The best new restaurants in Melbourne

Dine at the romantic and fitting new addition to the Paris End of Collins Street. Maison Bâtard is a luxe, four-storey French bistro from famed restaurateur Chris Lucas. Start with a basket of house-baked baguettes and try the pear and hazelnut cheese soufflé. For a main, order the eye fillet steak tartare with mustard and potato crisps. Then complete the evening with a cocktail at Le Club downstairs. 

Go family-style at Melbourne’s neon-lit South East Asian restaurant and cocktail bar Juni. Dishes here are shareable so this spot is ideal for a big group. Don’t skip on the Chinese roast duck with pancakes, cucumber and pickled daikon – it's the perfect bite. Other highlights include steamed barramundi with black bean and ginger flower, jungle curry with marinated salmon and wok-fried calamari with pickled papaya. Hot tip: grab the lunchtime deal Monday-Friday and you’ll get four plates with a beer or wine for $42. Now that's a steal.

Hacienda is proving to be one of Melbourne’s favourite Mexican restaurants. This riverfront gem in Southgate is your go-to for legit tacos, tostadas and more. Venture out and order hard-to-find dishes like bone marrow with coriander caper salad, Tijuana-style beef shin and aguachile – a Mexican-style ceviche. And what get-together would be complete without a refreshing cocktail? Check the drinks menu for stand-outs like the Origanum featuring oregano-infused tequila, Frangelico and lime.

Need to feed a sports team-sized crew? Book a spot at the Kolkata Cricket Club and prepare for a big Indian feast with a twist. We’ve got our eyes on the lamb burra kebab and the Bengali goat curry. For those big groups opt for the set menus starting at $95 per person. There are vegetarian and premium options to keep everyone full and happy.

Transport yourself to California at Marmont – Melbourne’s new riverfront restaurant. Take a leisurely stroll along Southbank, grab a table under the sun umbrella and order a round of fruity cocktails. The team even do mini three-sip cocktails, so you can try more! Looking for a light bite to eat? Try snack plates like rock oysters, scallop ceviche and marinated mussels. For something a little more substantial go for the set menu. It comes with a selection of the menu’s greatest hits including lamb shoulder, sashimi and more.  

Melbourne’s coolest new hotel Melbourne Place has a vibey new restaurant to boot. Book a table at Marmelo and you'll be treated to a fancy Portuguese feast. Start with small plates like swordfish in olive oil, spanner crab and cod and potato croquettes. Then try grilled octopus, wagyu rump with wood oven peppers and lobster with piri-piri butter. After your meal, head upstairs to Mid Air rooftop bar and enjoy a cocktail with a view.

Reed House is found in the enclave of bluestone buildings at Wesley Place. Right by much-loved pub, Caretaker’s Cottage, it brings new life to one of Melbourne’s most beautiful heritage-listed buildings. It has the ambience of a British brasserie. Or perhaps a stylish friend’s dinner party. The wine list skews modern, and so do the classic dishes. Try ramen Scotch eggs, Welsh rarebit crumpets, roast chicken and crunchy salt and vinegar potatoes. 

This well-trodden corner of Flinders Lane felt destined to host a cosy all-day bistro. And charming Euro-inspired Elio's Place has slotted in perfectly. Start your morning with a comte omelette and some people watching at the window bar. Then swing by later for aperitivo hour cocktails and snack plates. Dinner might be pappardelle with white duck ragu. Or rump cap with borderlaise sauce and fries. And make sure you order a side of house-made focaccia and miso butter. 

Melbourne’s newest Latin American restaurant brings a little luxury to Little Collins. Spend a long lunch sampling street food snacks at the casual wine bar, Morena Barra. Then head next door for an elevated dining experience at Morena Restaurant. The dishes here are stunningly presented. Think delicate starters like venison loin tartlets. Plus bigger share plates like Otway pork belly with sweet potato and Wagyu striploin with cassava terrine.

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 freshly-shucked oysters with coconut, oxtail with a peanut curry and blue swimmer crab. Then load up on large plates like pork belly, smoked chicken and baked barramundi in banana leaf. Be sure to leave room for the desserts though. Think flan with rum caramel, ube cake and more.

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.

Modern Korean fine dining and native Aussie flavours. Seek out this deliciously unexpected pairing at Doju, hidden among the office buildings on Little Collins Street. Try gochujang sourdough and smoked mussels. And retired dairy cow beef with bugak and desert lime. For dessert there's corn cheesecake tart brulee with local figs, dark chocolate mousse with young citrus and hotteok, macadamia and wattle seed ice cream.