With the change in season comes a change in the Melbourne restaurant scene, with cosy new wine bars, quaint cafés, a bakery offshoot of the popular Hector’s Deli and hot new noodle destinations all making their debut this autumn. Melbourne’s dining scene is constantly evolving, which means there’s always plenty of dining to be done. From new rooftop bars to soon-to-open restaurants in the Melbourne CBD, the hottest new spot changes on any given day. So, to keep you updated on all the best new Melbourne restaurants, bars and coffee shops, we’ve handpicked this list of noteworthy venue openings that you should have on your radar.
Here are the best new restaurants in Melbourne to know about in May.
Hector’s Bakery
The team behind sandwich sect Hector’s Deli have opened a bakery offshoot. Hector’s Bakery is firing up its oven to dish out baked goods alongside sanger bangers in a chic Richmond space with off-white tiles, large bench seating, plus a coffee window on the main street. Beloved buns, pains au chocolat, a fragrant cheese and pepperonata croissant, apple fritters and an old-school finger bun underpin the bakery offerings; while sandwiches include fried chicken with tarragon butter, iceberg lettuce and house-made pickle mayo on a steamed potato bun; smoked pork shoulder, pickled fennel, Calabrian chilli paste and kale pesto; and hot honey salami with Calabrian chilli paste, horseradish mayo, stracciatella, rocket and hot honey vinaigrette.
81 Bay Wine Bar and Baix Dining
Brighton has welcomed 81 Bay Wine Bar and the adjoining Baix Dining, a 60-seater wine bar and 28-seat restaurant by Ian Curley (Kirks and French Saloon). A bayside local, Curley is hoping to bring an approachable two-pronged approach to food and drink, powered by head chef Felix Cheung (ex-The Ledbury). The menu at 81 Bay is a touch of French Saloon with more of a Western European feel – think oysters with mignonette and hot sauce to start; gildas; and smoked cheddar cheese puffs. More substantial offerings include a classic steak tartare with potato crisps, horseradish cream and caviar; bone marrow on toast; steak frites; and angel hair marinara. The wine list is global, with a focus on barolo and Burgundy. Meanwhile, Baix is the smaller establishment, where a three-course set menu will rotate weekly.
81 Bay Wine Bar is now open, with Baix opening later this month. baix.com.au
Pizzateca Lupa
On the corner of Cecil and Coventry Streets at South Melbourne Market, Pizzateca Lupa is a new Roman-style cafè and pizzeria. Brothers Lino and Gabriele Torre (both of D.O.C Gastronomia Italiana) are once again tracing their Italian roots, dishing out antipasti, pasta and square tray-baked pizza – both whole and by-the-slice. On the design front, they’ve enlisted Jackson Clements Burrows (the team behind Her and Arbory Bar & Eatery) to direct the 34-seat space, with walnut timber finishes and deep red hues. Spilling out onto the street to match the energy of South Melbourne Market, the alimentari-style menu highlights include a ‘30 clove’ garlic red sauce spaghetti, a baked cacio e pepe and classic Italian puddings such caramel budino.
Como Lane
South Yarra has welcomed Como Lane, a quaint new café from Melbourne restaurant maestro Scott Pickett (Matilda, Estelle, Longrain, Chancery Lane and Smith St Bistrot). Housed within the pretty grounds of the historic Como House and Garden, the sunny, Euro-leaning spot brings a romantic Parisian edge to the well-heeled suburb’s dining scene. A green-tiled counter greets guests as they enter the (now glorified) former garden shed, while seating sprawls across indoor and alfresco dining areas, both with garden-party charm galore. Think pistachio-and-beige-hued rattan chairs, timber tables and lush garden surroundings. On the food front, Como Lane is the Scott Pickett Group’s first full-service café, so you can stop by for a takeaway coffee and pastry or settle in for fluffy buttermilk pancakes with whipped crème fraîche for breakfast; or enjoy a lunch of market fish or golden chicken schnitzel with celeriac.
Suze
Fitzroy North has welcomed a new addition in the form of Suze, a wine bar with great pedigree. Owners and partners in life and business, Giulia Giorgetti (ex-Gimlet and Marion Wine Bar) and Steve Harry (ex-Honto, Gerard’s, Cumulus Inc and Napier Quarter) met working in Brisbane small wine bar Anise before relocating to Melbourne. The pair hope to build on the area’s already strong hospitality offering with casual small plates and laid-back service. Wine-wise you’ll find a succinct list of French, Italian and Australian varietals, and there’s also an emphasis on aperitifs, with cocktails reflecting this. Artisanal Victorian producers and growers are showcased on the menu, simply and elegantly. This might look like marinated peppers with curry leaf; ricotta, persimmon and pepperberry; and raw king fish with wasabina and salted coriander seeds to begin. The main event may include plates of chickpea agnolotti with nutmeg and Comté; spaghetti with king prawns, seaweed and Sherry; or a hearty dry aged pork cutlet with fermented plum.
Yamamoto Udon
The team behind South Yarra’s Yakikami have debuted Yamamoto Udon in the CBD. Specialising in the art of udon, the casual spot handcrafts two types: sanuki udon (springy thick rope-like noodles) and himokawa udon (known for its wide ribbon-like format). Just 70 servings of each are handmade daily, offered in 18 different styles from hot or cold dipping udon; to a modern carbonara-inspired iteration. You can also add on agedashi tofu, crisp tempura, onsen eggs or pork chashu to round out your meal. Digital ordering via iPads makes it a fast lunch spot; and its Japanese minimalist design includes warming timber accents and lacquerware serving vessels, making for a calm oasis in the middle of bustling Bourke Street.
Cordelia
The team behind Prahran’s fun-loving wine bar Don’s is opening a grown-up sibling venue in Carlton next month. Cordelia, named after the Latin meaning ‘Daughter of the Sea’, is wholly centred around the concept of sustainable seafood. While retaining the team’s relaxed, affable vibe, Cordelia is set to be “definitely more of a restaurant” with “a long lunch with your friends kind of energy,” says co-owner Alex Gavioli. The menu will follow a linear format of entrées, mains, sides and desserts, with seafood as the star. But beyond the day’s freshest catch, there’ll always be pasta which will change regularly, along with other proteins such as organic beef and lamb from the Myall Springs and Brooklands Free Range Farms pork. Gavioli also wants to “bring back the chicken breast” and is on a mission to see the poultry cut regain its popularity in restaurants.
As for the team, leading the kitchen will be Don’s current head chef Josh Norris; while co-owner and Gavioli’s wife Sarah Freudendal is behind the design of brightly lit corner space on Rathdowne Street, which now impresses with a minimalist Scandi edge. Think polished concrete walls and ceiling, sleek timber furniture, large windows, metal accents, and a spiral staircase descending into a subterranean bar space.
Cordelia is slated to open in Carlton in May 2025. Instagram.com/cordelia-carlton
Da Bao, Ho Jiak and Ho Liao
Sydney chef Junda Khoo will bring his clever take on Malaysian flavours to Melbourne. Landing a three-level site at 235 Bourke Street with an entrance on Royal Lane, each floor will feature a separate menu and vibe. “So, it’s like having three different Ho Jiak concepts under one roof,” says Khoo. The ground floor will be home to Da Bao, with a street-food focus. Expect “stuff like nasi lemak, Hainan chicken rice and a bain-marie with different dishes – similar to the “chap fan” stores on the street in Malaysia”. The first floor – named Ho Jiak after the original in Sydney’s Strathfield – is set to be more formal, exploring the cultural intersections of the cuisine with a levelled-up playfulness. “That’s where we will be doing our elevated Malaysian dishes, so the laksa bombs, oysters, steak and a good wine list,” says Khoo. Finally, the crowning second floor will be a rooftop beer hall with home-style family favourites, called Ho Liao, which means “good stuff” in Hokkien.
Le Splendide
In South Yarra Le Splendide is a debonair new wine bar from the team behind beloved French diner France-Soir. Located next door to the late-night favourite, the bar is conceptualised by partners Jean-Paul Prunetti and Johanna Bails based on years of travel and research. In Bails’ own words it’s “somewhere we could have a good drink and something to eat without the distraction of the selfies crowd”. To this end, when you enter the venue, a small heart-shaped sticker is placed over your phone lens resulting in a camera-free zone.
The menu is overseen by Geraud Fabre (head chef at France-Soir since 2000) while the cellar is managed by Guillaume Vérité (sommelier at France-Soir). The “grignotage” (French for snacking and nibbling) menu includes Spanish crisps; oysters with raspberry vinaigrette; tuna tataki with ratatouille; house-made duck, pork and chicken terrine; petite lobster rolls; beef tartare served atop cos lettuce; plus a selection of charcuterie and French cheeses. Drinks-wise classics are favoured from the wines (with a special emphasis on natural wines and an entire page dedicated to magnums) to digestifs. The bar is open until midnight, making it a splendid stop for a post-France-Soir-nightcap, but there are also plans to amp up the menu to feature a fuller offering.
instagram.com/bar_lesplendide
Masses Bagels
In Fitzroy, cult market bakery Masses Bagels has found a permanent home. The wild fermented bagels gained legions of fans at Carlton Farmers Market, and now can be purchased four days a week. Savoury numbers include one topped with pickled zucchini, hot-smoked trout and quark (a tangy soft cheese); or the “rip’n’dip bagel pack” which is served with quark seasoned by confit onion and chives; while sweet fiends can get around a cardamom and ginger sugar bagel; or one with blackberry, rhubarb and thyme jam with whipped quark.
Carnation Canteen
This pastel-toned, sweet 20-seater in Fitzroy has all the earmarks of becoming a neighbourhood favourite, just six (and a bit) months after opening. Carnation Canteen, owned and operated by Audrey Shaw, an architect-turned-chef who fell for restaurant work on the pass at now-closed Michelin-starred Ellory in London, and her husband Alexander Di Stefano, has a weekly rotating menu consisting of a handful of starters, a couple of creative mains and some hard-to-miss sides, often incorporating organic vegetables from Days Walk Farm in Keilor, just 22km from Melbourne’s CBD.
The wine list features mostly local Australian drops, with some Spanish whites, and of course, Champagne, to complement a menu prone to variation. Perhaps light-as-air ricotta gnudi with a butter and sage sauce to pair with a French sparkling one day, or a heaping plate of coniglio bianco and a glass of Italian red the next.
Whatever Shaw’s slinging the day of your visit, pull up at the pink marble bar or one of the inviting, unique handmade tables, and settle in for the ride.
Kolkata Cricket Club
After building his fandom with debut restaurant Toddy Shop by Marthanden Hotel, Mischa Tropp – GT’s Best New Talent title holder– has undertaken a sprawling new venue. Kolkata Cricket Club is dishing out nostalgia, butter chicken and brews at the Crown precinct. Inspired by charming Bengali members’ bars and cricket clubs, the 150-seat pan-Indian restaurant has Bengalese threads throughout its menu. The well-armed kitchen has a woodfire hearth and tandoor-style ovens. From here expect tandoori lamb chops marinated with green papaya; butter garlic mud crab; king prawns with turmeric and coconut curry; and saffron braised duck, best enjoyed with a side of freshly cooked soft warm naans.
Punters can also keep it casual watching the cricket over beer battered fries with curry sauce; a thali plate; or a Bombay sandwich with mixed fried veggies, chutney and aged cheddar. With interiors by Min Chun Tseng – who also dreamed up the Toddy Shop’s façade, plus SilkSpoon and Cinque Terre – think warm colours and inviting textures.
Amatrice Rooftop
In Cremorne there’s a lofty new Italian-leaning bar-restaurant located on the 10th floor of Cubitt Place. The mood here fuses Rome with New York, thanks to interiors by Belle’s winner of the Best Commercial Interior, Brahman Perera. With a dining room shrouded in a retractable glass roof joined by an alfresco deck, the scene is set with velvet, red marble tables and aqua subway tiles.
Suupaa
A konbini-inspired eatery and convenience store is set to open in Cremorne. Suupaa combines the talents of Dennis Yong (ex-Parcs) and Future Future head chef Atsushi Kawakami across a multi-purpose venue that’s as focused on finessed takeaway as it is dine in. To this end, expect clever takes on bento (packed lunches) and onigiri. Stars of the menu will shake things up with a Melbourne-bent (see mortadella onigiri; and fried egg, shokupan sando with curry ketchup, black garlic relish and American cheese). There will also be pork loin tonkatsu with a Vegemite-powered Bulldog-inspired barbecue sauce and fermented mustard; and even chicken and ’nduja nuggets.
Off the back of the matcha mania that swept Australia in 2024, the green tea will be a signature of the venue, mixed with Milo, shaken with ice and served in lattes. Suupaa is located within a new development on Dover Street, and will include neighbours such as Baker Bleu and creative business hub The Commons.
Marmelo and Mr Mills
Melbourne has scored not one but two new venues from Ross and Sunny Lusted, with a restaurant and a basement bar, Marmelo and Mr Mills, now open in Melbourne’s CBD. With 90 seats, Marmelo is decked out in elegance. Think sweeping windows for light-filled lunches and opulent banquettes covered in tapestry-like fabrics. The menu skews toward an Iberian-coastal focus, with snacks like savoury pastel de nata (handpicked crab meat on a rich custard) or wood-grilled southern calamari with goat’s milk butter.
Mr Mills, accessible through Marmelo or via Melbourne Place Laneway, is a little more intimate with tight, secretive booths and a sleek bar. Furnished with an extensive cocktail list, snacks are also available downstairs, with everything from lighter snacks like grilled padron peppers to larger plates like baked cod with roasted onions and potatoes.
Maison Bâtard
After being in Chris Lucas’ pipeline for more than eight years, Maison Bâtard is finally realised across four levels at 23 Bourke Street. The restaurant spans the first two floors, while the rooftop has its own open-air terrace and a supper club occupies the basement. Opulence is on the menu agenda: think grand seafood towers showcasing oysters, rock lobster, Skull Island prawns, scallop ceviche, tuna sashimi and kingfish crudo; and an omelette topped with Oscietra caviar, filled with crushed potato crisps (perhaps a nod to The Bear) and topped with sauce Parisienne. Traditional brasserie dishes will also feature, including half or whole 12-hour brined rotisserie chicken with olives; confit Ōra King salmon and zesty sauce verte; and Queensland spanner crab royal salad.
Anchovy
After a two-year hiatus, Anchovy reopened in its Richmond digs on Bridge Street last month. The loved and lauded Vietnamese restaurant immediately hit a nerve when it first opened in 2015 with food billed as “Asian, Australian, a little bit in between”. This time around, co-owners Thi Le and Jia-Yen Lee announced on Instagram that Anchovy’s “DNA remains the same but… has returned with a stronger sense of self and a deeper conviction in its identity as a Viet Kieu (Vietnamese person living overseas).
Expect dishes such as casarecce with Lao sausage and snake beans; mì xào giòn of crispy egg noodles, King Dory, ginger and shallot; raw mullet, persimmon and mắm tép; and (hoành thánh) wontons swimming in smoked pork broth.
While Anchovy only reopened recently, the pair have been busy at other Bridge Street addresses, Laotian restaurant Jeow and their bustling Bánh Mì shop Ca Com.
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