Chengdu Food 2023 Restaurants in Melbourne

The restaurant is named after the 1961 film, Flower Drum Song. Inside rich spotted gum furnishings and wine wall making Aru a unique and memorable place to eat. The warm and earthy colour palette – which features spotted gum and terracotta bricks – is inspired by the restaurant’s focus on fire. The wine selection features local australian wines, and there is also a curated selection of japanese sake, whiskey and spirits. The walls are bare and the carpet is soft, making it a quiet and relaxing place to eat.
Maybe wash them down with a cheeky pineapple mezcalita made with Peloton mezcal, charred pineapple, agave and lime. Rice Paper Scissors is another name that should be nearing the top of your must-eat list. Boasting a modern Vietnamese street food menu  with a Thai twist, this joint is perfect for big malatang eaters, and also big vegans, thanks to its plethora of vegan-friendly options. Dishes of note include the fried chicken, banh bao, tempura prawn buns and the Vietnamese espresso martini . We opted for a whole hot-and-sour fish , tangy and flavorful, and slathered in bright orange chili peppers.

Either way you slice it if you find the Al Dente name on the menu—you're in for a good time. The pizzas also take a contemporary swing, tackle the 'Lingua' with ox tongue, roasted garlic endive and pecorino or the pinnacle of salty spicy 'Nduja' with mozzarella peppers and anchovy. To get the fill on where the pasta is al dente, the pizzas perfectly crisped and the Chianti is ever-flowing, keep on scrolling for a rundown on the best Italian restaurants Melbourne's serving up in 2023. Travel to South Korea from Melbourne with the best fried chicken, K-BBQ and more.
This slick Indonesian diner offers Balinese favourites (think five-hour slow roasted pork, gado gado), plus a few new takes on the cuisine. Like squid ink Nasi Goreng and fried chicken bao with salted egg mayo. The Uluwatu cocktail is another unmissable menu item, served at your table with an exploding bubble of nitro wow.
Known for its wide selection of delicious offerings, this restaurant is probably most notable for its soups and wontons. Stand-outs include pork-filled envelopes and moreish bowls of salty broth. The next time you pay the Emporium’s spacious third-floor food court a visit, don’t forget to stop by New Shanghai. After all, it is arguably one of the best Chinese restaurants in Melbourne. Add to that the fact that their noodles and wontons are handmade and you have a wonderfully authentic Chinese dining experience. Originality and flavour put this firmly on our list of the best Chinese restaurants in Melbourne.

One of the most important spices is broad-bean chili paste , and is essential in many Sichuan local dishes. There are many cooking techniques in Sichuan, but the most common are stir frying, steaming, braising, and hot pot.. It sure is, but we betcha didn't know they also serve some of the best South American food in Melbourne. Nobu Matsuhisa, after training in Japan, travelled south of the equator to open a sushi bar in Peru. Every Thursday, Melbourne's Nobu pays homage to the maestro's early years with 'A Taste of Peru'. Melding South American flavours with Japanese techniques, the tapas-style menu features tiraditos, croquettas, ceviche and oh-so-much more.
The building itself is a gorgeous example of Victorian architecture, and you’ll also find many artisanal crafts made by local creatives, as well as souvenirs for your friends back home. The City Circle Tram is a great free service that is an outstanding way to see and move around the city. For a start, these trams are historical themselves and exude a charm. They travel around the CBD and take in some great views of Melbourne. You can get on and travel a couple of stops then get back on again later.

Experience the authentic taste of West Sumatran cuisine in Tivoli Arcade. A casual dining space with one of the finest views in Melbourne. Vue de Monde translates to “worldview” in French – and that’s just what you’ll get at this celebrated fine diner. Perched 55 floors above the city on the Rialto Building’s former observation deck, it boasts an impressive 360-degree vista from Docklands to the Dandenongs. Sitting behind a Victorian terrace frontage, this intimate Sri Lankan and South Indian restaurant employs old family recipes, but the menu isn’t strictly traditional. Find hoppers with goat’s curd and pomegranate pearls, dosas with bacon jam, and chai-infused Old Fashioned cocktails.
Opened in March 2023, the intimate Japanese restaurant is pitched as a more high-end experience in the West, with chef-owner Hansol Lee serving up a premium multi-course meal for $210 per person. Dishes on the current menu, for example, include crayfish with nori, shiso and shiitake, as well as oyster with caviar, chive and ponzu. While it’ll change very regularly, that should give you an idea of what you’re in for at Matsu. Think dishes like rabbit ragu taglioni, a fig and ricotta crostata, and standout-starter anchovies al verde served with mussels veal and tuna sauce.
The huge variety of food available on site can make you drool too - Zhang Fei beef, beancurd pudding, beef pancake, bobo chicken etc. Each of them has its own unique flavor so please go there with an empty stomach! Crown Melbourne’s upmarket Chinese restaurant is a go-to for many a special family occasion.

Tucked away in the corner on Renmin South Road, this cozy restaurant offers an inviting atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re in the comfort of your own home. Although on the pricier end of the scale, they have an impressive drinks menu and all time classic American meals such as baby back ribs, New Zealand fillet steak, pulled pork and buffalo chicken sandwiches. After a restaurant with even more five-star reviews being dished up in the kitchen?
Ma’s Kitchen is decorated with bamboo here and there, which is distinctive out of Chengdu restaurants. Matt McConnell, brother of Andrew, is behind this top-of-the-city bolthole. Calling it a tapas bar wouldn't do justice to the delicacy and thoughtfulness of what appears on either the short regular menu, the expansive list of specials, or what's poured by the bar's excellent staff.

The megacity also has a diverse range of international restaurants that serve classic food more typical in nearby countries like Japan and Taiwan. We fondly remember entering a sushi joint at 8am in Osaka and observing a fish market employee, cigarette in hand, enjoying his first meal of  the day. When we’re not traveling, we adore being warmly greeted by the septuagenarian owners of our favorite Lisbon tasca since we now live in Portugal. In quest of greater taste, more sustainable methods and reconnection with life’s basics, people are returning to productive gardens – including community gardens in cities.