Food and Drink

With Easter around the corner, the sweet smell of hot cross buns is starting to waft out of bakeries across Melbourne. With so many on offer, it’s hard to know who makes the best hot cross buns in Melbourne. Is it the traditional take? Is it a chocolate-filled number? Or is it the undignified 'fruitless'? Luckily, you have Urban List doing the hard yards for you.

What is the best restaurant in Melbourne? Our fair city has hundreds of spots that could be considered the best. Good thing I've got my 20 favourite spots for you right here, with something for everyone.

Ahhh, Italian. The language of love. It’s got to be the most popular kind of restaurant for everything—romantic dates, milestone anniversaries, casual catch-ups, or belt-loosening feasts that leave you in a carb-induced bliss. We’ve rounded up the best Italian restaurants in Melbourne to satisfy your cravings.

On the hunt for the best cafe in Melbourne? It's a tough one, simply due to the sheer volume of options. The standard the city has set has been replicated all over the world, and it's no surprise as the quality of our coffee is world-class and our brunch is unbeatable.

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.

Best bars, best bars, best bars... Unlike the bartender we're not going to ask, "what do you usually like?", we're just going to hit you with some straight fire. That's right, 29 of our editor-approved watering holes.

When the clock hits cocktail hour you don't want to be messing around, it's time for a crisp martini or meaty negroni. Thanks to Melbourne's stellar culinary and bar scene there are some seriously good spots around the city to get a glass in hand. From hidden watering holes to some serious first-class swank here are Urban List's picks for the best cocktail bars Melbourne has to offer in 2025.

Melbourne’s bustling dining scene owes a very honest tip of the hat to France. Every suburb has its own cache of bakeries, bistros and patisseries reminiscent of the City of Lights, and if you're like us wondering why you're here rather than there, well, this list might just save you the trip.

There was a time when the best burgers in Melbourne came from your local fish and chip place, usually with a slice of beetroot and a couple of extra dim sims. Actually, now we think about it, those are still pretty bloody good, but we've pulled together our top picks so you can eat easy.

Melbourne is Australia's breakfast (or brunch, depending on how late you stay up) queen. The city basically invented modern cafe culture, with our easy-going, wake-up late for a bite culture emulated all over the world. But with so many options, where do you start? Don't worry, we gotchu with Melbourne's best cafes and breakfasts for 2025.

Matcha, what's not to like? It's the drink of the year and if you've been to Japan and you're chasing those memories from the trip, or want to live vicariously, we've got the nine best spots in Melbourne for you to check out.

This one’s dedicated to all the gluten-intolerant bread and pastry lovers. Let’s be honest, the supermarket selection of gluten-free baked goods can be, well, uninspiring. Thankfully, we have a good handful of specialty gluten-free bakeries in Melbourne/Naarm that are reducing celiac’s FOMO when it comes to being able to get their hands on fresh bread, pastries and desserts. 

Ramen—a timeless pairing of noodles, broth and various accoutrements. Chewy noodles that have been cooked to the exact level of firmness, broths varying from a light and salty to one made by slow-cooking pork bones. Toppings that vary from pork that's been braised in soy sauce, sake and sugar, to soft-boiled eggs marinated in a mix of ingredients that are often a closely guarded secret. Better still, you can find some of the best ramen in Melbourne/Naarm. 

Carlton restaurants extend far beyond cherished Lygon Street—although the historic strip is still home to a massive concentration of Italian joints. With that being said, over the years Carlton has grown to become one of the most vibrant culinary hotspots in town. Here are Urban List’s recommendations on the best restaurants Carlton has to offer in 2025:

Whether you're a self-proclaimed bread enthusiast or a total croissant fiend after a fix you'll find something that’ll have your tastebuds doing a happy dance at Melbourne's best bakeries for 2025.

A pillar of dining, steak is a timeless dish and although simple or rudimentary in its preparation when done well it's one of the finest things to order. Now, there's a slew of Melbourne venues throwing cuts on the grill but a select few reign supreme. 

When it comes to St Kilda restaurants, you’ll find a mix of legendary dining spots and hot new places serving up some of the freshest seafood around. But if you’re not into fish, don’t stress—there’s an array of cuisines on offer, from Italian and Mexican to Indian, Japanese, and classic pub fare. Without further ado, here's your guide to the best St Kilda restaurants in 2025.

Cost of living keeps creeping upwards and onwards, and most of us practically have the words “value for money” tattooed on wallets to stop unnecessary spending. Of course, that’s where the humble buffet comes in, with endless plates and infinite options to make you feel like life isn’t so bad.

Some mornings are meant for sleep-ins and some are meant for indulging in the best bottomless brunch in Melbourne. Are you after endless mimosas, too many proseccos, more margaritas than you can poke a stick at? Well, if you've woken up on that side of the bed, get your Sunday (or Saturday) best on, and get ready to party. Check out our list of the best bottomless brunches in Melbourne in 2025.

Sunsets and pizza, or cocktails and catch-ups, Melbourne's rooftop bars are the perfect spot for both coming into the warmer months. From secret spots hidden down alleyways to iconic venues serving up the city's best views Urban List has done the hard yards and found the best rooftop bars in 2025.

Coffee runs thick through Melbourne's veins, and in every corner of the city you'll find caffeine-soaked cafes to frequent. But cafes go beyond a good coffee, and for Collingwood cafes, we're spoilt for choice. You've got specialty sandwich joints with lines down the street, spots that swap caffeine for cocktails as soon as the clock strikes twelve, and some of the best French toast you'll get your hands on. We shall not delay you any longer. Here is Urban List's guide to the best cafes in Collingwood for 2025:

Melbourne certainly has no shortage of restaurants being home to some of the country’s best hospitality. However, every parent knows fine dining is not always synonymous with kid-friendly.

Winston’s is the very reason Baysiders can start reconsidering the hike into the city for an elevated dining experience, because primo dining with a Euro flair has officially landed in Black Rock.

It's not easy to land on a single choice for the best restaurants in Fitzroy, and that's because there are simply too many. The previously working-class inner-city suburb has blossomed through the renaissance of Melbourne’s cultural boom and is now home to some of the highest-rated diners in the entire city. So, read on, and tick off the best Fitzroy restaurants for 2024.

Mochi, typically characterised by its elastic and chewy texture, originated in Japan during the Jamon period when rice cultivation began to flourish—and thank goodness it did because us mochi enthusiasts have grown very fond of the bite-sized treat. The dessert composed of glutinous rice flour has been tinted with an assortment of unique and authentic flavours and fillings. While it may be as divisive as boba (pearls), mochi has evolved into innovative forms, so if the classic gooey mochi isnt for you, mochi chews or spongey glazed mochi doughnuts might just be. 

Box Hill has had the glow-up of the decade, there’s no doubt about it. Once a market hub, with plenty of family-run restaurants to drop into, the place has been refurbished and polished up to include brand-spanking new buildings, even a high-rise or two. Of course, food still remains the epicentre and Box Hill restaurants are some of Melbourne/Naarm's best.