Good for groups

Perched on the new Eve Hotel at Redfern’s Wunderlich Lane precinct, Lottie is one of the swishest spots to sweet up guacamole.

Restaurateur and former Tonka and Coda chef Adam D’Sylva leans into his heritage and plates up an eclectic menu of pasta and curry.

Convoy is located on a spacious corner site opposite Queens Park in Moonee Ponds.

Head to Roti Road in Footscray for roti canai, plus staples like skewers, wokked noodles and laksa.

The Pontian Club is a 60-seat diner serving affordably priced dishes from a weekly changing menu.

If you can’t find an old pub, make one. That’s the approach the You Beauty team has taken to create this award-winning community-led venue.

Hickens Hotel is now open in the four-storey space once housing the Crafty Squire.

Owner-chef Eilish Maloney says she sees the same customers every day “because they don’t want to spend their money anywhere else”.

Astoria Bar Ke Grill opened quietly last spring, but is now coming into its own with a host of dips, stews and a hefty moussaka.

McCarrs on Mona Vale Road is an excellent place to sit by the fire and share pizza slices topped with pepperoni, honey and chilli.