Metropolitan Melbourne has a handful of fantastic waterfront dining destinations. But there’s certainly room for more.

“We underutilise our beaches in Melbourne,” says Andre Salem, owner of two Brighton cafes, the longstanding but recently renovated North Point, and the newly opened Beach House, which is in pole position overlooking the iconic bathing boxes of Brighton Beach.

“Any opportunity a beachfront venue has to open, people really appreciate.”

Salem is one of a few enthusiastic operators hustling to broaden the bayside dining and drinking landscape. Here are three new openings to try, from Brighton to Black Rock.

Winston’s, Black Rock

Frustrated that “nowhere in a 10k radius does a decent steak frites”, Black Rock locals Bonne and Kevan Squires have brought the inner city’s European bistro boom to their suburb. “We’re really passionate about building a dining culture here,” Bonne says.

The husband and wife team acted swiftly when a site across from Black Rock Gardens – and beyond it, the bay – became available. Six months later, they opened Winston’s.

“It’s a bit deli, a bit Balthazar,” says Bonne of the fit-out, referencing the New York brasserie. Classic black and white bistro tiles line the floor and fluted glass separates the booths.

Essentially, mass appeal is the aim, so those rolling in off the beach for chips and a spicy Paloma feel at home alongside those splurging on oysters and grower champagne.

The couple is well-equipped to strike the balance, given Bonne co-owned Cheltenham cafe The Parlor and Kevan previously worked front-of-house for Lucas Restaurants.

“Moveable feast” describes the menu, which currently features house-made crumpets topped with spanner crab, and that essential steak frites, a sliced wagyu porterhouse.

Open Wed-Sun noon-late

Shop 1, 300-302 Beach Road, Black Rock, winstonsmelbourne.com

Beach House, Brighton

For brunch with a view, it doesn’t get much better than this. Andre Salem’s sunny cafe and kiosk is within spitting distance of Brighton Beach’s colourful bathing boxes, giving locals and visitors to the bona fide tourist attraction somewhere scenic to refuel.

Part of Brighton Life Saving Club’s new Dendy Beach Pavilion, in which the council invested $10.6 million, the 55-seat Beach House is all floor-to-ceiling glass and timber battens, with an easy-breezy deck set above an amphitheatre-like public seating area.

It opened in September, but already “it’s swarming”, says Salem, so he’s bracing for a busy summer.

The dine-in menu deals in all the usual suspects, from a soft chilli scramble to beer-battered barramundi and chips. But a few fancier options round it out, including brioche rolls generously stuffed with king prawn and octopus, and a Moreton Bay bug linguine.

To take away, find sangers, burgers, popcorn chicken and more. Plus, Salem bought the biggest soft-serve machine he could find, serving ice-cream with an array of toppings.

Cafe open Mon-Fri 7am-4pm; Sat-Sun 7am-5pm. Kiosk open Mon-Tue 7am-4pm; Wed-Sun 7am-sunset

133 Esplanade, Brighton, beachhousebrighton.com.au

Malena Cucina & Bar, Brighton

The team behind new southern Italian spot Malena – Peter Aloi, Francesca Sanzo and Leonardo Alfieri – will likely be familiar to Brighton residents. Between them, they run the similarly Italian Aromi and Cucina & Co, on either side of New Street.

They haven’t ventured far to open their latest, lured by the village vibe of Martin Street. “Staying in Brighton was the right fit, not just for us, but for our loyal customers, who know us personally and feel like extended family,” Aloi says.

Former Cucina & Co head chef Domenico Fazzari, who grew up in Calabria, leads the kitchen, focusing on specialty dishes from Italy’s southern regions.

Start with a trio of arrosticini (grilled lamb skewers), progress to cavatelli with a rich pork-sausage ragu, and add a side of zucchini alla scapece, flavoured with a garlicky, minty marinade.

And to finish? A nutty tiramisu, layered with pistachio cream as well as mascarpone.

Open Wed-Sun 5pm-10pm

151 Martin Street, Brighton, malena.au