7 splurge places in Melbourne, editor-picked. tasting menus and the full big-night-out treatment in Melbourne. All Melbourne food.
Amaru ★ 4.9
armadale · 5/1121 High Street, Armadale VIC 3143
Amaru holds three Good Food Guide hats, Melbourne's highest. Clinton McIver's 34-seat Armadale room runs a single tasting menu built on Australian produce.
Brae ★ 4.9
yarraville · 4285 Cape Otway Road, Birregurra VIC 3242
Brae in Birregurra holds three Good Food Guide hats and features in the World's 50 Best list. Dan Hunter grows most of what the kitchen cooks on the farm.
Tip: Brae is 90 minutes from Melbourne in the Otway hinterland. An overnight stay in the on-site cottages makes the trip logical.
Minamishima ★ 4.8
richmond · 4 Lord Street, Richmond VIC 3121
Minamishima earns three Good Food Guide hats for Edomae nigiri omakase: one set menu, 40 seats and one of Australia's tightest reservation systems.
Vue de Monde ★ 4.8
cbd · 525 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Vue de Monde holds three Good Food Guide hats 55 floors above Collins Street. Hugh Allen's tasting menu takes Victorian produce with the utmost seriousness.
Attica ★ 4.8
ripponlea · 74 Glen Eira Road, Ripponlea VIC 3185
Attica in Ripponlea holds two Good Food Guide hats. Ben Shewry builds menus from native Australian ingredients with research depth few kitchens attempt.
Navi ★ 4.7
yarraville · 83B Gamon Street, Yarraville VIC 3013
Navi holds two Good Food Guide hats in a 25-seat Yarraville terrace. Julian Hills' tasting menus make Melbourne's west a serious dining destination.
Matsu ★ 4.7
yarraville · 275 Barkly Street, Footscray VIC 3011
Matsu in Footscray holds two Good Food Guide hats for kaiseki across 12 seats. Chef Hansol Lee's room runs near-silent; the cooking demands that attention.