The best new restaurants in Melbourne

A little taste of Northern Thailand awaits at Khao Melbourne. The signature dish here is the khao soi. This coconut curry soup comes with a tonne of condiments to create your perfect broth. Sprinkle on some crunchy noodles. Add lime, pickles and herbs. Then amp up the chilli as hot as you can handle. Overdid it on that heat? It's nothing a Thai milk tea and icy cold bingsu dessert can't fix.

Heading to the footy at Marvel Stadium? Put down the meat pie and elevate your pre-footy dining at Friends of Fire. This new restaurant specialises in fire-grilled dishes infused with Aussie flavours. Think king prawns drenched in fermented chilli butter, dry-aged rib eye with chimichurri and smoky pork ribs. For a dash of dinner theatre, book the hotseat at the grill to see the chefs prepare your meal over the flames.

Melbourne has just landed a new authentic Filipino bar and eatery. Askal is a celebration of iconic dishes that are comforting yet elevated. Start with the ocean trout kinilaw and snacky ox tail doughnuts with kare-kare peanut curry. Load up on large plates and be sure to leave room for the desserts. Think coal-roasted swordfish, black garlic fried rice and halo halo with stone fruits.

Modern Korean fine dining and Aussie native flavours. Seek out this deliciously unexpected pairing at Doju, hidden among the office buildings on Little Collins Street. Try salted calamari with Geraldton wax. Moreish gochujang sourdough. And retired dairy cow beef with bugak and desert lime. For dessert there's injeolmi ice cream. It comes topped with candied walnuts, yoghurt mousse and rhubarb.

A stunning 132-year-old building has been transformed into Melbourne's most luxe new dining experience. Head to Reine & La Rue in the former stock exchange and dine under the grand gothic arches. The French-inspired menu is brimming with fine-dining favourites. Think caviar service, freshly shucked oysters and Wagyu by the kilo.

Tucked away on Driver Lane is a joint honing in on Italy's aperitivo culture. The menu focuses on tasty morsels like warm nduja, burrata with heirloom tomatoes and house made arancini. As for drinks, you can't go wrong with classic martinis, spritzes and negronis. Speaking of negronis, there's a free flowing fountain of the good stuff right at the bar.

Is it a restaurant or is it Nonna’s house? Comedy trio Sooshi Mango has opened its own version of an old-school Italian diner – Johnny, Vince and Sam's Ristorante. And it comes complete with a generous serving of nostalgia. Step inside and be transported to a retro-style home packed with vintage decor. The food’s pretty great too. Enjoy parmesan-crusted schnitzel, slow-cooked beef meatballs, arancini and more.

Melbourne has just earned itself a new multi-level venue featuring a restaurant, rooftop bar and basement comedy club. Head to the top level for signature cocktails like the frozen lemon 'squashie' or the pavlova daiquiri. The food is top-notch too and is available on every floor. Think Wagyu beef burgers, spanner crab spaghetti, king salmon salad and eye fillet with chimichurri and fries. In the basement you’ll find a NYC-inspired comedy venue hosting stand-up gigs from some of Australia’s best talent.

Silky strands of handmade pasta and creamy risottos take centre stage at this moody late-night pasta bar. Tucked down tiny Niagara Lane, Alt Pasta Bar's chefs create art with simple dishes in an open kitchen. Order a plate of gnocchi with shiitake pickles or perhaps squid ink spaghetti with spanner crab. Everything is made in-house, from the pasta down to the seasonal gelato, and carefully paired with a curated wine list.