Nightlife

The heart of Melbourne, the CBD. We've got heaps of good restaurants here in Melbourne and Victoria as a whole. Whether you're looking for Flinders Lane restaurants or you're just looking to tuck into some affordable fare, we've nailed down the best.

From moody rooftops where you'll drink by candlelight to iconic venues serving up the city's best views, we've sussed out the Melbourne rooftop bars that are on another level. These are the best rooftop bars calling Melbourne home in 2025.

One of the most important food groups to Melburnians, pizza is held in a treasured category of its own. Boasting some of the finest pizzerias outside of Italy, the level of craft here is world-class from classic leopard spotted Neapolitan-style to thick-cut deep dish. 

Want to relive that Japanese holiday, or get your eye in before you head overseas? You're in luck, because Melbourne is full of top-tier Japanese restaurants. Whether you’re craving freshly made sushi, bowls of steaming ramen, sizzling teppanyaki, melt-in-your-mouth sashimi, or flavourful donburi, there’s no shortage of authentic Japanese restaurants in Melbourne to dive into. 

Searching for the best Italian restaurants in Melbourne? From hidden trattorias to fine dining, here are Melbourne’s top 25 Italian spots for pasta, pizza and more in 2025.

Arguably one of the greatest, most historic and popular cuisines that the world has to offer, it’s never a surprise to our wallets or our stomachs when we start craving Chinese food, and we’re sure you’re no different. Something about it makes it the ultimate comfort food, what with the savoury, salty, complex fusion of flavours.

Now that warmer weather is upon us, craft beer is the best excuse to wet your beak while the sun’s out (or below the horizon, we’re not fussy). That's why we’ve rounded up the best craft beer breweries in metro Melbourne to save you a hot second on Google this Friday afternoon.

Yum Cha, it's the culinary experience that's greater than the sum of its parts, and each part is already pretty delicious. You’ll find dim sum galore, from pan-fried to steamed to boiled, all designed to be washed down with piping-hot tea. Melbourne has got some amazing for all your yum cha needs. So needless to say, we’ve curated a list of the best yum cha in Melbourne for 2025. 

Finding the perfect venue for your Christmas soiree isn’t the easiest job (I mean, no one wants to have drinks at the office…) Luckily, we’re here to help speed you along your way and make sure you pick the perfect place.

In just a few days time, new-comer FoMo Cinemas in East Brunswick Village is set to pop corn for the first time to debut a new premium approach to the cinema-going experience that celebrates film nostalgia.

From scenic flights to night kayaking, luxe harbour cruises, haunted ghost tours, and more. 

Those lucky enough to have scored an invite to HER’s launch party earlier this year will recall (or perhaps, won’t recall) the debauchery that went down late, late into the evening across the entirety of the venue. Meanwhile, those who missed out now have themselves an opportunity to tap into the hedonism at the just-announced HER Lune Rouge NYE full-venue party.

If you wish you could take your furry pal everywhere around Melbs, get ready for some amazing news.

When it comes to cocktails no one does it quite like Melbourne’s bar scene. But the test of a truly vetted venue might just be its bartender's execution of an espresso martini. There is a fine art to shaking up the perfect espresso martini, you need to strike the perfect balance of vodka, coffee liqueur and espresso. 

It’s that wonderful time of the year again as lagers, stouts, sours, pilsners and pale ales descend upon Melbourne for Good Beer Week 2021. Celebrating its tenth trip around the sun Good Beer Week kicked off back in 2011 and this anniversary is one hell of a sud soaked festival of amber ales. 

Summer might be over but that doesn’t mean the rooftop bar vibes have to stop. That’s why several hospitality heavyweights—aka food wizards—are joining forces this April at Johnny’s Green Room to bring you the ultimate Tex-Mex rooftop party.

Your long weekend road trip might be cancelled but there’s no need to mope. The Easter long weekend is certainly looking a little different than what we imagined, but there are still plenty of ways to have a bit of fun, even in lockdown.

This might be the most ‘Melbourne’ thing we’ve ever had to write up this year: an op shop bar just popped up in the CBD.

MANSION is a fully immersive dance, theatre circus and horror experience that breaks down the wall between performer and audience member which allows you to embark on an interactive horror journey of the senses.

Tokyo Tina's cult 'Feed Me' banquet-style feast now has a moreish, vegan counterpart on offer and we couldn’t be more excited.

Whether you're a fan of creamy tonkatsu or a lighter miso broth, we have assembled our definitive list of Melbourne’s tastiest ramen spots. 

Trunk Restaurant & Bar had a successful 12-year reign at 275 Exhibition Street. And after six years of concept development, Pepe’s Italian & Liquor has finally arrived.

You’ve been so patient Melbourne but the time has finally come. Yep, it’s that time of year again where we gather together for a delicious 18 days to gorge ourselves silly with spicy noodles, BBQ pork buns, juicy dumplings, gelato and well, pretty much anything we can get our hands on. The Night Noodle Markets are back with their biggest line-up to date.

Tucked between North Melbourne and Flemington, Kensington is an adorable suburb that often flies under the radar. Packed with great cafes and restaurants, it’s well worth a visit. Here are some of the best restaurants to hit up the next time your around this little inner-west pocket. 

Moon Dog World boasts 72 taps, a hidden tiki bar, a lagoon and waterfall and a full food menu; all of which basically guarantees you will never want or have to leave (until they kick you out at closing time, of course.)

This year marks a decade of Melbourne Music Week and if one thing’s for sure, they’re going all out to celebrate. Not only have they gifted us arguably one of their greatest programs of all time, they’re bringing back the original Balestra Berlin-designed, Melbourne Music Week Hub, Kubik—with a brand new design.

We’ve done the hard slog for you and picked out our faves of this month’s gig lineup. See you there.

If you weren't excited for Halloween before, now’s the time to get on board, because Spooktober Festival is coming back this October, and taking place at Melbourne’s iconic Luna Park.  

We’re heading into the warmer months, guys. And that means it’s time to come out of hibernation and hit up some of Melbourne’s best clubs. Leave your dignity at home and get on the D-Floor. We're about to drop some bangers.

Before Keanu Reeves reprises two of his iconic roles in both The Matrix 4 and Bill & Ted Face The Music, Lido is here to take you on a journey back through the career of the nicest guy in Hollywood.

This October, things are about to get taken up a notch with Ballet Under The Stars, a free outdoor performance of Giselle, popping up at Lardner Park in the Latrobe Valley.

Finally, we’ve got four words we know you’ve been waiting to hear all winter: Arbory Afloat is back.

No pasta and white tablecloths here, no sir. Here are Melbourne’s best activity date nights.

You can see how a place like Romans Original slowly but surely burrows its way into the hearts of the locals—it’s a no-frills joint but it’s got character.

Treating yourself with $25 cocktails that come with salt rims or fairy floss is all fun and games until you get hit with that dreaded bill at the end of the night. We’ve all been there and it hurts. Trying to live the Melbourne high life can be seriously hard, especially when you’re living on a tight budget.

Cold weather is a North American log cabin's entire raison d'être—it’s because, for half the year, all you want to do is huddle by the fire in a tiny wooden room, wrapped in your flannel and holding a giant tin of Molson Dry. And that’s exactly what you’ll want to do at Wood Samaritan.

Bar Margaux is a bar first, where you can truly roll in at any hour and have some great food and drinks.

White Night is scheduled to dazzle Melbourne for another installation this year, except instead of one single night, we’re getting three. That’s right: three nights of tip-toeing around in the cold and rubbing our hands together for what’s looking like a pretty sweet lineup.

If you too have been suffering from seasonal affective disorder, let me just throw some words out there for you: fireworks, flame jets, fire twirlers and flaming sculptures. This year, the City of Melbourne is planning its biggest ever iteration of Firelight Festival and we’re bloody excited.

The silver lining of Melbourne’s miserable winter is that there is a huge range of (mostly indoor or undercover) events happening over the next three months.  Here is a taste of what is to come to keep you warm as the weather gets colder, starting with ten things happening in Melbourne this June.

The Lame Duck is everything you’ve ever wanted from of a 70s-themed disco dive bar: wood panelling, Billy Bass singing fish, pink palm trees, and a Cher shrine.

Valentines Day. The day of love, the day of expensive flowers and the day of desperate, last-minute dinner reservations. As much as some of don’t want to admit it, we all love the idea of a romantic dinner, mid-week bubbles and being spoilt like a rock star. 

Spring means its time to get that haircut, refresh your Tinder bio and take bae on the date they so desperately deserve. Bonus? they're all under 50 bucks.