Quirky Japanese cafe? A boisterous Italian institution? Or a multi-level sushi palace? Trying to guess where an international star will eat in your hometown makes for great banter at the pub, especially when the choices were as eclectic as Ed Sheeran's, Harry Styles' or one of the many other celebs recently in Melbourne.

Styles surprised his fans last Sunday by paying an unannounced visit to Cibi, a cafe and design store on Collingwood's backstreets, ordering the signature Japanese breakfast and a green tea, which he paid for himself.

Co-owner Meg Tanaka said other guests either didn't notice the star or were very restrained, allowing Styles to enjoy his breakfast outside before he browsed the Japanese homewares inside.

"Surprisingly not too many" Harries (the term for Styles' fans) have visited Cibi since, adds Tanaka.

It is believed Styles also dined at internationally lauded hotspot Gimlet, though the Trader House group, who frequently host visiting celebs at restaurants including Marion and Supernormal, would not confirm this.

Ed Sheeran made an impromptu visit to long-running Andrew's Hamburgers in Albert Park this week, but planned ahead for CBD restaurant Kisume, where he and one other guest enjoyed top-shelf sushi at the 12-seat $295-a-head chef's table.

"A hidden, local neighbourhood favourite with a little goofiness or grittiness [serving] amazing, personally delivered food is usually the most revered experience."

"We often work with managers on [high-profile guest] bookings, and they will give us an idea of what level of privacy they need to be able to enjoy themselves," says Lucas Group marketing manager Celia McCarthy.

Two-hatted Ides is well known among Melbourne food-lovers who enjoy its playful brand of fine-dining. Somehow the Collingwood restaurant made it onto philanthropist Bill Gates' radar, who visited in January ahead of watching the Australian Open men's final.

Preparing for Gates' visit included opening outside usual trading hours so his party were alone in the restaurant, having two security guards on watch and a no-photos policy for staff. Two diners also made an earlier reconnaissance visit to make sure everything was up to scratch.

There was only one slip-up during Gates' meal: not having enough Coke Zero on ice for the table of eight, who weren't drinking. "During the middle of service I had to run down to Coles and get a case!" says chef-owner Peter Gunn.

Similar levels of security were requested by rapper Kendrick Lamar last year when he visited Kisume. But not all international stars demand that restaurants close to other patrons when they visit.

Billie Eilish booked a private table at vegan restaurant Smith & Daughters for her touring family when in Melbourne last year, sitting within spitting distance of the public. Eilish even signed a few autographs as she departed.

Booking agent Paul Sloan says good food on tour can literally keep the show on the road. "Touring can be very hard work and after a rough stint, food is [like] the warm bath with clean fluffy towels."

His agency, Billions, has a whole toolbox of tricks and recommended dining spots that it deploys to make sure its artists eat well, including Terror Twilight, Il Solito Posto and Claypots Seafood Bar.

"A hidden, local neighbourhood favourite with a little goofiness or grittiness [serving] amazing, personally delivered food is usually the most revered experience," says Sloan.

Lucas Group, owner of Kisume, estimates that seating famous guests is a weekly occurrence at its nine venues in Melbourne and Sydney. Kisume is particularly popular. When pop star Dua Lipa dined at sister venue Society last year, Kisume sent over a sushi box after hearing she was unable to find time to visit.

James Young, owner of rock-and-roll hangout Cherry Bar, says bands who spend months on the road travelling might not recall what city they played five nights ago, but will always remember a restaurant meal they loved. The late singer-songwriter Mark Lanegan wanted to return to Coda for its duck curry, for example.

In December, Billy Joel declared Grill Americano's tiramisu the best he'd ever had, leaving staff at the Italian steakhouse buzzing.

Similarly, Peter Gunn was still elated one month after Gates' visit to Ides. "He can have anything he wants or go anywhere he pleases. To be one of those places was a proud moment for me and the team."

Less recently, Billy Walsh, former owner of Cherry Bar and Ding Dong Lounge, whisked Queens of the Stone Age to the back bar of St Kilda institution Cicciolina in 2004, before they sat in the dining room to slurp spaghettini alle vongole.

Swedish rockers the Hellacopters loved the anonymity of Cicciolina's back bar, too. Or perhaps no other venue was quite as accommodating to loud, long-haired rockers out for a good feed far from home.

Pellegrini's is another favourite of bands, as they can be in and out for dinner in 20 minutes, leaving enough time to get to soundcheck. Famous guests include pop singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who was in town last November, Seattle rockers Supersucker, and Billy Joel's touring band.