Brunswick is a true icon of Melbourne, a glorious pocket of the city like no other. It dances to the beat of its own drum, and honestly? So does its food scene. The restaurants here are as unique and diverse as the suburb itself.
In the delicious lineup of cuisines is comforting and hearty Ethiopian, dreamy Italian pizzerias with serious Nonna-energy, wonderful Chinese-Peruvian fusion known as Chifa, and truly so many more sparkling gems.
Best Brunswick Restaurants At A Glance
- Best Casual Dining In Brunswick
- Best Cheap & Cheerful Eateries In Brunswick
- Best Pubs In Brunswick
- Best Fine Dining Restaurants In Brunswick
From iconic cheap eats that keep us coming back for more to award-winning diners with some serious class, you don't have to venture far from Sydney Road to satiate any type of hunger, mood or budget.
Here are the very best Brunswick restaurants in 2025 according to Urban List:
Best Casual Dining In Brunswick
Whether you're after a relaxed meal with friends, a date night you don't have to get too dressed up for, or a casual dinner and drinks before [insert main event of choice here]—Brunswick has some sweet, sweet goods that will please many a restaurant-goer. From modern Japanese eateries to spicy Thai grill cocktail bars, here are the best casual dining spots in Brunswick:
Bar Spontana
4 Saxon Street, Brunswick
If you like it hot, you’ll love it here. Contemporary Thai grill is the name of the game, and if you’re not chilli inclined, make sure to tell the staff as some of the meals are spicy af. On the menu you’ll find a selection of skewers (try the kangaroo with sticky glaze) and an array of small, medium and large dishes. The baked scallops are a must.
Fermentation is king at Bar Spontana, with an emphasis on natural, organic and biodynamic products on the drinks list. A factor which won them the title of ‘Best Drinks List Of The Year’ for 2025 by the Australian Good Food Guide.
iMa Asa Yoru
1 Duckett Street, Brunswick
Image: iMa Asa Yora | Supplied
Located in the Nightingale Village just off the Brunswick bike path, iMa Asa Yora is a modern eatery serving up traditional Japanese breakfast, lunch and dinner. The daytime meals revolve around Teishoku—Japanese set meals which include rice, miso soup, a main dish and side dishes. Dinner involves modern izakaya dishes with the likes of barramundi brandade, eggplant dengaku and karaage chicken gracing the menu. Pair it with some sake or icy beer and jazz tunes, and you’ve got the full Ima Asa Yoru experience.
Just a few doors down is their sister venue iMa Pantry where you can pick up Japanese groceries, takeaway food, housemade baked goods, coffee and other drinks.
Madonna Electric
833 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Image: Madonna Electric | Supplied
Mondays hit different when you know you’ll be hitting up Madonna Electric for their weekly bottomless pizza night. You read correctly, all you can eat pizza crafted to perfection in an old school Italian joint (think Nonna’s house vibes)—it doesn’t get much better. It’s ambient, cosy and you won’t want to leave (except maybe to lie down).
Though no matter what day of the week you visit, you’re guaranteed a good and delicious time. They do pizza right here. The dough at Madonna Electric is cold fermented over three to four days, hand stretched and then baked in a stone base oven. The result is a thin, perfectly crisp base that will make regular appearances in your dreams.
The drinks list is everything you could hope for: packed with delightful spritzes, quality cocktails, and a wine list highlighting local and Italian wine makers. Heads up: the negroni is stirred over arborio rice for a rounder mouth feel—you need to try it. And here’s something you might not have seen for a while, if you pay like Nonno (with cash), you’ll get 10% off your bill.
Casa Chino
212-214 Albion Street, Brunswick
Image: Casa Chino | Supplied
Straight off the bat, the fit-out at Casa Chino already tops as one of the most beautiful restaurants in Melbourne. The undercover alfresco dining space is adorned with vibrant greenery running overhead along exposed wooden beams, and the centre-piece tree lights up with fairy lights, emitting a soft, warm hue. Inside, the pastel colours and contemporary Latin flair sets the tone for Casa Chino among the suede booth seating, poppy floor tiles, and curved archways.
For the food, you’re up for some bold Chifa—Chinese-Peruvian cuisine. An unexpected collision of Chinese-Cantonese spice with Latin American ingredients. You can go the sharing route with two set menu offers at $39pp and $59pp, or nibble as you go on the a la carte menu that spans across small plates, raw seafood, dim sums, skewers and plates hot off the wok.
It’s all in on the pisco for the drinks list. If you’re on the hunt for your new-found cocktail, this is the place to try some of the best Peruvian pisco. All the classic cocktails are also covered, plus non-alc, wine and beer options, but if you’re feeling adventurous and keen to get boozed, go the casa scorpion bowl to share with a mate.
Rin Sura
206 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Image: Rin Sura Brunswick | Supplied
Meandering down Sydney Road, it’s hard to miss Rin Sura with its bright neon green signs beckoning you from afar. We’re not sure what packs more of a punch at this modern Thai eatery: the food or the cocktails.
Do yourself a favour and order the Rin Sura Tour which gives you a taste of five dishes selected by the chef for $50 per person. Or if you want to order a la carte, some faves include the burrata with roti, caramelised onion and sweet and sour sauce, the traditional pad thai and the scallops in buttery tomkah and lemongrass. This Brunswick restaurant is warm, inviting and well-worth adding to your list of restos to visit.
Mamma’s Boy Trattoria
6/10 Tripovich Street, Brunswick
Image: Mamma’s Boy Trattoria | Supplied
Mamma’s Boy Trattoria is slinging authentic home style Italian cooking like nobody’s business. It's simple ingredients turned into fabulous feasts, and the handmade pasta is simply divine.
Channel you're inner Nonna at one of their gnocchi masterclasses, where you're taught by one of the Mamma's Boy chefs the techniques behind picture-perfect gnocchi, followed by lunch with wine at the restaurant. What the yum?
Hold onto your tastebuds though, because the fun doesn’t stop there. Aperitivo Sundays is a thing, where you can indulge in aperitivo and unlimited Italian buffet for $35. And bottomless gnocchi and cocktails is calling your name on the last Sunday of every month at this stunning Brunswick Italian restaurant.
Nina’s Bar & Dining
11 Florence Street, Brunswick
As if the sunny Brunswick bike path wasn’t cute enough already, Nina’s Bar & Dining has made this locale not just a transit point but a destination. The menu is vegetarian friendly with stunners like broccoli and gouda croquettes, grilled sugarloaf cabbage and BBQ carrots. Or masterpieces like the cook strait snapper fillet and rump steak with mustard jus for the meat eaters.
But it’s the weeknight dinners we’re absolutely loving. Our favourite is the Tuesday night specialty: $35 steak (including a vegan lion’s mane mushroom steak option) and a glass of malbec for $12.
Best Cheerful & Cheap Restaurants In Brunswick
Cheap and cheerful joints are the bread and butter of Brunswick. These are the places that add character to Sydney Road and fill your belly with hearty goodness without leaving you contemplating your next pay check. Here are the best cheap eats in Brunswick:
Ge’ez Ethiopian
718 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Named after one of the ancient languages spoken in Ethiopia, Ge’ez Ethiopian is a heart- and belly-warming restaurant in Brunswick. There’s no single tokenistic vegan option here—half the menu is vegan and vegetarian so there are plenty of options for the non-meat eaters. For a little taste of a lot, go for one of the share platters which involves the chef’s choice of a range of dishes alongside a house salad.
And of course it’s all served with injera, Ethiopian flatbread made of teff which is a gluten-free grain packed full of protein, fibre and other nutrients. You can rest assured you’re getting your daily intake of veggies and yums at this diner.
A1 Bakery
643-645 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Image: A1 Bakery | Supplied
With a cult following, the original A1 Bakery on Sydney Road in Brunswick is the spot for all your Lebanese baked goods. The family-run bakery, cafe and Middle Eastern grocer founded in 1992, is famous for being cheap and cheerful, while still slinging excellent food.
Formerly the haunt of only students the bakery has passed into legendary status with folks from all walks of life diving into a cheese pie or settle in for coffee and to watch the day go by.
You can now find them at a very hip and chill Fitzroy outpost, doing trade in Fairfield and now out west at Highpoint, as well as the OG Brunny spot.
Good Days Noodle Bar
165 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Vegans, it’s time to pho-king freak out. Good Days offers vegan Vietnamese food on Sydney Road, with half the menu dedicated to vegan-friendly dishes. Think house-made vegan mushroom and tofu spring rolls, chargrilled tofu steak with toasted taro, and fragrant four mushroom pho.
For your carnivorous friends, meat is free-range and ethically sourced. Expect organic eight-hour roasted pork, 24-hour sous-vide Victorian Black Angus beef brisket and free-range chicken.
This pint-sized restaurant seats just 25 pho-addicts. Tiled floors, deep timber benches and pale emerald walls create an upmarket, modern space. Underneath plump Edison lights, you can sit at the bench and watch the Good Days chefs at hunger satisfying work.
The wine selection should tickle your fancy, with a limited but on-point offering including orange wine and Japanese plum wine.
Good Days Hot Bread
644 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Further up Sydney Road from the original Good Days Noodle Bar, is its newer sister venue Good Days Hot Bread. Basically, it’s Good Days’ banh mi shop. Not your usual Melbourne banh mi joint, this place is sleek with stainless steel benches, wooden stools and bright signs.
There are seven banh mi varieties on the menu, including two vegan friendly options. The refreshments include Vietnamese iced coffee, regular coffee, nitro iced teas and tepache, a slightly fermented pineapple drink. Yum.
Very Good Falafel
629 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Image: Very Good Falafel | Supplied
The double act behind this foodie hotspot doesn’t mess about, they’ve been gaining popularity ever since their days at farmers’ markets. There are no frills or elaborate recipes. They just make them exactly how falafel should be—cooked then stuffed into one of their freshly baked Israeli-style pitas. It is simple honest food, but the flavours speak volumes. And that warm hummus topped with whole chickpeas and paprika is something else. Seriously, it’s Very Good Falafel.
Shop Bao Ngoc
387 Victoria Street, Brunswick
It doesn’t get much more wholesome than Shop Bao Ngọc. It’s a former restaurant turned community space run by second generation Vietnamese chef Ngọc Trần, who has rejected the concept of food for profit. She believes food is for community and stands by her word—no one is turned away at Shop Bao Ngoc due to lack of funds.
With two other jobs, Ngọc opens this joint when she has time. You won’t find any regular opening hours, instead check her Insta here for updates. The food is constantly changing but you might find something like bún măng gà being served. It’s a Vietnamese chicken and bamboo noodle soup often served with a side of chicken salad served with ginger dipping sauce. Don’t be surprised if you find Ngọc’s mum and other family members in the kitchen working alongside her.
Green Field
376-378 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Green Field is cheap and cheerful to a tee. It might just be the cheapest sit down dinner money can buy in Brunswick, but that doesn’t mean they compromise on quality. The interior is simple and no-frills, just like the type of classic Vietnamese diner you’d wander into on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City.
And at $14 for a bowl of pho, you really can’t go wrong. The salt and pepper tofu, fried rice, and curry temptation are all crowd pleasers as well but the menu is long so take your time perusing if your appetite will allow. You’ll find other Asian-inspired dishes like pad thai and singapore noodles if you feel like venturing outside of Vietnamese cuisine.
Best Pubs In Brunswick
We're lucky enough to have some cracking pubs in Brunswick. Whether you're after a good old fashioned parma the size of your face or vegan takes on classic pub fare, here are the best pubs Brunswick has to offer:
The Cornish Arms
163A Sydney Road, Brunswick
Image: The Cornish Arms | Supplied
The Cornish Arms is not your average Melbourne pub. If you like rooftops, vegan food, or beer, this place requires your attendance, stat. With one of the biggest vegan menus in Melbourne, this pub is a vegan’s dream. Vegan parma, burritos, pizza, burgers, souvas—you name it.
There’s also specials on nearly every day of the week: $18 souvs on Monday, $14 margaritas on Tuesday, $20 steak nights on Wednesdays, trivia on Thursdays and $18 burgers on Fridays—a bad time to visit this pub doesn’t exist. Alongside 16 vegan beers on tap, you’ll also find a whip-smart little wine list: local whites, a few bubbles and even a vegan tempranillo from Tumbarumba (a darker, black grape variety, used to make hefty reds).
Throw in some sweet CBD views from the stunning rooftop (that’s right, a rooftop bar in Brunswick!), and you've got the perfect Sydney Road venue. Well played, Cornish Arms.
The Retreat Hotel
280 Sydney Road, Brunswick
The Retreat Hotel is a Brunswick icon whose reputation surpasses the suburb’s borders. You won’t find a reliable 'best pub in Melbourne' list that doesn’t include this place. The spacious beer garden is primed for whiling away the weekend with a sizable beer selection. There’s live music in the band room and pub trivia every Monday and Tuesday to kick off the week.
On the food front, the pub classics are in abundance. Snacks include popcorn chicken, charred corn, pizza and nachos. Mains include parmas, burgers, and a butter chicken curry. Got a Sunday roast craving? The Retreat will deliver, with all the trimmings and house made gravy. There’s a vegan option too.
Edinburgh Castle
681 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Image: Edinburgh Castle Brunswick | Supplied
Brunswick’s longest standing pub, Edinburgh Castle, is the kind of pub every suburb deserves. It’s the type of place where on a Saturday afternoon you’ll find a family lunch gathering inside and a DJ blasting electronic tunes out the back. It’s the pub for anyone and everyone, as they should be.
When it comes to food, it’s good old fashioned pub grub. Parmas, pies, burgers, steak, pizza, and so on. Who doesn’t love a pie night? There’s specials on most nights of the week so check their website if you want to cash in. The $20 weekday lunch deals are also worth checking out.
P.S. Find more of Melbourne's greatest pubs here.
Best Fine Dining In Brunswick
Fine dining might not be be what Brunswick is best known for, but there are some magical fine diners well worth checking out in the Brunswick area. Here are our top recs:
Bar Magnolia
295 Sydney Road, Brunswick
This hatted French bistro might be home to some of the finest food in Brunswick. The vibe at Bar Magnolia is intimate, relaxed and accessible. It’s the kind of place you want to enjoy and savour with someone special.
The chef’s set menu comes in at $95. Stars from the a la carte menu include Jerusalem artichoke tarte tatin and blue mackerel tartare. Open just Thursday to Saturday for dinner and Saturday for lunch, you'll want to make a booking at this Brunswick restaurant. The wine list is short but sweet with one each of orange, chilled red, rosé and sparkling.
Main Image Credit: Madonna Electric.
Urban List Best Of: has our highest stamp of approval—curated lists of the very best recommendations for you to eat, do, see, buy or book, carefully chosen by our Editors.
These Are The Best (And Most Viral) Takes On The Tiramisu In Melbourne
Tiramisu —literally “pick me up” in Italian—more than lives up to its name, with a mood-boosting trifecta of coffee, sugar, and creamy decadence. While its traditional recipe (and origin) are hotly contested we do know one thing, Melbourne has some bangin' iterations.
The Best 20 Restaurants In Melbourne In 2025
Our editor reckons these 20 spots from casual to fine dining are the best restaurants in Melbourne as of July, 2025. How many have you been to?
The Best Pies In Melbourne For 2025
Finding that perfect combination of crackling puff pastry, rich stewy filling, and buttery shortcrust is practically a spiritual quest. Lucky for us, you don't need to make the pilgrimage out of Melbourne to satisfy your pie cravings anymore.