The hottest restaurants, bars and places for foodies in Victoria in 2019
Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner — or somewhere in between — these are the Victorian restaurants, cafes, bars and regions foodies in the know are flocking to.
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Food, wine and beer lovers are spoilt for choice in Victoria, with exciting new ventures frequently lining up against an already mighty list of long-time favourites.
In tomorrow’s Herald Sun Weekend liftout, we’re serving up the top 100 things and places to eat and drink in Victoria.
Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner — or somewhere in between — these are the restaurants, cafes, bars and regions foodies in the know are flocking to in 2019.
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WHAT’S HOT IN VICTORIAN FOOD AND DRINK THIS YEAR
TULUM
Nigella Lawson named it as “one of the restaurants that has made my heart sing in Melbourne”.
Now Balaclava’s marvellous mod Turkish restaurant has a new look.
With newly exposed brickwork, polished slate tiles and white marble complementing the signature turquoise palette, chef/owner Coskun Uysal has also overhauled the menu.
It has a more casual mezze vibe, but it is executed with the same type of élan that saw Tulum ranked 33 in the 2018 delicious. 100.
Tulum, 217 Carlisle Street, Balaclava
SLIDER DINER
After more than five years steering his two popular Sliders on Tyres food vans around town, Owen Scungio has opened its bricks-and-mortar incarnation called Slider Diner.
The Seddon newbie is decked out like a retro ’50s diner with a cute back courtyard and slings the same fun in a bun as its four-wheel cousins, but with boozy milkshakes and dude-food sides like pulled pork doughnuts and mac’n’cheese croquettes.
Slider Diner, 82 Charles Street, Seddon
CITTA
It’s this year’s hottest restaurant opening — 31 years in the making.
Ronnie Di Stasio has returned to the city with Citta, just around the corner from where he made his mark with Rosati in the ’80s.
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Sidle up to the long marble bar for a cocktail — perhaps a negroni sbagliato or Brandy Alexander — and team with a platter of exemplary snacks.
A finger of baked ricotta, crunchy baubles of fried mozzarella, a terrific spinach tart and flaky prosciutto pastry are some of the treats on offer. It’s a knockout.
Citta, 45 Spring Street, Melbourne
SEBASTIAN BEACH GRILL AND BAR
The best of the Basque has hit Williamstown.
Sebastian brings a touch of San Sebastian style to the former Shelly’s Beach Pavilion.
This new venture from restaurateur Dave Parker (San Telmo, Pastuso, Palermo and more) and Alex Brawn serves pintxos (small bites) through to 1.2kg steaks on the grill in an art-deco beauty, whether in the dining room or out on the deck.
With brilliant bay views, jugs of sangria and cool cocktails, Sebastian is a slice of Spain that reigns over plain.
Sebastian Beach Grill and Bar, 26 Esplanade, Williamstown
TENNYSON ELWOOD
Visit Elwood’s new Tennyson for a brunch less ordinary, where cafe classics are given an African spin with ingredients such as boerewors sausage, millet and okra.
This charmer will soon be open for dinner several nights a week, too.
Tennyson Elwood, 156 Tennyson Street, Elwood
POPE JOAN
When developers paved paradise and put in a seven-storey apartment block, it was thought that was the last we’d see of Brunswick East’s loved café Pope Joan.
But owner Matt Wilkinson — and Pope Joan — are back, if only for a cameo appearance.
Fans of their legendary sandwiches have until April 18 to get to the Sofitel forecourt where all the hits are being played: the hefty Reuben piled high with Warialda beef; the famous chicken-and-stuffing Cornish and the Club that channels Aussie salad sangas down by the beach.
Pope Joan Cafe, 45 Collins St, Melbourne
FOR A TIPPLE
PEACHES
It’s Melbourne’s most Instagrammable stairway — its glowing, flamingo-pink hues the backdrop to a thousand selfies.
But once you’ve taken a pic, head upstairs to CBD party palace Peaches, from the boys behind Preston’s Dexter (home of the meat doughnut).
On the roof when the weather is fine, enjoy fun and fruity, frosty cocktails or dance the night away in the pretty-in-pink main bar, a riot of pastel booths, gold-edged terrazzo tables and cocktails.
It has two happy hours on weekends — from 12 to 2, am and pm — when picklebacks (whisky with a pickle juice chaser) and fried chicken sandwiches are just $7.
Peaches, 301 Swanston St, Melbourne
THE CARRINGBUSH HOTEL
Following an eight-month reno, Abbotsford’s venerable old boozer the Carringbush has been brought smack bang into 2019.
A walk-the-talk focus on sustainability — all beer and wine is on tap — is admirable but it’s the full vegetarian menu that heralds a pub for the new millennium.
Head chef Roaxanne Olsen has created a menu of meat-free pub hits, with dishes such as the “vegetable charcuterie plate” and “chilli non carne” showing this is no po-faced affair. Great pub grub.
The Carringbush Hotel, 228 Langridge Street, Abbotsford
BLUEBONNET BBQ
One of the original pitmasters to bring brisket to Melbourne, Chris Terlikar and his 500-gallon smoker have, after a couple of years popping up around town, found a permanent home. Bluebonnet BBQ in East Brunswick is a bustling barbecue beer barn where Terlikar’s excellent brisket — powerfully smoky, tender Black Angus — is served alongside a daily changing housemade sausage, pulled pork and deep-fried oak-smoked chicken that’s cross-town-for good.
Local crafties are on tap, whiskeys on the shelf and pickle backs — a whiskey served with a shot of pickle juice — are lined up along the bar. A smokin’ hot addition to the local barbecue scene.
Bluebonnet BBQ, 124-126 Lygon St, Brunswick East
LAY LOW BAR
Look for Rocco’s Deli, press the buzzer and push the unmarked dark door.
Lay Low adds cool cocktails and late-night vibes to Seddon.
Crafty taps come courtesy of Footscray’s Hop Nation and Keilor Park’s Fury & Son, wines err to the esoteric — a Greek rose or Japanese koshu white wine — and cocktails have a low-waste ethos.
Skewers, yiros wraps and mezze platters come from The Brotherhood Yiros next door.
And the chips topped with lamb, fetta and tzatziki can’t be beat.
Lay Low Bar, 93 Buckley St, Seddon
JIMMY RUM
Victoria’s first dedicated rum distillery has opened in Dromana, where rum lovers can take a tour with distiller James McPherson.
The first two products have already hit the shelves — a distillery-made silver spirit that’s perfect for cocktails, and an imported rum made by Foursquare in Barbados — while waiting for Jimmy Rum’s rum to mature in oak for two years.
Plans for a distillery bar are in the works, but for now, it’s tastings and cellar door sales.
Jimmy Rum, 6 Brasser Ave, Dromana
NAGAMBIE BREWERY AND DISTILLERY
Nagambie Brewery and Distillery joins Mitchelton winery just down the road to truly put the Goulburn Valley town on Victoria’s wine-dine touring map. In the heart of the town right on the lake, the $6 million brewery and distillery features a huge deck that makes the most of its lakeside position. House brews include a pale ale, lager and dark beer and, in time, spirits such as gin, vodka and whisky. Executive chef Dan Hawkins has developed a menu to complement the drinks that nod to old-school American smokehouses, with burgers and barbeque.
Nagambie Brewery and Distillery, 295 High St, Nagambie
TWO BAYS BREWING
Coeliacs rejoice, because thanks to Two Bays Brewing you, too, can enjoy a cold frothie on a hot day. Brewing modern beers with a range of ancient grains, including millet, buckwheat and rice, Two Bays brings the joy of beer back to those following a gluten-free diet. The Dromana tap room opened in December, where the pale ale, pilsner and specialty beers are served alongside gluten-free pizzas from Friday to Sunday.
Two Bays Brewing, 1/2 Trewhitt Court, Dromana
SOMETHING SWEET
WEIRDOUGHS
It’s hip to be square — and vegan — at Weirdoughs.
From a team with fingers in pies at Vue Group, Matcha Mylkbar and Lord of the Fries, this Flinders Lane patisserie uses a plant-based “butter” of macadamia, cashew and coconut oil for baked goodies such as doughnuts and croissants.
Its cube croissant is particularly culty, as is the vegan ice cream with combos such as eggplant and lavender, and wasabi pea and lemon.
Weirdoughs, 241 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
AUGUSTUS GELATERY
Named after the greedy golden ticket holder to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, Augustus has been serving Pascoe Vale a rainbow of gelato for the past couple of years to queue-tastic effect.
The team has recently opened a Sunbury store.
Lamington, raspberry and passionfruit swirl, and blood orange are three of more than 30 flavours served in candy-coloured surrounds. Planned new stores include Preston, Yarraville, Werribee and Geelong.
August Gelatery, 15A Pascoe Street, Pascoe Vale, and 96A O’Shanassy St, Sunbury
HOTTEST FOODIE REGIONS
ST KILDA
A swag of new venues is giving real energy and buzz back to St Kilda.
The revamped Captain Baxter adds clever cooking to its vista, and it seems most of Melbourne has spent at least some of summer at the reborn Espy.
As well, the reimagined Prince Dining Room has ditched fine dining to offer a casual and comfortable day-through-dark menu.
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BALLARAT
There’s a new gold rush in our third-biggest city and diners are striking it rich.
Ballarat is turning into a brilliant wine-dine destination that makes for a delicious weekend away.
There’s artist David Bromley’s Pub With Two Names, the Kilderkin gin distillery and funky Moon & Mountain with its hot southeast Asian fare.
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Head to Mitchell Harris for a fine wine time, Mr Jones for excellent Euro-bistro fare or Meigas for top Spanish tapas.
But it’s Underbar — the 16-seat, degustation-only fine diner open just two nights a week — that’s heralded changing food fortunes.
Derek Boath’s produce-led restaurant is booked out a month in advance.
The revamped Provincial Hotel’s Lola restaurant is another spot where you’ll be well fed.
It’s the boom town ’Rat.