February 17, 2017
I can’t believe that in a week and a half I’ll be saying goodbye to Melbourne and moving back to Brisbane. I’m actually really excited about moving back and being with my partner, my family and friends up there, and I know it is the right decision for me. I’m really excited to start the next chapter and part of me cannot wait for this week and a half to be over. However, the other half is getting super anxious about timing. I mean, I only have a week and a half left, and how am I meant to fit in all of the food?
This is a serious concern and problem of mine. It’s really making me more anxious than the packing up of my stuff and finishing up my job. How does one fit in so many foodie experiences into such little time? And how does one go about it? Should I be going back to my favourite places, or trying to fit in new experiences? How do I maximize each meal on my final weekend to ensure that I get the most out of it, and have no dud meals? I must be driving my roommate, and my partner who will be here for my final weekend, insane with all my food planning!
I think I need to stop putting so much pressure on my final week, and remember that this year has been full of amazing foodie experiences. Not to mention that Melbourne will always be here to enjoy, so I will just have to visit loads. I think I just need to accept the fact that my stomach is only a certain size, and I can only fit in so much food without making myself sick. My roommate joked that she feels she’s going to come home to me on my last day crying on the floor surrounded by takeout from every restaurant available to me in a bid to eat everything.
Instead of trying to cram it all in, and in a bid to remind myself of how great the experience already has been, I decided to write another blog post about Melbourne food. I’m beginning to accept that I will just have to take my final week and a half as it comes, and try to keep the FOMO at bay. So this week I wanted to share with you my top 5 Melbourne restaurants. This is one of the hardest lists I’ve ever written, especially because there are so many restaurants I’ve tried and loved for different reasons. It has also been impacted by the memories I have there, and who I’ve shared the experience with. So I’ve taken all of this into consideration when coming up with my list, because there’s no point reminiscing on my time here if I don’t consider what made it so great.
This list is a bit of a mix, and probably won’t be the most enjoyable restaurants for everyone. I know the top restaurants in Melbourne is a bit of a contentious topic, and that many restaurants that I’ve never been to exist in Melbourne and are probably just as good, if not better. But I guess I wouldn’t know, because I could never try every single restaurant this city has to offer, unless I had a lot more time, a sizeable wallet, and a much bigger stomach.
So here is my humble list of my favourite restaurants so far. They may not be the fanciest, the highest rated, or the best, but they hold such fond memories for me, and are the places I really enjoyed the meals at. It was really hard pulling this list together, as there are so many places I love, but when I think about it, these are definitely the biggest stand outs! There isn’t a particular order to these, in my mind they are all equal.
Chin Chin
Well you know it wouldn’t be a Melbourne restaurant list without Chin Chin. I’ve only been here twice, but both times have absolutely blown my mind. Actually, I think this was one of my first defining foodie moments, when I realised how in love with food I actually was. Even after a day of wine tasting and just being my usual hangry self, I was willing to wait 2.5 hours to get a table for a restaurant which I had never been to. My partner on the other hand insisted we try and find somewhere else, resulting in a fruitless effort to find another restaurant that would stack up. If I could wait that long for food around dinner time, and remain persistent until I got in, food obviously was pretty important. And it still is.
I remember getting in that first time, and sitting down and finally eating. We were tired, a bit drunk, and starving. My partner had had enough, and was saying “How is this restaurant so popular that people actually wait for a table this long? The food can’t be that good!” well, as soon as we ate our first entrée, he stood corrected. Even the second time that we went recently, when we only had to wait just over an hour, we were again blown away by the food.
There are a couple of things that make Chin Chin so unique and special. You have to be to be that consistently busy. I can’t even imagine what they must make in a week! I think firstly it is the atmosphere. For such a well-known restaurant, it still keeps quite a casual, quirky vibe which I love. Although it’s a little loud, I love the communal table feel, and the fact you order off the placemats. I love that it really is all about good food and great service, you get what you see. The atmosphere is really upbeat and the restaurant almost hums with activity, which I love. The service is also amazing. Even though you have to wait a while to get in, once you order, the food comes out so quickly. They are like a well-oiled machine pumping out tasty dishes, but not so quickly that you feel rushed.
Then there is the food. Oh the food here is so amazing. Everything I’ve ever eaten has been out of this world. The standout for me though is the Sticky Pork. If you order one thing here, I would recommend this. I was told to order it off a friend, and I’m so glad I had the inside scoop, as it’s some of the best pork I’ve ever eaten. It’s crunchy on the outside, and when you get into the centre, it’s perfectly cooked perfection.
Do yourself a favour and get yourself to Chin Chin at least once. It is the full Melbourne experience, because Melbournians are willing to line up for hours for good food. And once you get in, you will not be disappointed. Just make sure you persist with the wait times, or go for late lunch. I found when we got there at 5.45pm the wait time wasn’t as bad. Little inside tip! Regardless of how long you have to wait, it is worth it!
Tokyo Tina
I had to put Tokyo Tina on here because of my recent meal there. Although I’ve eaten at plenty of amazing restaurants near my house, and know there are many that I haven’t even managed to get to yet, Tokyo Tina really stood out to me when I went a couple of weeks ago.
My mum and dad came down for a final trip to Melbourne, which resulted in my dad getting quite concerned about fitting all the food in (you can see where my foodie FOMO comes from). Once place he was set on visiting was Tokyo Tina, and so I said that we would go there on the Saturday night. Although I definitely have some favourite Japanese restaurants, I love Supernormal in the city, and I also really want to try Mr Miyagi, I decided to go where dad wanted to go.
The first thing I would say about this restaurant is that the atmosphere is great. It’s got a casual feel, with serious mood lighting, and Japanese pop culture figurines and posters covering the walls. The music is pumping, and there’s even a separate bar area that you can get a drink from. You do have to wait for a table, but I would say the wait times are much better than Hawker Hall or Mr Miyagi. Once you get in, the service is absolutely amazing. The waiters are attentive, funny and super friendly.
I think the reason this stood out in my mind was that it’s the first time I’ve done a banquet option at a restaurant in Melbourne. All my favourite restaurants offer a ‘feed me’ option, and I’ve always wanted to try one, but never committed to it. I don’t know why, perhaps I just like to be in control too much, or it’s a cost factor. But when we sat down, it felt so freeing to be able to leave it up to the kitchen. It felt like a weight was lifted as we didn’t need to come to an agreement about what we wanted, and so we could just sit and enjoy each other’s company. We ordered some delicious sake (their selection is top notch) and waited for our food journey to begin.
Honestly, the food here is incredible, and I find it hard to pick one or two dishes out that were stand out – they were all incredible. Each time a new one came out, we were amazed by the flavours and deliciousness. Even things such as the chicken karaage had a spice mix in the batter that took it to the next level. The menu was perfectly planned so that it gave you things you wouldn’t think to order, such as corn cobs with miso butter which were out of this world. It also gave you a great mix of salad and vegetables along with meat so that the meal was well balanced, although we still felt completely stuffed at the end! We still had room for dessert though, which was a delicious mandarin and black sesame ice cream sandwich! It was nice and refreshing after eating delicious Korean BBQ steak wraps for our main!
I couldn’t really pick a favourite, all the dishes were amazing. Honestly I don’t know why this restaurant doesn’t get as much hype as some of the other places on Chapel Street, as everything was out of this world delicious, and the service was impeccable. I wish I’d found out about it sooner so that I could keep going back. But I’ll always have a fond memory of sharing a feed me option with my parents, and being able to rave about that time we went to Tokyo Tina for years to come.
Café e Cucina
Café e Cucina will forever hold a place in my heart. I really only discovered it when I moved to the area based on a recommendation from my partner’s cousin, and since that first time, I’ve taken so many people there for a meal I’ve lost count. It’s probably my most visited restaurant in Melbourne, even though it is a little on the expensive side. Although I do go to cheaper restaurants a lot, I tend to spread them out, but this one I keep going back to! It’s probably my favourite Italian restaurant in Melbourne, and I haven’t really felt the need to go out and find anything else.
There is so much that makes Café e Cucina so special. It’s a little cosy Italian restaurant on Chapel Street that looks tiny from the outside but has a beautiful upstairs area. I love it in winter as it has that really dark, romantic feel that you want in an Italian restaurant. It’s so authentic too, with beautiful Italian décor, wooden chairs and beautiful stair case. But I think what makes it so special is the service.
The waiters here are all Italian, and probably the best waiters I’ve ever had. They remember you regardless of how often you come, they take your coat and absolutely fawn over you. They joke, they make you laugh, and they make you feel like you are their only customer. Even when I took my partner once, which wasn’t received as well as when I take my roommate, they still gave us a little extra wine when we ran out! I also remember when it was my roommate’s birthday, despite being full to the brim, they brought us out little cookies with candles stuck in to celebrate, as they forgot to put it in our dessert! Just make sure they don’t try to get some of your tiramisu, because if you aren’t sharing, they will insist that you leave some for them to enjoy in the kitchen. They don’t really mean it though!
The food here is also amazing. Honestly, I cannot fault it. Their selection of pasta is absolutely delicious, and they also have a number of vegetarian options which is good for my roommate. My favourite is the pasta with mushrooms and speck, so delicious! The star of the show though for me is the tiramisu. It comes out with an actual chocolate spoon for you to eat the dessert with! How decadent and perfect is that? You won’t want to share this, I can promise you that.
I’ve had so many special memories here, and I know I’ll miss being able to go here. My roommate and I have taken each other here for our birthdays, we’ve taken our parents there when they’ve been in town, and I’ve taken my partner. It’s the sort of restaurant that you want to keep going back to, and every time you do, you remember just how amazing it is. This was an easy top pick for me! It’s also where my roommate and I are going to go for our last dinner together, and what a way to finish off an amazing year!
Umberto’s
Umberto’s has been one of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne for years. It’s located in Thornbury, which is near where my roommate used to live before I move down. Whenever I would go and visit her, we would always try to fit in a visit to this amazing Italian restaurant. Although now that we live in South Yarra we have access to more restaurants than you can poke a stick at, we keep finding ourselves reminiscing about those times we shared at Umberto’s.
Umberto’s is probably the cheapest restaurant on my list, as you can get a bowl of pasta here for under $20. They specialize in pasta but also have some delicious entrees and mains on the menu. Then there is their desserts which are made up of the classics done really, really well. The bill never breaks the bank, which is surprising for how consistently good the food is here. Honestly, I’ve never had a bad meal, and for $18 you can get a bowl of amazing pasta. You can’t go wrong with that!
Part of its charm comes from it being a little, cozy restaurant, with hand written menus and a chalk board specials board. The staff are super friendly, and the whole restaurant has a feel to it like you’re eating at your family home. It’s cozy and comforting, like a nice hug, but in delicious pasta form. I love that it feels so homely here, and I think this is something you don’t get at some of the fancier Italian restaurants.
The pastas here are your classics done really well. My favourite is the amatriciana, which has the most amazing, spicy tomato sauce that’s perfectly cooked and seasoned. I think this is what I like so much about this restaurant, it’s just classic Italian food. They also do a mean panna cotta, so make sure you leave room for dessert. Although I love to wash my pasta down with a beautiful red wine, of which they have a great, well priced selection, my favourite thing to order to drink here is the espresso martini. It is absolutely delicious, and it comes out in a latte glass, which makes it feel more special for some reason. I would highly recommend ordering one to enjoy before your meal, it’s a great start to the pasta feast!
I’ll honestly really miss going to this restaurant, and I regret not going there much after my roommate moved. I’ll always have fond memories of visiting my roommate and walking down the road for some serious comfort food!
Tim Ho Wan
I had to put this restaurant in because my roommate made a comment about how much I talk about it, and then I realised just how much I actually do! I am surprised that it comes to mind so much, but then I remember how I had the best pork buns of my life, and know why.
Apparently Tim Ho Wan took ages to come to Melbourne, I’m talking over a year in delays. Luckily I moved just in time for this restaurant to open. I had always wanted to try it, and when I was in the city with my partner I decided to take him there as I’d heard good things.
The first thing I find unusual about this restaurant is that it is a Michelin-Starred brand, but doesn’t fit the mold for this. In fact, the feel of it is familiar, as it feels like a lot of Chinese dumpling restaurants that I’ve been to. Which is almost nice, as it still has that bustling feel to it, and is really authentic. It also means that the food can shine and be exactly what it is: delicious! You head up Bourke street and while you wait in line get a menu to order off, which means that the food hits your plate sooner. The restaurant is packed with table so it has a really communal feel to it.
Surprisingly there isn’t that much on the menu, but I think this is a good thing. They do a few dishes really well, in fact the dumplings were some of the best I’ve had in Melbourne. I love that you order by writing on the menu too, it helps you keep track of what you are ordering, as they also give you a menu with pictures which I think helps you figure out what to order.
The problem we had when we came was that I knew to order to Baked Pork Buns, but we didn’t realise just how absolutely incredible these were going to be. So we ordered a whole heap of other food, which was delicious, but nothing compared to these buns. Seriously, they were unlike anything I’ve ever eaten before. They were baked, and actually weirdly had sugar on the top. But this created the most amazing taste sensation which absolutely blew my mind. Honestly, my partner and I have lengthy conversations on the phone about these buns and how much we need to try them again. And we aren’t alone, a couple next to us ordered 6 serves and put them in takeaway containers!
Next time we go (hopefully this weekend) we’ve decided we are just going to order these buns, because we can’t live without trying them once more! I think it’s a testament to how good they are that I talk about them so much, because I think I talk about this restaurant more than Chin Chin, which is saying something!
If you are looking for a well-priced, delicious dumpling meal, I would look no further than this restaurant! Seriously it is out of this world! But if you go, do yourself a favour and order at least 2 servings of the Baked Pork Buns.
And there you have it, my top 5 favourite restaurants. It was really hard to come up with this, because there are so many amazing places I’ve been lucky enough to eat at. It’s really hard to pick 5 that stand out. But when I think about my fondest memories and the restaurants they were in, these were definitely the stand outs. I think that’s what really makes an experience. It’s the food of course, but the whole package of who you were with, the time you had, and how it made you feel. That’s what food is to me, and I’m glad that I have made so many fond memories while I’ve been in Melbourne.
I will always remember these amazing restaurants, and I’m sure when I move back I will miss the amazing food I’ve eaten. But as I said, it’s really the people that make it, and I’m glad to have shared these experiences with special people in my life. It’s no fun reminiscing on your own, so make sure if you visit these restaurants, you take someone along to experience them with.
What’s your favourite Melbourne restaurant? I’d love to hear it, so I can start compiling a list for when I visit next!
Until next time, happy eating!
Ella xx
