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Cinema Nova, the indie darling of Melbourne’s extensive cinema collection, is now over 30 years old and showing no signs at all of slowing down, so if you’re looking for arthouse films and eclectic screenings, please look no further. Starting off with a sparse 4 screens back in 1992, it’s now evolved into a 16-screen Elysium for movie lovers, and there are no questions as to why.

What started as a little craft brewery serving some truly unique and exceptional beers, has now expanded into a fully-fledged restaurant, brewery, and bar, all in the same location. Molly Rose Brewery, the brainchild of Nic Sandery, has only been open since 2019 but took no time at all to leave an impact on the Collingwood locals.

In September last year, the lavish inner-city suburb of Albert Park was greeted with a sleek stand-alone cafe located on the buzzing corner of Kerferd Road and Montague Street. Since then, Halcyon Days has been serving up a decadent Euro-inspired menu and freshly brewed cups of Industry Beans coffee in the residential area.  

Since 2013, La Tortilleria has established itself as one of Melbourne's most desirable Mexican eateries, honouring traditional recipes and ingredients that date back decades. Now, the team behind the beloved tortilla-filled joint in Kensington is opening its second casa in Highett. 

If you’re looking for some chewy, slurpy, hand-pulled noodles, then Bowltiful may have to be your next destination. Specialising in Lanzhou (pronounced lan-joh) noodles, a Chinese-Muslim style of noodles originating from northwest China, Bowltiful is as authentic as you could hope for, with all the noodle chefs being trained for at least 6 months in the art of noodle pulling. Their teachers are none other than Lanzhou masters, expert noodle pullers who have trained for at least 3 to 4 years themselves, so you know you’re getting the real deal. Their broth has no soy sauce in it, which means a cleaner, lighter taste, delicately flavoured with herbs and spices and simmered for no less than 4 hours. Bowltiful is also proudly and authentically halal, with some vegetarian options for good measure. 

The team behind one of South Yarra's most adored burger joint has now expanded to the South East, bringing the bustling Chapel Street vibes local.

Cheese is a multi-billion dollar industry in Australia alone, for a damn good reason. It’s gooey, it’s sharp, it’s tangy, it’s decadent—it makes life worth living on most days.

Taking out the mantle for the best moniker for an ice cream store, Fluffy Torpedo is the latest by-the-scoop boutique to open up on Smith Street in Fitzroy. 

Pontoon, the beachfront little brother of Melbourne institution Stokehouse, has gotten a facelift, a name change and a whole new menu. Open now, they’re ushering in a new era by introducing the new and improved Stokehouse Pasta & Bar.  Open every day from midday til late, the venue will be focusing on fresh Mediterranean flavours, highlighting the beautiful simplicity that makes coastal dining so appealing. 

They don’t call Carlton the ‘Little Italy’ of Melbourne for nothing; if you’re looking for authentic, decadent Italian food you don’t have to look too far. Appropriately upon opening, Al Dente Enoteca situated itself on Nicholson Street and quickly made a name for itself by serving up inventive yet familiar dishes. However, the team have launched a new venture, Al Dente Sapori right next door, a more casual affair inspired by the flavours of their childhoods in Italy. 

Bar Jayda is the latest venture from Shane Delia, an elevated bar space adjoined to Shane's foremost diner, Maha. Since opening back in 2008, the restaurant has been a stalwart of Melbourne's dining scene. "I was blown away when we first opened Maha, the overwhelming response from people, and ever since then people have been asking 'where can we go for a drink before lunch or after dinner, and not really having somewhere," says Shane. 

Step out of the ever-swelling rush of the city and head out to Marnong Estate’s brand-new restaurant, La Vètta, less than an hour's drive from Melbourne. Under the guidance of Executive Chef Salvatore Giorgio, whose well-known (dare we say prolific) ventures include A25, +39 Pizzeria, Scopri and Bar Bambi, La Vètta has just opened its doors, allowing guests to enter a world of modern Italian cuisine amid the backdrop of the striking beauty of Victoria. 

Ronnie’s, a classy yet casual joint in the heart of the CBD with charm seeping in from all angles, Revolving primarily (but not exclusively) around Cicchetti, also known as Italian tapas, Ronnie’s is a breath of fresh air in the Melbourne dining scene, A vibrant all-day Italian diner for every occasion – whether it’s power lunches with important colleagues, popping bottles of wine with friends or a delicious date night over a shared spaghettini.

Pretty Little is the tiny dining room located just off Balaclava’s iconic Carlisle Street. The dining destination practically named itself with the space being just that; pretty little. Here you’ll feel like you’re attending an intimate dinner party with your closest friends and newest acquaintances. This unexpected culinary venture has got hosting long lunches and decadent dinners down to a fine art.

There’s no need to venture out of the southeastern suburbs if you’re looking for a cosy little wine bar. Conveniently located right next to the train station, Murrumbeena Wine Bar is the female-owned joint that is making a name for itself by supporting and showcasing female musicians and bringing them to the forefront. Aside from having a huge selection of wines, spirits, beers and cocktails, music is most definitely on the menu, with live performances on several nights a week. 

Tom Lillecrapp might have the best job in the world. He’s a full-time dog adventurer. All day, every day, he takes peoples’ dogs into the wild and plays with them. That’s basically the whole business.

Celebrating the flavours of Latin America, Tino is the latest destination to grace Brunswick's Sydney Road. 

Opening up just over a year ago in turbulent COVID times, the first Puzzle Coffee shop with its minimalist and ultra-chic design took over the corner of Swanston Street and Little Collins. Fast forward to today and the ribbons have just been cut on their second outpost, taking over the exceptionally tight-spaced shop at the entrance to Melbourne Central, formerly of Standing Room. 

A sultry blend of French and Mediterranean cuisine is coming to Melbourne with the opening of the new restaurant and bistro, Tartine. The new diner is taking over the former space of Meatball And Wine Co on Swan Street Richmond. The creation of self-admitted Francophile and illustrious head chef, Andrew Beddoes, in collaboration with Matteo Bruno, owner of The Meatball & Wine Bar. “The concept for Tartine has been long in the making...I look forward to sharing my love of Tartine and ‘all things French’ with Melbourne,” says Beddoes. 

While South-East Asian cuisine has been ever popular in Melbourne, it has typically been centred around the dishes of Vietnam and Thailand. 

Melbourne's insatiable appetite for ice cream is well noted, come rail, hail or shine there's always a queue at several of the top gelaterias around town. Coming in with an exciting new take on the dessert variety is Kōri— a boutique ice cream store inspired by the flavours and methods of Japan. 

Some of Melbourne's top deli sanga connoisseurs, Saul's Sandwiches is an enterprise that's always looking forward. They've swooned the hearts and stomachs of many with their Carnegie, Bentleigh, and Hawthorn stores as well as a drive-thru store in South Melbourne for good measure.  

The iconic Sorrento corner store founded in 1896 has been reimagined into a timeless restaurant bar and providore. Set at the top end of Ocean Road overlooking Port Phillip Bay, Stringers is ready to wine and dine both locals and passers-by. The Darling Group who are also behind stalwarts like Kettle Black, Top Paddock and Higher Ground are the masterminds behind this new seaside venture.

Inspired by the farming landscape, with the intention to serve slow, whole foods alongside perfectly brewed coffee comes Juno. It’s the latest project from the team behind Prior, and they’re ready to bring a fresh, progressive approach to hospitality in the bayside suburb of McKinnon. 

Hawthorn is the latest suburb to join the Farro collective. The spelt-based pizzeria has been a Melbourne go-to with their stores in both Fitzroy, Thornbury and Windsor, but it's time for Glenferrie Road to get a run-in. 

From their humble origins in Abbotsford to sleek new digs on Southbank, Au79 is spreading the love across Melbourne. Not wanting anyone to miss out on their signature coffee blends and quality-crafted baked goods, they’ve opened an airy and light-filled space on City Road in Southbank, which will soon also double as a wine bar. 

Fans of flavour and seafood feasts, listen up. Louisiana-style Crawfish sensation, The Boiling Crab, is bringing their hands-on dining experience to a brand new location in Melbourne’s CBD. 

Melburnian's rooftop bar obsession has been taken to new heights with Sky Bar opening 140 metres above the clouds. The doors are opening on the Yarra Hotel Group’s heavily anticipated venue this Thursday the 30th of June, after a lofty 5 years in development. Slip in through a private elevator entrance along Southbank's bustling Normanby Street and discover sweeping 360 views, stretching from Yarra River to Port Phillip Bay.

There's been plenty of anticipation for this one, Osteria Renata and its all-green facade opened up on High Street Prahran just last week. The all-new venture from South Melbourne's famed Park Street Pasta & Wine may seem small in stature, but its light-filled and open-planned space is the perfect accompaniment for the modern Italian-centric dishes. The entire venue exudes Euro, from the frilled canopy sheltering the storefront to the art deco-style fittings with drop drown pendant lights across the bar and curved edgings along the shelves. 

LOTI is the latest restaurant gracing St Kilda’s shores. Bringing a strong Mediterranean summer vibe to Melbourne, diners will enter through the Saint Moritz’s sand beige marble archway just off the Esplanade and onto off-cut, stone flooring. The venue gives a relaxed luxury aesthetic, with a curvaceous theme that carries from the leather couches to the banquet seating and bar. LOTI’s namesake, Lady of the Ice, pays homage to the St Mortiz ice rink that once donned St Kilda’s banks—a nostalgic homage to the history and heritage of the precinct.

Down on the bottom of Exhibition Street, a stone's throw from the start of Federation Square is Robata. Taking up residence in the former lodgings of Gazi, this new Japanese-inspired diner comes from the team behind long-running CBD restaurants San Telmo, Asado, and Pastuso, and has just opened its doors last Friday. 

Spice up your life. Or, you know, just your bread. SpitJack has landed in Northcote and they’re serving up house made sourdough flatbreads that bring the heat. Using a variety of ancient, fire-based cooking tools such as the South American Parilla grill, the French Flambadou and the Hot Brulee Iron, you can choose from a range of flatbreads topped with fresh and unique flavours. 

BAM, (Bread And Milk) is Essondon’s local corner store. A one-stop shop for specialty coffee, gourmet sandwiches, baked goods and artisanal pantry staples; meeting the needs of any modern Melburnian. 

The 'Home To Australia's Best Pies' Motto is hard to argue at Country Cob Bakery, especially when they're raking in gold medals year after year. The outer-Melbourne bakeries have taken out many an accolade at the national pie and sausage awards held around the country and even recently featured on Masterchef sharing their pie-making secrets. 

Just off Essendon’s main drag lies the precinct’s new wine bar, Primrose & Vine. Redefining the traditional bottle shop, the space is fitted out with sleek black finishings, hardwood floors and ambient lighting. The walls are lined top to bottom with wine racks, stuffed with a range of local and international drops that are all on offer. 

Bringing a more refined approach to the fish and chip world is Essendon's newest resident, Scalable Fish-Op. Led by Joe Farrah and the team behind Northcote's 300 Grams, the venture is a refreshing take on the quintessential Australian food group.

As you stroll down Brunswick Street keep your eyes peeled for Magnum Pi’s shopfront. Despite being relative newcomers, The Magnum Pi team have already cemented their status in Melbourne, stocking pastry cases all around the city. Locals know their flaky, meaty parcels from Saturdays at The Fitzroy Mills Market but now they’ve taken their stall and set up shop in Fitzroy.

Set out in the winding roads and hills of Ferntree Gully, Lorna is that reliable favourite. A popular option for those who’ve braved the nearby 1000 steps track, the white-washed venue has a breezy and spacious feel, large-shaped booth tables with olive green cushioned backs and long wooden bench seating that runs towards the back of the space. 

A favourite of the region, Mr Joe on Burnley Street in Richmond has been a go-to for elevated European cuisine since opening a few years ago. 

Shake off the sand and saunter into St Kilda’s newest bottle shop on Fitzroy Street, Tom’s Liquor Merchant. Only a couple blocks back from Melbourne’s iconic St Kilda Beach, the all-new destination is perfect for a couple cold ones to refresh yourself after a swim or great addition to pick up a pet nat for an evening picnic by the water.

City favourite, Lane’s Edge, has just got a sleek new look. Favoured as a regular haunt for a drink or late-night catch-up, the bar positioned up on the top end of Bourke Street has a storied legacy and now with a fresh lick of paint, it's set to usher in new memories. Headed up by Ian Hicks alongside venue manager, Will Crennan the pair has set to craft an approachable feel to the bar. 

Teo’s quaint space on Malvern Road is quite the charmer, serving up a reliable array of hearty pasta and pizza dishes it has created a new standard for the area. Formerly under the Matteo’s moniker, the Trattoria-style venture comes from owners Matt Vero and Matt Ward, who both served time working at the ever-popular Armadale cafe, Coin Laundry just around the corner. 

Bar Bombay Yacht Club is the latest masterpiece from renowned Indian chef, Jessi Singh. The vibrant bar and restaurant is serving exotic cuisine from the far east and was inspired by Singhi’s newfound love for sailing. It’s all about fun food and cocktails, and after the last two years of lockdowns, it’s a welcomed change. 

Tipico is Windsor’s slick Italian eatery, but not your red-checked tablecloth variety. Think further north. Milan. Fashion week. Sleek black monochrome and designers whose legacy exceeds a few decades, (the design in here comes courtesy of Samantha Eades from Mitchell & Eades). There’s a Picasso-esque neon sculpture in the front window, courtesy of London-based artist Meg Abbott (she also supplied the original artwork for the walls). 

Straight out of the swinging light, rock n roll halls of Heartbreaker, in-house pizza bar, Connie’s, has made it big time, securing a trattoria-style diner for its mega slices and Italia-styled dining just up the stairs from the bar.  

Executive Chef Manpreet Sekhon is taking over the former Press Club location to provide Melbourne with timeless Indian Cuisine. She is the mastermind and skilled hands behind Geelong’s Eastern Spice and Fitzroy’s Masti. Her new restaurant Elchi is set to showcase the acclaimed Curry Queen’s master technique and proud heritage.

There’s a new pizza joint that’s cracked the code of the Melbourne foodie scene. A local favourite, The Code opened up during lockdown in Collingwood, under the guidance of founder Alessio Albano. 

It may be sandwiched amongst one of the busiest stretches of the CBD, but stepping into the light-filled space of Hikari on Swanston Street is an instant reprieve from the city bustle.

Fusing two of Melbourne’s truest loves, the unexpectedly brilliant Yum Sing House seems to have been purpose-designed for scratching that much-needed venn diagram of Cantonese cuisine and Karaoke. Situated down on Sutherland Street in the city, the 1960’s Hong Kong-Inspired venue has taken over the former late-night stomping grounds of Hugs&Kisses.

Jon-won Paik, A Korean rockstar chef is bringing the heat to Melbourne with his famed noodles.

Melbourne has for many years had a love affair with Italian food. More recently, we’ve developed a reputation for loving vegan food, too. So when you combine the two, it’s gotta be good, right? 

If you’re a fan of burgs so big you can hardly wrap your lips around them, we’ve got good news. Burger Plus Geelong is serving up some of the most impressive burger towers we’ve seen in a long, long time. Think slices of chorizo, beef, cheese, and salad stacked so high, it practically defies gravity. All that on a plump, toasted bun, with a few fries thrown in to truly set the standard for the Melbourne burger scene. It’s no wonder the burger joint scored the award of ‘Best Burger in Geelong’ in 2019, and came back to reclaim the title in 2020. 

Craving a cheeseburger, but wanting a meat-free alternative? Hotel Collingwood has got you covered. The stunning, minimalist venue has set foodies abuzz by serving plant-based patties alongside dairy-free cheese. And boy, are those burgs delicious—trust us, you’ll savour every bite. 

We know, we know—we’re suckers for pastry, but after a visit to Beechworth Bakeries, can you blame us? With eight locations across Victoria, the shop fronts have well and truly earned their reputation as one of the best bakeries in Australia. Founded way back in 1974, the chain has grown rapidly over the years, earning a loyal following of dedicated customers in the process. And it’s easy to see why—one bite of these pies, and you’ll be addicted for life. 

If it wasn’t obvious from the name, let us spell it out for you—Heal.Thy Self Co is dedicated to serving clean, drool-worthy eats that are good for your body, and great for the planet. Their creative use of natural, seasonal ingredients has earned the venue a cult following amongst the plant-based community, but their gorgeous tropical decor certainly doesn’t hurt, either. 

The Section 8 and Ferydurke crew are bringing burgers, booze and bands till late 7 nights a week to B.East Burgers. Strap yourself in for some of Melbourne’s most authentic American-style burgers of all varieties—beef, chicken and meat-free. They even have a few international options, like the Daikatsu burger, served with a chicken katsu fillet, tonkatsu BBQ sauce, pickles, and plenty of slaw. Wash it all down with a Cherry Smash (smashed maraschino cherries, coconut flakes, chocolate syrup and whipped cream) and you’re in for one heck of a meal.

Keen to wrap your mouth around some of the best burgs in Melbourne? Follow the neon lights down to Boss Burger Co., now with three storefronts spread across Victoria. The venue’s decor is an ode to Hollywood’s A-List, so expect to see a few familiar faces scattered across the walls. We’re talking Beyonce, Schwarzenegger, Heath Ledger—you name it. 

Rocco's Bologna Discoteca, everyone's favourite Ital-inspired takeaway sandwich pop-up has just announced they'll be becoming a permanent fixture with a new location on Gertrude Street Fitzroy. 

Melbourne’s Northsiders have just copped a new sambo haven with Derby Hot Sandwiches opening up. With an emphasis on free-range meats, ethically sourced ingredients and locally made products, Derby is ready to show you what a seriously upstanding sandwich tastes like. 

Tucked away down Fulton Lane, Morpha has taken up residency in the CBD to breathe new life into Melbourne’s breakfast scene; dishing up a menu stacked with Asian Fusion brunch options.