The food news has been coming in thick and fast in Melbourne, and to make sure that you're across all of the food and bev movements, we've wrapped up everything that you need to know in a handful of digestible servings.
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Keep up to date with all of Melbourne's food and drink news right here, hot and fresh out the kitchen as of July, 2025:
Mosh Moshi! Chotto Is Calling Tokyo From Apollo Inn & We're Picking Up
Image: Apollo Inn | Supplied
It might just be the collab of the year. The legends at Chotto in Fitzroy are teaming up with the heroes at Apollo Inn for one decadent night of Japenese snacks, spirits and sake.
Doors open at 3pm on Sunday, 27 July with Chotto's Caryn and Brendan serving up a menu of izakaya-style snacks while the Apollo Inn team sling Japanese Slippers, Whisky Highballs and sake, as well as those iconic martinis.
As always, rezzies are available and walk-ins are welcome, but this is one we'd book in advance (and take the Monday off for).
Ribs & Burgers Launches A Decadent Dubai Chocolate Thickshake
Image credit: Ribs & Burgers | Supplied
The people have spoken: we simply can’t get enough Dubai chocolate in our system, but luckily there’s a new contender on the menu serving dessert decadence in a cup. Ribs & Burgers have just launched a Dubai chocolate thickshake—treating you to a rich and creamy blend of all the good stuff. We’re talking pistachio paste, chocolate sauce, pistachio crush, and crispy kataifi pastry for sip after sip of indulgence. Available for a limited time only, you can find your nearest store here.
Lune's July Line-Up Features A Sticky Date Croissant That’ll Ruin You (In A Good Way)
Image: Lune | Pete Dillon
Lune has dropped its July specials and leading the charge is the Sticky Date Pudding Croissant—a buttery banger filled with date purée, crunchy walnuts, lashings of butterscotch sauce, and finished with a dollop of whipped cream. It’s giving nostalgic dessert, but in a flaky, golden, eat-it-in-one-sitting kind of way.
Also in the box this month: a triple choc pain au chocolat with mascarpone chantilly (for the cocoa heads), a rhubarb crumble escargot that tastes like winter, and a black sesame–sugar-dusted cruffin filled with miso custard and cherry gel. Oh, and did we mention the truffle potato pull-apart loaf?
You’ll want to get in early—Lune’s drops don’t stick around long and this line-up is pure serotonin.
Gelato Messina x Tony’s Chocolonely Limited-Edition Cookie Pie
Image: Messina & Tony's Chocoloney | Supplied
Arguably the sweetest collab we’ve seen in awhile, Gelato Messina is putting a decadent new spin on their cult-favourite cookie pie with the help of Tony’s Chocolonely—the bold bars on a mission to set a new ethical standard in the cocoa industry. Now packed with chunky pieces of Tony’s milk and dark chocolate, these cookie pies are golden on the outside, gooey on the inside, and designed to be baked fresh at home (you can take credit, we won’t tell). Can’t find your oven mitts? There will be single serve warm cookie pies available in-store during winter as well. Messina has also created a limited-edition gelato to pair perfectly with the pie dubbed Brownie Points—think salted milk chocolate gelato with lashings of caramel and Tony’s double choc brownie—that will be available in all Messina stores for one week from 12 July or until sold out. As for the cookie pies, they will be fittingly available from 7 July for a limited time; it’s World Chocolate Day after all.
Dulce Gelateria Have Created The Ultimate Campfire Classic With A Gourmet Twist
As the days are getting chillier, the search to find the perfect, warm drink is becoming more and more urgent. Well, we are proud to say that you need to look no further as we have found the most cozy, nostalgic, indulgent drink to soothe your frosty souls.
Dulce Gelateria have created the Belgian S’more Hot Chocolate, pretty much heaven in a mug. This consists of the rich hot chocolate, topped with homemade toasted marshmallow fluff, fresh cream, and chocolate flakes. And if that description doesn't convince you, the taste of the chocolatey goodness certainly will. Whether you are in the Greensborough area, or make the trip specifically for this, we assure you — you will not be disappointed.
Say Ciao To Forks, It’s Lasagna On The Go
Image: Lasagne Lab | Supplied
Get ready to see lasagna pockets in hand as you walk down the street, as Lasagna Lab have created the newest viral food moment. With sandwiches being the talk of the town in Melbourne, Lasagna Lab have jumped on the trend to create the ultimate winter warmer lunch option, with a twist. The tasca (translating to ‘pocket’ in Italian) has a crispy golden shell with the indulgent, hearty lasagna inside—with the game-changer of being ready to eat on the go. The real question is, how did we live without a portable lasagna?
And good news for those in West Melbourne, Lasagna Lab have just opened their newest location a little closer to home. If you are looking for old-school recipes that meet exciting creativity, check out the newest installation of the Lasagna Lab restaurants (oh, and perhaps pick up a Taska while you are there)!
We Love An Ice Cream Sandwich & This One Is All About Matcha, Matcha, Matcha
Image: Piccolina Gelateria | Supplied
It’s going to be a green winter! We are so down to clown with this eye-popping matcha ice cream sanga Piccolina and Hikuu collab.
Founded on Hikuu ceremonial grade matcha, the creation is a matcha blondie, strawberry jam, matcha gelato all dipped in matcha white chocolate glaze and finished with a generous coating of matcha white chocolate crumble.
If you aren’t dashing out the door already to grab yourself a cheeky treat, we’ve got a ‘but wait, there’s more’ moment for you: the crew are also doing a matcha sundae.
Yep, that iconic Hikuu matcha sundae is back with matcha gelato, strawberry jam, matcha blondie, matcha snow, whipped cream and doused in caramel sauce, matcha rocks and finished (of course) with a maraschino cherry on top—just like any sundae should be.
These run-don’t-walk limited-edition treats will be available from Monday, 14 July until sold out. The Matcha Sandwich is available for $20 from all stores, the Piccolina website and delivery. The Matcha Sundae is available for $14 across all stores.
For more of Melbourne’s best matcha head over here, and these are our top pics for ice cream in the city.
Slide Into The Season With Good Heavens' Kurling Rooftop Takeover
Image: Good Heavens | Supplied
Melbourne’s biggest rooftop, Good Heavens, has had a frosty little facelift for winter. It’s all about warming cocktails, indulgent snacks, and a kurling rink—yes, kinda like that weird sport from The Simpsons. It’s like curling’s fun-loving cousin, built for teams, chaos, and post-drink showdowns.
The rooftop’s had a full seasonal zhush with rich textures, bold colours, and a sky-high vibe made for lingering. Sip on boozy apple crumble cocktails, toast marshmallows in an espresso martini and dive into mac and cheese toasties between slides.
A Traditional Japanese Tuna Cutting Ceremony Is Happening At Koko For Two Nights Only
Image: Koko | Supplied
One of Japan’s oldest culinary rituals is coming to Melbourne. For two exclusive nights, Koko will host a live tuna cutting ceremony—a mesmerising display of knife work, skill and respect for the ocean’s finest catch.
Kicking off with the powerful rhythm of live Japanese Taiko drumming, Chef Taichi Kasuya will break down a whole bluefin tuna, fresh from Ulladulla, NSW, right in front of you. From there, settle in for an eight-course tasting menu showcasing the prized cuts of tuna—from the buttery otoro to the umami-rich akami—all prepared with Koko’s signature finesse.
For something even more special, you can book the Teppanyaki Experience, a private chef-led dinner in an exclusive room where the tuna is grilled right before your eyes (yes, theatrics and all). Optional beverage pairings are also available. Dinner starts from $249 with beverage pairings an extra $100.
They're Only Making 20 Portions Of This Laksa Every Week At Etta, So You Know It's Good
Image: Etta | Supplied
Etta’s fiery, winter laksa special has followed in the footsteps of many great restaurant dishes: from staff meal to menu.
This epic, $30 steaming bowl of coconut curry laksa will be available at the front bar every Wednesday night throughout winter. Its broth is loaded with lemongrass, garlic, makrut lime, galangal, chilli and choc-full of egg and rice noodles, house-made golden tofu, a tumble of fresh herbs and a punchy Nonya sambal.
Each soup will be served with a stick of deep-fried dip-it-yourself school prawns, inspired by the Malaysian street-food vendors known as skewer aunties who make the steamboat-style skewered meats and seafood known as lok-lok. If they’re not enough you can add on sticks with house-made fish balls of flame tail snapper, arrowhead squid brushed in sambal and cooked over coals and satay curry-martinated chicken, grilled over the woodfire.
Make sure you carve out a weeknight for this limited treat. And if you love Etta, check out the goss on their new spot due to open where Bar Romantica was.
Get Hands On Experience With The Ancient Art Of Sicilian Sausage Making
Image: Bar Idda | Supplied
And who better to learn with than the crew at Bar Idda. Known for their incredible familia-style Sicilian dining, roll up your sleeves and get ready to dive into their sausage-making workshop. Guided by owner Alfredo La Spina, you'll start your Saturday with coffee and cannoli before diving into the art of crafting, curing, and cooking authentic Sicilian sausages. Learn to mix spices, stuff casings, and master curing techniques. After the workshop, enjoy a three-course lunch featuring your creations. Held at 132 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, sessions run from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM on select Saturdays: June 21, July 19, and August 2. Tickets are $175.
This Riff On A Fillet-O-Fish Just Won Australia's Best Burger
Image: CBCo | Supplied
That's right, in what might be one of the biggest upset wins in history, a fish burger has been awarded Australia's best burger for 2025.
Jonathon Donovan from CBCo Brewing in Port Melbourne won the highly coveted Best National Burger award dished out by Foodservice Australia.
Chef Donovan was applaued for his unique twist on the Macca's classic Fillet-o-Fish burger featuring shrimp, panko crumb with a ranch and Japanese mayo sauce.
The inaugural Australia’s Best Burger and Best Pizza Awards formed part of Australia’s most anticipated foodservice trade show: Food & Hospitality Week, which took place at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 18-20 May 2025.
For more of Melbourne's best burgers, head this-a-way.
Our Fave Chicken Ramen Is Back On The Menu Just In Time For The Chilly Weather
Image: Supernormal | Supplied
Yes, it’s back! It seemed like it just left but honestly we couldn’t be more stoked for Supernormal’s epicly silky lunchtime chicken ramen special. We’re hearing it’s back on the menu to coincide with the cooler months, but you know the drill. Their ramen is a rich chicken bone broth poured over tender noodles with prawn and chicken dumplings, grilled chicken and a perfectly soy-marinated egg. Dig in Monday to Friday at lunchtime for the (wallet-friendly) price of just $24.
Keen to check out more of Melbourne?
After Months Of Waiting This Bougie Gold Coast-Based Bathhouse Has Launched In Melbourne
Get ready to relax and unwind as this bougie spa institution, originally hailing from the Gold Coast, swings open its steamy doors to its first Melbourne outpost in South Yarra.
10 Awesome Things To Do In Melbourne This Weekend
Whether it's Dolly Parton hitting the Comedy Theatre stage bootstraps and rhinestones in tow, or the awaited return of Lightscape’s epic winter trail, Melbourne’s serving up another weekend of top-tier happenings.
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?
Image credit: Visit Victoria | Emily Godfree