Delicious 100 Victoria: Favourite restaurants of our top chefs revealed

Ever wondered where our city’s top chefs love to eat? These restaurants are where you will them when they’re off-duty.

Melbourne chefs can’t shake tradition, even when they’re off-duty.

Flower Drum, France Soir and Grossi Cellar Bar are some of the restaurants our city’s top chefs love to visit.

Tulum executive chef and owner Coskun Uysal said South Yarra’s French food stalwart was his go-to when he wasn’t working at his Balaclava Turkish restaurant.

Did these popular restaurants make Victoria’s delicious 100. best restaurants list? Check out the 50-1 rankings at 12pm noon here or in V-Weekend Saturday.

“Monday night is our steak night, so where better than France Soir?” he said.

“It’s where patron Jean-Paul lays on his classic steak frittes and salad.”

Tulum owner and chef Coskun Uysal at his Balaclava restaurant. Picture: Rebecca Michael.

NOMAD Melbourne executive chef Jacqui Challinor also likes to keep it classic, with Guy Grossi’s Cellar Bar a firm favourite.

“I go to Grossi Cellar Bar for gnocchi and tiramisu. I’m a tiramisu fiend and theirs takes the cake — pun intended,” she said.

“I also love Gimlet’s tartare, which is expertly prepared table side. It’s easily one of the best plates of food in town. Their non-alcoholic drinks list is really impressive and well thought out which is a big win for me.”

Andrew McConnell, behind Melbourne’s world-best restaurant Gimlet at Cavendish House, also rated France Soir among his favourites, alongside Flower Drum, Di Stasio Pizza, East Brunswick’s Etta and Pipi’s Kiosk in Albert Park.

Vue de monde executive chef Hugh Allen said while he loved classic venues such as Flower Drum, he was excited by the city’s new openings.

NOMAD Melbourne executive chef Jacqui Challinor has a soft spot for Grossi Cellar Bar. Picture: Mark Stewart

“I think the scene is starting to come back post-Covid and there are some top new places that have opened. I think Aru is amazing ... it’s such a good restaurant. Gimlet is amazing and I also really like Amaru,” he said.

Khanh Nguyen, behind modern southeast Asian eateries Sunda and Aru, said Soi 38 was the best for a cheap lunch.

“This is the best value lunch spot in the CBD, which is always consistently delicious,” he said.

“My go-to is their duck noodle soup. I pick the sen mee noodles and I always get the upsize upgrade with extra wontons and a side of crispy pork belly.”