Giuseppe

Hi there,

Could anyone recommend some trency and good restaurant in Melbourne? Any kind of food, although interested in Australian creative cuisine... Maybe some good Italian as well?

Thanks!

Giu

mrsfletcher

For good Italian, I would recommend Italy 1 or Il Solito Posto (both in the city). Lygon St. is traditionally where people go for Italian food, but I personally think that only a handful of restaurants in that area are really good - most don't seem to have to try to hard due to the constant flow of traffic. I like Donnini's & Tiamo 2. In Toorak there is a Sardinian restaurant called Da Noi which is fantastic. As for trendy Australian cuisine - there is lots to choose from. Depends on budget. Higher end would be Botanical, Circa, Ezard, Radii.

Giuseppe

Dear Mrs Fletcher,

Thanks for those tips. We will surely book a dinner in The Botanical!

Giu

maryk

There are lots of wonderful restaurants in Melbourne, with an enormous number of excellent Italian. I would stay away from Lygon St - very touristy and more your basic pasta and pizza joints. Where are you staying and I can then perhaps reccomend something close by. I agree that the Botanical is good, but it is very noisy. If you can visit Da Noi (you will need to book) I highly reccomend it.

Giuseppe

Dear Maryk,

We will stay aT THE WINDSOR, is it a good place and well located? I have been so overloaded with work these past weeks that everythinghas been set by the secretary and I did not have the time to even look at a map of Melbourne! Any good restaurants that you could recommend for lunch or dinner in the area (does not necessarily need to be Italian)?

Thanks for the tips,

Giu

maryk

The Windsor is regarded as Melbourne's "grand, classic" hotel and is famous for it's classic afternoon teas. It's set in Spring St, overlooking the Parliament and lovely gardens. The City Circle tram (free) passes outside. There are lots of good restaurants close by. I'd definitely recommend making bookings for Becco in Crossley Lane (just around the corner) - a cross between classic Italian and modern Australian - regarded as one of Melbourne's best. If you like Thai food try Madam Fang for very creative, modern Thai. Florentino Restaurant is also regarded as a Melbourne classic (just around the cormer from The Windsor). The restaurant upstairs is quite formal (and expensive) but the downstairs bistro and adjoining bar are terrific. Almost next door is Pellegrinis - Melbourne's original and very Italian coffee bar - all laminex and vinyl bar stools! You're also really close to Chinatown and the new Federation Square where there are a number of very trendy restaurants.

Daneille

I love the Stokehouse in St. Kilda. (Mostly seafood) Sit upstairs - a little bit more expensive than downstairs - and make sure you get a booth seat. I prefer to eat there at lunchtime on a lovely sunny day. It's really nice - and the food scrumptious. We ordered wine by the glass from their extensive list of Australian wines and were really happy that we did. It's easy to get to on the tram too.
http://esvc000381.wic004u.server-web.com/

AussieJo

Take a short 2. minute walk over to The Park Hyatt Hotel for dinner at Radii. One of a hand full of 3. Hat award restaurants in Melbourne... Don't do lunch there.

The Windsor is the grand old lady of Melbourne...but getting tired !
Its at the quite end of town.

Good location for what Markk has told you.
Enjoy

ishki

If you walk to the Flinders Street Railway Station, cross the river and look to your right you will see South Bank which has dozens of cafes and restaurants and a couple of good hotels. Most restaurants will look over the Yarra River and at the end of the day when the city lights are coming on it is quite spectacular. You must go there, even if only for a look around! I am a Melbourne girl and know what I'm talking about!

Pumblechook

Giu,

The Windsor is a grand old hotel, I love it. The rooms are enormous. And one block down Bourke St is the best Italian restaurant in Melbourne, bar none. Grossi Florentino. It's upmarket, grand scale Italian dining - a really good dining experience. As maryk mentioned, Pellegrini's next door is a terrific coffee lounge.

Enjoy Melbourne - and make sure you get to the footy!

bigarm1

Is there in Melbourne a family priced seafood restaurant recommended, similar to the Doyles chain in Sydney ? Also, can anyone please recommend two or three similarly priced Italian restaurants either centrally placed or not too far from the centre ? Thank you.

MissB99

For fish try Funkfish at Federation Square, Livebait at New Quay, Phish in North Melbourne (get the 57 tram in Elizabeth St, it is about five stops past the Vic Market)
In St Kilda the Stokehouse and Donovans on the foreshore are also good but more pricey. For a chain of fish shops try Bottom of the Harbour, there is one in Lygon St, easily accesssed from the city

bigarm1

Thanks MissB99; that is a great selection. I haven't been to Melbourne for years and don't know Federation Square - where is it located ?

Possum

Federation Square is on the site of the old Princes Bridge Railway station. Directly across the road from the clocks at Flinders Street station and diagonally opposite Y and J's.
Possum

bigarm1

Understood, thanks Possum

NeilS

Could I add an additional question to this thread. In the UK, there has been a new trend to open all-you-can eat buffet restaurants serving chinese food for GBP 4.90 and GBP 2.50 for children. There's one in Worcester and another in Sheffield. Does anyone know if there are any of these yet in Oz/Melbourne?
Thanks
Neil

maryk

Not heard of any with Chinese food. There is however a cheap buffet at Crown Casino - I think it's $12.50 (hopefully someone will correct this if I've got the price wrong). I've never eaten there - but the queues are enormous so it must be at least edible!

Possum

NeilS,
The trend in Melbourne is completely the opposite to that in those areas you mentioned. There are more and more gourmet/trendy(and generally pricey) restaurants and cafe's opening. And particularly in the rejuvenated river/waterfront areas.
Try doing a search of Melbourne restaurants. A starting point is http://melbourne.citysearch.com.au and head for the dining section.
Also,just type in "Melbourne dining" or "Melbourne restaurants" on your search engine and you will get loads of results.
Possum

NeilS

I got messages back on another forum saying that Food Star and to a lesser extent - Smorgy's might be what I'm looking for. I hear there's also somewhere in the Bourke St mall. But thanks for your replies as well.

Possum

Eww,Neil!
On the "pecking order of fast food", I'd rank both of them even lower than McDonalds.
I'm a teacher and I teach in a highly disadvantaged area of Melbourne. Going to Food Star or Smorgy's is a "family dining highlight" for a lot of the kids I teach. No kidding.
All I am saying is that if you do want to eat "on the cheap"(and there's nothing wrong with that), there are far better options in many of our cafe's etc.
Do a search for "cheap eats in Melbourne" on the net. There is even a book you can buy in local newsagents that can lead you to the best of the cheapest.
Cheers,
Possum