Stokehouse ★ 4.4
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.
Order: Grilled barramundi with seasonal greens and brown butter
Zareh is a middle eastern restaurant in Collingwood, Melbourne.
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.
Must order: Chargrilled flatbread with yoghurt and lamb fat
Address: 368 Smith Street, Collingwood VIC 3066, Melbourne
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.
Order: Grilled barramundi with seasonal greens and brown butter
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.
Order: Tagliolini al nero di seppia with squid
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.
Order: Za'atar manakish with fresh tomato and onion
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.
Order: Fresh pasta of the day with a glass of Barolo
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.
Order: Seasonal raw oysters and the cheese course
Carlton Wine Room is the neighbourhood bistro Melbourne dining culture is built on: seasonal cooking, natural wine and a room that rewards weekly return.
Order: Fish with seasonal grain salad and preserved lemon