NewsBite

Advertisement

Good for groups

Ahma’s popcorn chicken.

Taiwanese diner makes a bid for Melbourne’s best popcorn chicken

Halfway down a Chinatown arcade, Ahma is much more than a simple fuel stop in the city.

  • Dani Valent
Juni opened on Exhibition Street in late November.
13/20

Fun drinks, disappointing duck: Critic sees red at new modern Asian hot spot

The mood-lit restaurant plays it safe with a selection of greatest hits from Michael Lambie’s pan-Asian playbook.

  • Besha Rodell
Wood-fired fennel, spinach, chicory and ricotta pie.
Good Food hat15.5/20

A restaurant for the share-plate generation: Bessie’s clocks up a second hat for the Bar Copains team

The Surry Hills hotspot is all about snacks, fizzy wine and a wood-fired pie.

  • David Matthews
Barragunda’s dining room.

Barragunda Dining

One of Australia’s most ambitious farm-to-table experiences.

  • Emma Breheny
Jamsheed’s converted industrial dining room.
14/20

The mash-up of cuisines at this suburban winery makes our critic ‘giddy’ (in a good way)

Clara Luna serves bar food, but it’s also soul food; Middle Eastern and South American, but also Australian.

  • Besha Rodell
Advertisement
Chilli crab linguine.
14.5/20

Well-heeled locals are lapping up this breezy restaurant (and its ‘bang on’ chilli crab pasta)

Every table at Henrys seems to order the linguine and I get it, I really do. But don’t miss the exemplary dessert, too.

  • Dani Valent
Rare beef noodle soup with fried dough stick bread and onsen egg.
13.5/20

This new CBD restaurant serves excellent pho – just don’t ask for bean sprouts and Thai basil

An An steers clear of the Saigon-style pho that dominates Sydney, instead championing its cousin from Vietnam’s north.

  • Callan Boys
Arnold’s wine bar in Kensington, complete with disco ball.
13.5/20

This local wine bar stands out from the crowd with its blue drink and Mexican-ish food

Melbourne has plenty of neighbourhood wine bars, but not many have Arnold’s creativity and heart.

  • Besha Rodell
Italian comedy trio Sooshi Mango is expanding their Lygon Street restaurant.

Gimmick proves golden as Sooshi Mango expands Lygon Street restaurant

The comedy trio add a new level to their nostalgic Italian diner – and they’re not the only Melbourne hospitality operators scaling up on-site.

  • Tomas Telegramma
Amatrice Rooftop is a red velvet and stone salon up in the clouds.
13/20

This swanky rooftop Italian restaurant has a lot going for it, but leaves our critic baffled

Dani Valent reviews the views and set menus at Melbourne’s Amatrice.

  • Dani Valent

Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/topic/good-for-groups-lbo