Best things we ate in Melbourne in January 2023

From a crunchy pork belly roll with all the trimmings to an indulgent spaghetti that’s a Carlton must — these are the most delicious things to eat in the city.

These are the most delicious things that passed our lips in January 2023.

These are the best things we ate in restaurants across Melbourne and Victoria over the summer break.

PORK BELLY BAHN MI

Ca Com, 336 Bridge Rd, Richmond

Jeow owners Thi Le and JY Lee took their Richmond-famous Ca Com sandwiches courtside for the Australian Open. But OG fans will know they can get their bahn mi fix at their Bridge Rd base. The pork belly bahn mi is the ultimate textural combo — think crunchy white bread, fresh herbs, saucy fillings and succulent meat.

Al Dente Sapori saffron spaghetti.

SAFFRON SPAGHETTI, MORETON BAY BUGS: $40

Al Dente Sapori, 161 Nicholson St, Carlton

If you are breaking the bank on a pasta, do it at Al Dente Sapori. There is a selection to choose from, but the saffron and moreton bag bug spaghetti is a winner. Appropriately firm, swimming in a silky crustacean bisque with sweet and salty pops of bug meat and roe. More please! Staff also make sensible calls on its shareability, halving the already generously sized dish portioned in the kitchen to avoid messy ‘Lady and the Tramp moments’.

Clover Wine, brown sugar cake with plums and coconut. Picture: Supplied.

BROWN SUGAR CAKE, RHUBARB: $15

Clover, 193 Swan St, Richmond

You’ll be smiling eye-to-eye when you find the chocolate ganache hidden beneath Clover’s dense brown sugar cake. Charley Snadden-Wilson’s creation is sweet yet studded with a countering tart rhubarb. Hockey-puck in size, capped with a thick slick of coconut cream, this dish oozes delicious ingenuity.

Little Picket’s dim sims aren’t like anything you’ve had before.

DIM SIMS: $15

Little Picket, Lorne Bowls Club 35 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne

When chef Jo Barrett asked the Lorne Bowls Club members what they’d like to eat at her new on-site restaurant, one requested dim sims. The menu stayer not only heralds a cute story, but is nothing like the tuck shop kind — all slippery, steamed white orbs bouncing with well-seasoned pork and cabbage, finished with a lip-tingling crunchy chilli oil. Big yum.

Grossi Grill’s tiramisu. Picture: Tony Gough

TIRAMISU: $25 extra as part of a $90 two course set-menu

Grossi Grill, 80 Bourke St, Melbourne

World’s best tiramisu? We’ll let you decide. Grossi Grill’s version sees loud-like mascarpone, coffee-soaked sponge that’s not overpowering and hidden chocolate bits. It’s worthy of eliteness in anyone’s books.

The housemade halloumi at Little Picket is a must.

HALLOUMI AND LEMON: $18

Little Picket, 35 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne

This is the second entry on the list from Lorne’s Little Picket. The halloumi is house made from Shultz dairy milk sizzled until sweet and smothered in a lacquer of Otways honey, lemon, and fried capers. Do not share.