inc. ★ 4.4 · Melbourne
cbd · 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Cumulus Inc. on Flinders Lane is the CBD's best all-day operator: raw bar at the counter, whole roasted chicken for the table and a wine list worth exploring.
France-Soir ★ 4.4 · Melbourne
south-yarra · 11 Toorak Road, South Yarra VIC 3141
France-Soir on Toorak Road has served classical French food since 1982: the menu barely changes, theatrical service and an honest wine list.
Tip: Book ahead for Friday and Saturday evenings: it fills well before 8pm.
Stokehouse ★ 4.4 · Melbourne
st-kilda · 30 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda VIC 3182
Stokehouse on the St Kilda foreshore is Melbourne's defining seaside lunch: a one-hat seafood room with bay views and a kitchen earning its reputation.
Carlton Wine Room ★ 4.4 · Melbourne
carlton · 172-174 Faraday Street, Carlton VIC 3053
Carlton Wine Room is the neighbourhood bistro Melbourne dining culture is built on: seasonal cooking, natural wine and a room that rewards weekly return.
Green Man's Arms ★ 4.3 · Melbourne
carlton · 418 Lygon Street, Carlton VIC 3053
Green Man's Arms on Lygon Street is Carlton's fully vegan pub: Middle Eastern small plates, house falafel and kombucha on tap in a corner hotel with live music.
Daphne ★ 4.3 · Melbourne
brunswick-east · 52-54 Lygon Street, Brunswick East VIC 3057
Daphne is a public house in spirit: seasonal menu, cocktails and a wine list for conversation in a Brunswick East room that became a local anchor fast.
Good Days ★ 4.3 · Melbourne
collingwood · 86 Smith Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Good Days on Smith Street is Collingwood's Vietnamese pho anchor: aromatic broth, fresh noodles and regulars who know what they want before they sit down.
Suupaa ★ 4.3 · Melbourne
collingwood · 65 Dover Street, Cremorne VIC 3121
Suupaa in Cremorne takes the Japanese konbini as inspiration and applies serious cooking: the udon bolognese beats most Italian noodle dishes in the city.
Chin Chin ★ 4.2 · Melbourne
cbd · 125 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Chin Chin on Flinders Lane is the no-bookings Southeast Asian diner: arrive on a weeknight, order the whole fish and a cold beer from the freezer bar.
Maison Batard ★ 4.2 · Melbourne
cbd · 19-23 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Maison Batard's ground-floor boulangerie feeds the CBD from 7am; by noon the bistro above opens for French classics and a wine list without a bad bottle.
Grossi Cellar Bar ★ 4.2 · Melbourne
cbd · 80 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Grossi Cellar Bar serves the same kitchen as upstairs at half the price: fresh pasta, cured meats and Italian classics at a curved marble bar in the CBD.