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Melbourne hit list June: Hot, new and just-reviewed places to check out, right now

A relaxed Korean fine diner with a very Melbourne feel; the Brutalist Italian restaurant we've been waiting for; a flash new addition to Mornington's dining scene; a warm and friendly new Indian restaurant and bar and more openings for your must-do list from a wildly exciting first month of winter.

24 stories
Temaki are the star of the show at Leonie Upstairs.

Four new Japanese venues open in Melbourne

  • Emma Breheny
Go-to dish: Charred cucumber with smoked yoghurt, muscat grapes and shichimi.
Good Food hat15/20

'Australian-Korean' James is a classy night-time option in South Melbourne

  • Dani Valent
Co-owners Joe Vargetto (left) and Maurice Terzini at Cucina Povera Vino Vero.

Melbourne's Cucina Povera Vino Vero is an Italian restaurant like no other

  • Emma Breheny
Spinach chaat.

Brunswick's Bhang is a different kind of hit

  • Dani Valent
Go-to dish: John dory with "land mollusc", celeriac and truffle.
Good Food hat15.5/20

Cape proves the Mornington Peninsula continues to punch above its weight

  • Larissa Dubecki
Clockwise from top right: House-baked sourdough bread with mussels escabeche, anchovies and pickles.
Good Food hat15/20

Is Rezza's little La Pinta the perfect local restaurant?

  • Larissa Dubecki
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Babajan's city outpost is geared towards takeaway.

Babajan opens second store in Melbourne's CBD

  • Emma Breheny
Chef Elijah Holland is fusing coastal Australian ingredients with Mediterranean seafood dishes.

Loti glides on to iconic St Kilda site with coastal Aussie flavours

  • Dani Valent
Chef Bill Steele and business partners Brody Mihocek, barista Jordan Faulkner, Nathan Murphy and Callum Brown outside their new Whiplash cafe.

Collingwood players and their barista team up to open Whiplash cafe

  • Emma Breheny
Soulful and supremely comforting: the fitfit (beef soup) served with awaze (chilli paste) and injera.

Ras Dashen's fitfit soup will warm your winter-brittle bones

  • Dani Valent
Gnocco fritto with jamon Iberico.

Park Street Pasta pair open Osteria Renata in Prahran

  • Emma Breheny
The signature burger is a fine example of the genre.

Deeds Taproom is doing good deeds in Melbourne's east

  • Dani Valent
Go-to dish: Steamed dim sum.
Good Food hat15/20

The verdict on the Emperor's new digs in Melbourne's Chinatown

  • Larissa Dubecki
The brioche dessert with a puck of frozen marshmallow that hides kumquat marmalade and Davidson plum.
Good Food hatGood Food hat17/20

We revisit Armadale's calm and considered fine diner Amaru

  • Dani Valent
'Grandma pie' is a thick-crusted, rectangular pizza that Italian-American grandmas would make at home.
14/20

Cracking good times at Connie's Italian Diner

  • Besha Rodell
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Service has issues, like so many places right now, but the potential is here to make Pearl Chablis and Oyster Bar one of the great wine bars of Melbourne.
13.5/20

Pearls before wine please, at Pearl Chablis and Oyster Bar

  • Besha Rodell
Sitting alongside the weekend Rose Street Artist's Market, Riso Diner is a masterclass in meat-free eating.

Vegetarian food that ticks all the boxes at Riso Diner

  • Dani Valent
The signature snack might be waffles with trout roe and smoked sour cream.

Freyja arrives, putting Victorian produce on a New Nordic pedestal

  • Emma Breheny
Luciana and Sebastian Pasinetti, the mother and son team behind a new restaurant in the old Hell of the North space.

Fitzroy newcomer Oko combines Med plates and a positive kitchen culture

  • Emma Breheny
Lechon-style pork belly is fruity, meaty, acidic and a tiny bit funky.
Good Food hat15/20

Filipino, funky and fantastic: Why fire-stoked Serai is so hot right now

  • Besha Rodell
Go-to dish: Hainanese chicken club sandwiches with dipping sauce.
14.5/20

Does Melbourne's new cult chicken sandwich live up to the hype?

  • Dani Valent
Go-to dish: Cote de boeuf for two.
Good Food hat15/20

The verdict on Victor Churchill's 12-seat bar in the back of a butcher shop

  • Besha Rodell
The lemon meringue pie of dreams at Holy Sugar.

Former Lune chef opens Holy Sugar cake shop in Northcote

  • Dani Valent
Tempura enoki mushroom with almond tarator and chilli oil.
Good Food hat15/20

Etta is one of the most 'Melbourne' restaurants in Melbourne

  • Besha Rodell

Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/eating-out/melbourne-weekly-hit-list-june-2022-hot-new-and-justreviewed-places-to-check-out-right-now-20220603-h247g2.html