Asia's Top 50 Pizza Masters Team Up for One Epic Truffle Wagyu Pizza
Some nights in Melbourne's food scene remind you why this city punches so far above its weight. Monday, 6 July 2026 was one of them. At Il Caminetto in Moonee Ponds, two of Australia's most awarded pizzaiolos — both ranked among Asia's Top 50 Pizza makers — joined forces for a one-night-only collaboration dinner. The result was one of the finest pizzas I've eaten in fifteen years of doing this.
Best Truffle Dining Experiences in Melbourne (2026 Guide)
Winter means one thing for Melbourne food lovers: truffle season. From decadent long lunches and luxurious banquets to affordable cheese-laden indulgence, Melbourne knows how to celebrate one of nature’s most prized ingredients. Whether you’re after fine dining or comfort food elevated by generous shavings of black truffle, the city offers no shortage of memorable experiences.
Here are four of the best truffle dining experiences in Melbourne this winter.
Best Restaurants Near Flinders Street & Melbourne City Loop Stations | 2026
Melbourne's City Loop isn't just the easiest way to get around the CBD — it's also your gateway to some of Australia's best restaurants. Whether you're heading to a show, catching up with friends after work, or simply exploring the city by train, there are outstanding dining options just minutes from every station.
This guide features our favourite restaurants within an easy walk of Flinders Street, Parliament, Melbourne Central and Flagstaff stations. From award-winning fine dining to hidden laneway gems, every venue has been personally experienced by The World Loves Melbourne.
Forget expensive parking. Jump on the train and let Melbourne's food scene do the rest.
Best Laneway Bars in Melbourne (2026) – A Local's Guide
Melbourne's laneway bar scene is one of the great urban drinking cultures anywhere in the world. Behind unmarked doors, down cobblestone alleys, through wardrobe doors and bookshelves, hidden inside shipping containers and 19th-century heritage buildings — this city has spent decades perfecting the art of the hidden bar. These are not gimmicks. The best laneway bars in Melbourne are serious cocktail destinations: venues with world-class bartenders, rare whisky collections, impeccable food and atmospheres you will not find anywhere else on earth.
Sam and I have visited every bar on this list personally, some many times. We've drunk whisky behind bookshelves, sipped dirty martinis in moody basement rooms, sat elbow-to-elbow with 11 other guests at a bar where every cocktail is a masterpiece and the bartender knows your name by your second visit. This guide covers the very best — the venues that define what Melbourne's laneway bar culture is all about in 2026.
Whether you're after hidden speakeasies, world-class cocktails, intimate whisky bars or just the thrill of finding a great bar down an alley most people walk straight past, this is your guide. Also see our guide to the best bars in Melbourne and best rooftop bars in Melbourne for more.
Updated July 2026.
Best Melbourne Restaurants with a View (2026 Guide)
Melbourne is one of the world's great dining cities, and when you combine exceptional food with a spectacular backdrop — whether that's a glittering skyline from 300 metres up, the silver shimmer of the Yarra River, or a rooftop panorama stretching across the suburbs — you have something genuinely unforgettable. I've been fortunate to dine at some of Melbourne's finest view restaurants over the years, from iconic skyscraper dining rooms to casual waterfront gems, and in this guide I'm sharing the ones that have earned a genuine place on my personal list.
These aren't restaurants chosen purely for the scenery. Every venue here also delivers on food, wine, and experience — because a view without substance is just a window. This is my personally curated guide to the best Melbourne restaurants with a view, updated for 2026.
Jump to a restaurant: Eureka 89 | Vue de Monde | Strato | Atria | Taxi Kitchen | Pipi's Kiosk | Beverly Rooftop | Waterfront Southgate
Best Day Hikes from Melbourne (2026 Guide)
Melbourne is extraordinarily well positioned for day hikes. Within an hour or two of the city you can be standing on wild ocean clifftops, deep in ancient fern gullies, gazing across Victoria's volcanic plains from a jagged ridgeline, or walking a peaceful lakeside circuit with coffee in hand. I've explored all of these with family over many visits — some destinations I've returned to a dozen times, others reward a first visit in a way that immediately makes you plan the next one. Here are the best day hikes from Melbourne, drawn from personal experience.
| Destination | Distance from CBD | Best For | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mornington Peninsula NP | ~90 min | Coastal clifftop views, wildflowers | Easy–Moderate |
| Wilson's Promontory NP | ~2.5–3 hrs | Beach walks, mountain summit, wildlife | Easy–Hard |
| Grampians National Park | ~3 hrs | Panoramic views, waterfalls, family | Easy–Moderate |
| Mt Lofty, Warrandyte SP | ~40 min | Circuit walk, sweeping views, easy access | Easy–Moderate |
| Lilydale Lake | ~45 min | Family circuit, coffee van, playground | Easy |
| Macedon Ranges | ~75 min | Hanging Rock, mountain views, family | Easy–Moderate |
| Dandenong Ranges NP | ~1 hr | Fern gullies, flowers, family walks | Easy–Moderate |
| Cathedral Range State Park | ~2 hrs | Ridgeline hiking, rock scrambling, views | Moderate–Hard |
| Point Nepean NP | ~90 min | Coastal history, bay and ocean views | Easy–Moderate |
Jump to: Mornington Peninsula | Wilson's Prom | Grampians | Mt Lofty | Lilydale Lake | Macedon Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Cathedral Range | Point Nepean | FAQ
Best Greek Restaurants in Melbourne (2026 Guide)
Melbourne is home to one of the largest Greek communities in the world outside of Athens — and it shows at the table. From late-night souvlaki institutions that have fed generations of Melburnians to refined modern Greek kitchens reinterpreting Hellenic classics, and from the buzzing tavernas of Oakleigh's 'Little Athens' precinct to the fireplace-centred dining rooms of the inner west, the city's Greek food scene is extraordinary. I've eaten my way through a good portion of it, and here are the restaurants I keep returning to and recommending.
| Restaurant | Suburb | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Astoria Bar Ke Grill | South Yarra | Refined modern Greek, share plates, date night |
| Kafeneion | CBD | Homestyle Greek, late-night supper, unique dishes |
| Eleni's Kitchen and Bar | Yarraville | Lamb kleftiko, family legacy, Greek banquets |
| Tzaki | Yarraville | Woodfire cooking, intimate experience, modern Greek |
| Jim's Greek Tavern | Collingwood | Melbourne institution, no-menu BYO, authentic feast |
| Bahari | Richmond | Family dining, tender lamb, institution |
| Stalactites | CBD | 24-hour souvlaki, late night, iconic cave ceiling |
| Taverna | Brunswick East | Trendy Athenian taverna, spit roast, nostalgia |
| Kalimera Souvlaki Art | Oakleigh | Best souvlaki, Little Athens precinct |
| Vanilla Lounge | Oakleigh | Saganaki, lamb skewers, large groups, Oakleigh |
| Olympia | Oakleigh | Rooftop bar, drinks, lively atmosphere |
Jump to: Astoria | Kafeneion | Eleni's | Tzaki | Jim's | Bahari | Stalactites | Taverna | Kalimera | Vanilla Lounge | Olympia | FAQ
Best Pies in Melbourne (2026 Guide)
Melbourne's pie scene has come a long way from the servo warmer. These days you'll find chef-driven fillings, artisan pastry, and proper provenance behind the meat — sitting right alongside the classic suburban bakery pie that's been getting it right for decades. I've been working my way through the city's best, from Collingwood bakeries to CBD pub kitchens, and here's where to go.