Table of Contents
⚡ KEY TAKEAWAYS: Best Restaurants in Melbourne CBD
- The best restaurants in Melbourne CBD in this guide sit within walking distance of each other, mostly on Flinders Lane, Collins Street, and Bourke Street.
- Since 1 October 2026, card surcharges on Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and eftpos are banned; weekend surcharges of 10% to 18% still apply.
- Set menus start at A$78 at Sezar and A$89 at Chin Chin; Maha starts at A$145 (menu prices, 7 November 2026).
- Florentino’s Dining Room, formerly Grossi Florentino, serves lunch Friday to Sunday and dinner every day from 5:30 pm.
- Several venues add a service charge of 5% to 10% for groups of eight or more, so check the bill before tipping.
| Key term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CBD | Melbourne’s central business district, the city-centre grid. |
| Free Tram Zone | The area of central Melbourne where tram travel is free. |
| myki | Victoria’s reusable public transport smartcard. |
| Feed Me | Chin Chin’s set menu, chosen by the kitchen. |
| Banquet | A shared set menu served to the whole table. |
| Weekend surcharge | An extra percentage added to the bill on weekends or public holidays. |
| Service charge | A fixed percentage some venues add for large groups. |
| Pre-theatre menu | A shorter set menu served early for diners going to a show. |
| Hat | A rating awarded by The Age Good Food Guide. |
| Walk-in | A table taken without a booking. |
Since 1 October 2026, Melbourne restaurants can no longer add a surcharge when you pay by Visa, Mastercard, Amex, or eftpos (ACCC). Weekend and public-holiday surcharges stay, and where the menus below list one, it runs from 10% to 18%.
Information checked on 7 November 2026.
The best restaurants in Melbourne CBD sit within a short walk of each other, most of them on Flinders Lane, Collins Street, and the lanes between, all inside the city’s Free Tram Zone. This guide covers 13 of them, with the booking rule, the set-menu or main-course prices from each restaurant’s own menu, and the dishes that both the menu and independent reviewers single out.
The list keeps TravelPep’s original 13, each re-checked on 7 November 2026 for trading status, menus, and booking rules: one has changed hands and one is closing at the end of the year. The numbers are for reference, not a ranking.
| Restaurant | Street | Lowest set menu, or entry-level à la carte price, per person | Walk-ins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coda | Flinders Lane | A$90 (weekday lunch) | Not stated |
| Supernormal | Flinders Lane | A$90 banquet | Limited walk-in seating |
| Chin Chin | Flinders Lane | A$89 Feed Me | Welcome |
| Cumulus Inc. | Flinders Lane | No set menu listed; large plates from A$46 | Welcome |
| Pastuso | AC/DC Lane | A$105 (minimum two) | Not stated |
| Tonka (closing 31 December 2026) | Duckboard Place | A$105 | Not stated |
| Maha | Bond Street | A$145 | Not stated |
| Vue de Monde | Collins Street | A$380 | Book ahead; waitlist by email |
| Florentino | Bourke Street | Price not published on the site; check the menu | Not stated |
| Sezar | Melbourne Place | A$78 pre-theatre | Welcome |
| Il Solito Posto | Collins Street | No set menu; pasta from A$29 | Limited walk-in seating (bar and some tables) |
| Tipo 00 | Little Bourke Street | A$100 Chef’s Menu | Limited walk-in seating (bar and a few tables) |
| Trattoria Emilia | Little Collins Street | A$115 tasting menu | Not stated |
Prices are from each restaurant’s own menu on 7 November 2026 and exclude drinks, surcharges, and group service charges.
Flinders Lane and its laneways
Flinders Lane runs one block north of Flinders Street, parallel to it. Six of the 13 restaurants are on it or in the lanes that open off it.
1. Coda
Coda cooks from a basement at 141 Flinders Lane, and head chef Hendri Budiman has run the kitchen since 2014 (Broadsheet, June 2023). Its crispy tapioca and prawn betel leaf has been on the menu since 2009 (Broadsheet).
Book and hours: Book online for up to eight people; larger groups take a set menu with a 10% service fee. The first dinner sitting is limited to two hours, and cancellations inside 24 hours cost A$50 a person (Coda, checked 7 November 2026).
Cost: Weekday lunch set menu A$90 a person; set menu A$110; small plates A$8 to A$19 and larger plates A$42 to A$62 (as listed on 7 November 2026).
Known for: The crispy tapioca and prawn betel leaf, and the scallop (Coda menu; Broadsheet).
2. Supernormal
Andrew McConnell’s Supernormal, at 180 Flinders Lane, opens from 11:30 am until late, seven days a week.
Book and hours: Book online for 1 to 14 guests or by phone; some space is held for walk-ins (Supernormal).
Cost: Banquets A$90 and A$130 a person; large mains A$47 to A$68 (as listed on 7 November 2026). A 10% surcharge applies on Sundays and 15% on public holidays.
Known for: The New England lobster roll (A$24) and the peanut butter parfait with salted caramel (A$19) (Supernormal menu; Broadsheet, October 2026).
3. Chin Chin
Chin Chin, at 125 Flinders Lane, built its name on Thai-inspired food and a queue at the door. The queue is now optional: the restaurant takes bookings through OpenTable and says walk-ins “are always welcome”.
Book and hours: Lunch and dinner seven days from 11 am. Groups of six or more order the Feed Me set menu (Chin Chin).
Cost: Feed Me menus A$89, A$115, A$140, and A$160 a person; stir-fries, curries, and grills A$22.50 to A$88.50 (as listed on 7 November 2026). A 10% weekend surcharge applies.
Known for: The massaman curry of coconut-braised beef, A$39.50 (Chin Chin menu; Broadsheet).
Nearby: GoGo Bar, in the basement of the same building, opens daily from 11 am to 10 pm (City of Melbourne).
4. Cumulus Inc.
Cumulus Inc., at 45 Flinders Lane, has been open since 2008 and serves seven days from noon. Its large plates are made for sharing, and the biggest is a 1.2 kg slow-roasted lamb shoulder.
Book and hours: Book online or by phone on +61 3 9650 1445; walk-ins are welcome (Cumulus Inc.).
Cost: Large plates from A$46 for the roast chicken to A$95 for the lamb shoulder (as listed on 7 November 2026).
Known for: The slow-roasted lamb shoulder, and tuna tartare with goat’s curd and peas, A$32 (Cumulus menu; Broadsheet; Gourmet Traveller).
Finding the calm: Spring Street Grocer, at 157 Spring Street at the top of Flinders Lane, opens daily from 10 am to 7 pm (City of Melbourne).
5. Pastuso
Pastuso cooks Peruvian food at 19 AC/DC Lane, the lane off Flinders Lane named after the band. Its set menus run to a two-hour Saturday bottomless lunch.
Book and hours: Book through the website. Open Monday to Thursday and Sunday from noon to 10 pm, and Friday and Saturday to 10:30 pm (Pastuso).
Cost: Set menus A$105 (minimum two people), A$135, and A$165 (minimum four); Saturday bottomless lunch A$99; larger dishes A$24 to A$99 (as listed on 7 November 2026). Weekend surcharge 10%; public holidays 15%; groups of eight or more pay a 5% service fee.
Known for: Peruvian ceviches and the pisco sour (Time Out; Gourmet Traveller; Pastuso menu).
6. Tonka
Tonka has cooked modern Indian food in Duckboard Place, a lane off Flinders Lane, since 2013, and Coda is its sister restaurant.
Book and hours: ⚠️ Closing: Tonka’s last service at Duckboard Place is on 31 December 2026, because the owners are not renewing the lease; a new site had not been confirmed on 7 November 2026 (Broadsheet, 11 October 2026). Bookings are through OpenTable; groups of eight or more take the set menu with a 10% service fee (Tonka).
Cost: Set menu A$105 a person; larger dishes A$44 to A$66 (as listed on 7 November 2026). Weekend surcharge 10%; public holidays 15%.
Known for: Tandoori chicken (Tonka menu; Gourmet Traveller review, 2013).
Collins Street and Bourke Street
7. Maha
Shane Delia’s Maha cooks Middle Eastern food in a sub-basement at 21 Bond Street, open for lunch and dinner seven days. From Sunday to Thursday dinner is also à la carte; on Friday and Saturday nights it serves set menus only.
Book and hours: Book through the website; groups of eight or more take the group menu at dinner (Maha).
Cost: Soufra menu A$145 and Seasonal menu A$190 a person, each with a vegan version at the same price; wine pairings from A$75 (Maha menus dated October 2026, checked 7 November 2026). Surcharge 12% on Sundays and 18% on public holidays.
Known for: The slow-roasted lamb shoulder (Maha menu; Broadsheet, December 2025).
8. Vue de Monde
Vue de Monde serves a single tasting menu on level 55 of the Rialto, 525 Collins Street, and kept three hats in the Age Good Food Guide 2026 (Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, October 2025). Executive chef Hugh Allen runs the kitchen (Broadsheet, October 2026).
Book and hours: Dinner Wednesday to Sunday; lunch Friday to Sunday. Bookings open three months ahead, at 10 am on the first of each month, and a card is needed; cancelling inside 72 hours costs the full menu price (Vue de Monde).
Cost: Signature Chef’s Tasting Menu A$380 a person, the same for children (as listed on 7 November 2026). A 10% surcharge applies on Sundays and Victorian public holidays.
Nearby: The Lui Bar shares level 55 of the Rialto (Lui Bar).
9. Florentino
The restaurant at 80 Bourke Street that many visitors still know as Grossi Florentino has a new owner. The Grossi family, custodians since 1999, held their farewell dinner on 12 November 2025, and the new owner, Edition Group, runs the building as Florentino, its earlier name, with an upstairs Dining Room, Café Florentino, and the Cellar Bar (Florentino; Concrete Playground, October 2025).
The Dining Room holds two hats (16/20) from The Age Good Food, according to the restaurant, and keeps the chocolate soufflé and tiramisu from the old menu.
Book and hours: Dining Room lunch Friday to Sunday from noon and dinner every day from 5:30 pm; Café Florentino lunch and dinner every day; Cellar Bar from 11 am daily (Florentino, checked 7 November 2026). Book through the website.
Cost: The Dining Room serves three-, five-, and seven-course menus; check current prices on the restaurant’s menus page.
Known for: Coral trout with crab, zucchini, and bisque, and caramelle (a filled pasta) (Gourmet Traveller; Gourmet on the Road).
Finding the calm: Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar, at 66 Bourke Street, opens Monday to Saturday (City of Melbourne).
10. Sezar
Sezar cooks Armenian food at 6 Melbourne Place under chef Garen Maskal. Its two-course pre-theatre menu suits a show at the Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street.
Book and hours: Book through the website, by phone on (03) 9663 9882, or walk in; groups of seven or more take a banquet. Dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 5 pm and lunch Thursday and Friday; from 11 November to Christmas, lunch Tuesday to Friday and dinner Monday to Saturday (Sezar).
Cost: Pre-theatre two courses A$78 (before 6:15 pm); banquets A$98 and A$118; large plates A$38 to A$98 (menu dated August 2026, checked 7 November 2026).
Known for: Spanner crab manti and the new-style baklava with walnut toffee ice cream (Sezar menu; Concrete Playground; Time Out).
11. Il Solito Posto
Il Solito Posto is a basement trattoria at 113 Collins Street, entered from George Parade, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner from Monday to Saturday.
Book and hours: Book online, or walk in: some tables are held back and the bar is walk-in only. Dinner tables booked before 7 pm are limited to about two hours, and late cancellations cost A$30 a person. Closed on Sunday (Il Solito Posto).
Cost: Pasta and risotto A$29 to A$46; secondi A$37 to A$59; no set menu (as listed on 7 November 2026).
Little Bourke Street and Little Collins Street
12. Tipo 00
Tipo 00, at 361 Little Bourke Street, is named after the fine-milled flour behind its pasta. It opens Monday to Saturday from 11:30 am to 9:30 pm.
Book and hours: Bookings open at midnight, 56 days ahead; walk-ins are taken mainly at the bar stools and a few tables, and groups of six or more take a set menu (Tipo 00).
Cost: Pasta and risotto A$38 to A$60; Chef’s Menu A$100 and Premium Chef’s Menu A$125 a person (as listed on 7 November 2026).
Known for: The squid-ink tagliolini al nero with squid and bottarga, A$40, and the duck and porcini gnocchi, A$44 (Tipo 00 menu; Broadsheet, June 2026).
Finding the calm: Brother Baba Budan, next door at 359 Little Bourke Street, opens from 7 am daily (Seven Seeds).
13. Trattoria Emilia
Trattoria Emilia cooks the food of Emilia-Romagna behind 360 Little Collins Street, entered from Gills Alley. Its menu, the restaurant says, changes almost daily.
Book and hours: Book online. Lunch Tuesday to Friday from noon to 3 pm; dinner Monday to Saturday from 5 pm to 10 pm (Trattoria Emilia).
Cost: Pasta A$41 to A$54; mains A$38 to A$52; tasting menu A$115 (as listed on 7 November 2026). A 15% surcharge applies on Sundays and public holidays, and groups of eight or more pay a 10% service charge.
Known for: Gnocco fritto (fried dough) and tortelloni (Trattoria Emilia menu; Time Out; City of Melbourne).
Finding the calm: Traveller, a small Seven Seeds coffee bar at 2/14 Crossley Street, is a few blocks north (Seven Seeds).
Getting around and paying the bill
Free Tram Zone: Trams within the CBD are free and need no myki card; the zone runs from Queen Victoria Market to Spring Street, Flinders Street Station, Federation Square, and Docklands (Public Transport Victoria). Every restaurant in this guide is inside it. Outside the zone, Victorian fares are half price from 1 June 2026 to 1 January 2027 (Transport Victoria).
Surcharges: Card surcharges on Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and eftpos ended on 1 October 2026. Restaurants may still add a weekend or public-holiday surcharge, but the menu must state it at least as prominently as the prices (ACCC).
Tipping: Tipping in Australia is always optional, and about 10% is common for good service in upmarket restaurants (Tourism Australia). Several venues here add a service charge for groups of eight or more, so read the bill before adding more.
Budget: Before drinks and surcharges, the cheapest set menus cost A$89 to A$110 a person at Chin Chin, Supernormal, Tipo 00, Tonka, Pastuso, and Coda; A$145 to A$190 at Maha; and A$380 at Vue de Monde (menu prices, 7 November 2026).
Emergency: Call 000 for police, fire, or ambulance (Triple Zero Victoria).
If you are planning a trip to Melbourne from India, our guide to finding cheap flights covers fares and booking windows, and our guide to the best restaurants in NYC covers another city’s dining scene.
Quick Insights: Melbourne CBD Restaurants at a Glance
- Tonka serves its last dinner in Duckboard Place on 31 December 2026; no new site had been confirmed by 7 November 2026.
- Vue de Monde’s single tasting menu costs A$380 a person, and bookings open three months ahead.
- Chin Chin now takes bookings through OpenTable and still welcomes walk-ins.
- Tipo 00 opens its bookings at midnight, 56 days ahead.
- Grossi Florentino now trades as Florentino under Edition Group.
- Trams inside the CBD Free Tram Zone need no myki card.
FAQ
What is the best fine-dining restaurant in Melbourne CBD?
Vue de Monde, on level 55 of the Rialto, held three hats in the Age Good Food Guide 2026. Its tasting menu costs A$380 a person (7 November 2026).
Do I need to book restaurants in Melbourne CBD?
For Friday and Saturday nights, yes. Tipo 00, Supernormal, Chin Chin, and Il Solito Posto all hold some seats for walk-ins, but a walk-in seat is never guaranteed.
Is Chin Chin still walk-in only?
No. Chin Chin takes bookings through OpenTable and still welcomes walk-ins. Groups of six or more order a Feed Me set menu.
Can Melbourne restaurants charge a card surcharge?
Not on Visa, Mastercard, Amex, or eftpos since 1 October 2026. Weekend and public-holiday surcharges are still allowed if the menu shows them clearly.
How much does a meal cost at the best restaurants in Melbourne CBD?
Where set menus are offered, most start between A$78 and A$115 a person, before drinks and surcharges. Maha starts at A$145 and Vue de Monde at A$380; Cumulus and Il Solito Posto are à la carte.
Is tipping expected in Melbourne restaurants?
No, tipping is optional. About 10% is common for good service in upmarket restaurants, but check the bill for a group service charge first.
Is Tonka closing?
Yes. Tonka’s last service at Duckboard Place is on 31 December 2026, according to Broadsheet (11 October 2026). The owners are looking for a new site.
