Dining Options

Melbourne has several fine dining restaurants where diners can experience great food with out spending a fortune. Listed below are some of the restaurants the city offers. All prices are listed in American dollars.

Breakfast
• Red Orange: One of Melbourne’s premiere eateries, Red Orange serves authentic Australian dishes with a twist. The restaurant is located in South Yarra and is open 7 days a week and serves from weekday breakfast, weekday lunch, weekend breakfast, weekday lunch, and evening menus. The weekday lunch menu features specials as well as regular menu items. Typical weekday and weekend breakfasts and lunches will range in price from $3 to $26. Dinner items range from $6 to $26. Some specialties served at Red Orange include Chili Caramelized Pork Belly, Eye Fillet of Tasmanian Steer, Crème Brúlee, and Butterscotch Fig Pudding. Red Orange also has a full service bar complete with an extensive wine menu.
• Botanical: Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner Botanical is one of Melbourne’s top restaurants. The breakfast menu includes freshly squeezed juices, fresh pastries, muffins, and breads, eggs made to order, bacon, an assortment of fresh breads, porridge, and seasonal fruits. Diners can enjoy a selection of salads, soups, seafood, chicken, and steak dishes for lunch and an extended version of the lunch menu for dinner. Menu prices range from $3 to $30. The Botanical also offers diners a full wine list as well as a bar where any cocktail can be created.

Lunch
• Bottega: Located on Bourke St. in the area known as Little Italy Bottega is one of Melbourne’s premier Italian restaurants. Bottega serves traditional Italian cuisine with a little flair but still allows the flavor of the dishes to come through with a simple style. Menu items range from $7 to $30 for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. The restaurant also provides diners with an extensive wine list to ensure any meal is accompanied with the perfect glass of wine. The bar is also full service and can make diners any cocktail they desire.
• Bistro Vite: This French bistro is modeled after Paris cafes and is located on the banks of the Yarra River in the Southgate arts district of Melbourne. The Bistro Vite is open 7 days a week for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Their menu consists of bisques, tarts, quiche, meat dishes such as venison and veal, seafood, duck, pastas, and desserts. Of course they also offer a wine list as well as a full service bar. Prices at the Bistro Vite range from $7 to $25.

Dinner
• The Apartment: This popular Melbourne establishment is a restaurant by day and a lounge by night. The daytime menu consists of seafood, chicken, meat, salads, and dessert dishes. Diners can expect to pay between $14 and $21. In the evening The Apartment comes alive as a hip nightlife spot with a DJ playing all the latest songs while guests dance, mingle, and enjoy the atmosphere. Tapas, wine, and cocktails are all served and menu orders will be taken upon request.
• La Luna Bistro: Located in the North Carlaton area of Melbourne on Rathdowne St. La Luna is open Tuesday-Sunday for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Some specialties that can be found on their menu include calamari, oysters, sautéed gnocchi, roasted duck, proscuitto wrapped chicken, eggs benedict, and vanilla bean crème brúlle. La Luna also offers a drink menu with wine, champagne, liquors, and cocktails. Menu prices range from $3 to $26. Wines and champagne are available by the glass or bottle and prices range from $6 to $18 by the glass and $15 to over $100 by the bottle.
• Tazio: This restaurant serves the best gourmet pizzas in Melbourne. Located on Flindlers Lane on the corner of Exhibition St. Tazio is open Monday-Saturday for both lunch and dinner. The drink menu is extensive and full of wines, beers, and mixed drinks. At Tazio and if you happen to not see your favorite concoction on the menu the bar staff will be happy to make it for you. A few of the gourmet pizzas at Tazio are the pork and veal meatball pizza and the garlic pizza with mozzarella and herbs. The menu also has a large variety of traditional Italian dishes such as chicken parmigiana, calamari, and brushetta. Menu prices at Tazio range from $5 to $21.