Some dining experiences are about the food. Others are about the atmosphere. A rare few manage to create something greater than the sum of their parts - a genuine celebration of hospitality, community and joy. The recent Johnny & Gino Degustation at 400 Gradi Brunswick East was one of those rare nights.
Looking for the best sandwiches in Melbourne in 2026? You've come to the right place. Melbourne's sandwich scene has exploded in recent years - and we're not talking about limp white bread and a slice of devon. We're talking 16-hour smoked brisket on toasted milk buns, Cubano sandwiches with house-smoked pork belly, schiacciata focaccia loaded with three kinds of cured meat, and fire-cooked banh mi that rivals anything in Saigon.
From Italian-style delis to American smokehouse vibes, Japanese-inspired cotoletta to French-inflected panini bars, Melbourne does the humble sandwich like nowhere else on earth. Whether you're after the best deli sandwiches in Melbourne CBD, a suburban hero worth the drive, or a quick lunchtime legend, this guide covers the finest sando spots across the city - all personally visited, rated, and recommended by The World Loves Melbourne.
Updated May 2026.
| Best For | Spot — Suburb |
|---|---|
| Overall best | Jimmy's Deli — Yarraville |
| Best brisket sandwich | The Bearded Pig — Heidelberg West |
| Best Italian panini | Saluminsti — CBD |
| Best focaccia sandwich | 3 Salamis — Fitzroy |
| Best tuna melt | Hector's Deli — Richmond |
| Best cotoletta | Sangaweech — Carlton |
| Best cheese toastie | Maker and Monger — Prahran |
| Best banh mi | Ca Com — Richmond |
| Best panini bar | Piccolo Panini Bar — Hawthorn |
| Best Cubano | Nico's Sandwich Deli — CBD |
| Best suburban deli | Don's Deli — Doncaster East |
| Best Reuben | HiFi — Collingwood |
| Best crackling pork banh mi | Luke's Banh Mi — Various |
| Best truffle toastie | Ripe Cheese — Various |
| Best schnitzel sandwich | Marko's Schnitzel — Moorabbin |
| Best cheese and ham | Hugo's Deli — Richmond |
| Best focaccia rolls CBD | FOC Melbourne — CBD |
| Best Italian Collingwood | Stefanino Panino — Collingwood |
In a city overflowing with Italian restaurants, it takes something extraordinary to stand out. Da Guido La Pasta, tucked into the heart of Carlton’s iconic Lygon Street, is precisely that kind of restaurant. We have visited several times and it has become our favourite and best Italian restaurant in Melbourne. Mirco and his team are working wonders in Lygon St, and after 9 years with little marketing they are making their mark.
This understated fine-dining gem offers a luxurious Italian experience led by chefs whose résumés include some of the world’s most celebrated Michelin-starred restaurants. The result? A meal that feels deeply authentic, luxe, technically brilliant, and effortlessly elegant.
From handmade pasta and pristine produce to a wine list packed with bottles you rarely see elsewhere in Melbourne, Da Guido La Pasta is a restaurant that deserves far more acclaim. There's also a romantic vibe which makes it perfect for date nights in Melbourne.
For us, once again, it was one of the most memorable Italian dining experiences we’ve had in Melbourne.
Few dining experiences in Melbourne are as satisfying as yum cha. We are huge fans of a leisurely yum cha session and we have been scoping Melbourne for the last 15 years for the best yum cha in Melbourne. The endless procession of bamboo steamers, the fragrance of jasmine tea, and the thrill of spotting your favourite dumplings rolling past on a trolley is one of the city’s great culinary pleasures. If you're interested in Chinese cuisine, also check out our best restaurants in Chinatown.
Melbourne is blessed with an exceptional yum cha scene. You’ll find elegant, premium venues serving handcrafted dumplings with precision, bustling suburban institutions where families gather every weekend, and hidden gems where chefs continue traditions passed down through generations. This guide to the best yum cha in Melbourne is organised by area, making it easy to find your next dumpling destination.
Melbourne’s theatre district isn’t one zone—it’s an interconnected dining ecosystem spanning Southbank, the CBD, and East End theatre strip. The smartest strategy isn’t just where you eat, but how you time it: most venues run optimally on a 5:30–5:50pm seating, with clear communication that you’re attending a performance.
Article updated May 2026
Is there a more compelling way to spend a Saturday afternoon than enjoying premium Nikka Japanese whisky paired with top notch Black Opal Wagyu? There are dining events that leave you pleasantly satisfied, and then there are those rare occasions where every detail - food, drink, storytelling and atmosphere - coalesces into something genuinely memorable. The Whisky & Wagyu long lunch at Robata Melbourne was one such occasion.
While the extraordinary Black Opal Wagyu provided the culinary centrepiece, the beating heart of the afternoon was unquestionably Nikka Whisky - one of Japan’s most revered whisky houses and a distillery whose story is as compelling as the liquid in the glass. Having been to a few Nikka whisky events, this was another triumph.
One of the best events of the year in Melbourne. Under the assured direction of Head Chef Lily McGrath, and with illuminating commentary from Nikka Brand Ambassador Marcus Parmenter and San Telmo Group whisky expert Phoenix Rain, Robata delivered an experience that was as intellectually engaging as it was delicious.
Victoria is one of the world's great compact travel destinations. Within two hours of Melbourne you can be standing in an ancient mountain range, watching penguins walk up a moonlit beach, tasting benchmark Pinot Noir at a world-class cellar door, soaking in a mineral spring, or eating freshly shucked mussels on a pier. We've explored all of it — many times over — and this is our definitive list of the 10 best weekend getaways and staycations from Melbourne right now.
From day trips to full weekends, from glamping to hatted dining, from rugged coastline to goldfields cities, Victoria delivers on every front. These are the destinations we return to again and again.
Best weekend getaways from Melbourne — at a glance:
Crown Melbourne remains one of the city's great dining destinations - and I say that having eaten my way through most of it over the years. What makes it compelling is the sheer range under one roof. You can move from a world-class Japanese restaurant to a buzzing Indian dining room to a classic French bistro overlooking the Yarra, all in the same complex.
My wife and I have spent many memorable evenings here - celebrating special occasions, entertaining interstate guests, or simply treating ourselves. These are our honest picks for the best restaurants at Crown Melbourne right now.