Dining - Culinary Extravaganza

Melbourne is at the forefront of culinary innovation. It has more than 3,000 restaurants, cafés and bars, serving around 75 different ethnic cuisines, and our local chefs head the list of who's who in the kitchen. Dine at a restaurant owned by a celebrity chef, sit down to water views, find a table in a street specialising in a specific cuisine or seek out a local favourite.

Culinary Smorgasbord

Head to one of Melbourne's restaurant precincts for a delicious variety of dining experiences. Chinatown is ideal for a cheap, quick meal and Lygon Street is famous for affordable, tasty Italian cuisine. Lonsdale Street offers Greek fare, Victoria Street in Richmond is the place for all things Vietnamese, and Flemington and Footscray are home to restaurants and cafés right out of Africa and the Middle East.

Serving It Up Fresh

Melbourne hosts a market every day of the week, from the famous historic Queen Victoria Market to small community street markets that sell locally-grown and made produce. Join the early morning chefs and enthusiastic locals who buy the best and freshest produce and enjoy the colour, community and culinary overload of a Melbourne market.

White Tablecloth Dining

Book ahead to savour a meal prepared by one of Melbourne's award-winning chefs. Try the Italian cuisine at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen, be seduced by the delectable fare from Andrew McConnell's kitchen at Circa, or indulge in a banquet at Australia's most awarded restaurant, Flower Drum. Crown's growing reputation as a world-class dining precinct is assured with the presence of Rockpool Bar & Grill and Nobu among its group of fine restaurants.

Café Culture

Melbournians cannot go far without their caffeine "fix". Our baristas are famous for their superlative brews served in hole-in-the-wall cafés, iconic favourites and chic laneway cafés throughout the city.

Beyond the CBD

Find a table with a view at Docklands, Melbourne's busy harbourside eating, drinking and shopping precinct, or at Southbank overlooking the Yarra River. Head south of the Yarra to St Kilda for fine food at Donovans or The Stokehouse. Around the corner in Acland Street, try for a table at the ever-popular Cicciolina. Alfresco eating is popular at Williamstown and the cafés of South Yarra and Prahran. Try South Melbourne, Albert Park and Middle Park for patisseries, gourmet produce stores and superb wine shops.