Melbourne is one of the most diverse cities in the world, with people of many different cultures living in the Australian city. This eclectic mix of people gives rise to a range of tastes, none more noticeable than food. Melbourne has some of the best Thai, Italian, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Greek, Vietnamese and French food in the world, with renowned chefs giving the locals and tourists unlimited possibilities for their cullinary experiences.
With so many options for dining, it can become quite difficult to select the truly best restaurants in the city, in terms of food quality, service, price, ambience and overall experience. Many of the great places are tucked away in little laneways in the city, or at the end of the pier in Port Melbourne, places where people may never find them. By doing an online search for restaurants in a particular region you can find some of the more popular ones. Most of these have reviews but sometimes it can be hard to tell just from reading one. And tastes are subjective, with most people writing a review if they’ve had a bad experience that they want to get off their chest!
The Melbourne Good Food Guide is a book that reviews a vast array of quality restaurants in Melbourne. The publication is updated every year so the information is kept fresh and relevant. This is a great way to find some of the hidden treasures of the local restaurant scene, and the photography of the food gives you a great idea of what to expect. The book also captures the overall feel of the place, so whether you’re after a friendly sociable setting or a more romantic place, you can find it in here.
If you’re after a certain style of food, Melbourne has a number of clusters where you can find numerous restaurants serving similar cuisine all in the one area. For example, Little Bourke Streeet in the CBD is well known as ‘China Town’, with a wide selection of Chinese restaurants. There are cheap quick eats all the way up to fine dining at places like the Flowerdrum, something to suit all budgets and situations.
Keeping with the Asian theme, Victoria Street in Richmond is well known for its Vietnamese restaurants. Places like Tao Tao and Quan 88 serve up delicious authentic Vietnamese food, at amazing prices. I once had a birthday at the former place with a big group of friends. We all had a selection of entrees, more mains than we could finish and probably 3 or 4 beers each, and only paid $25 a head.
Moving to the water, there are some beautiful Port Melbourne restaurants to give your stomach a night to remember. A lot of the places along Station Pier focus on a mainstream menu which has something for everyone. Hollyhock provides an appetising array of pastas, pizzas, steaks, chicken dishes, and salads, all at a very decent price. The Docklands also gives diners a serene waterfront experience, with steakhouses and fish and chips some of the most popular.
My personal favourite would have to be Meccah Bah, a groovy venue serving up flavours from Morocco and the Middle East. A lot of these places are perfect for both family meals or romantic dinners. Make sure you do your research, find what you like, and trust your instinct.