Modern Sichuan Cuisine in Melbourne
Asian-inspired small and large share plates with an almost 360-degree city view make for an impressive pit stop, no matter the time of day. Rosa Mitchell’s menu is a masterclass in simple and supremely effective Italian cooking. Forget luxe imported ingredients – her unpretentious eatery in the heart of the legal district is all about making local produce sing.
The idea was to celebrate local produce and execute it with flair and sophistication. The St Kilda seaside dining institution, Stokehouse which opened back in the 80s has long stood as one of the best restaurants in Melbourne, and still does in 2023. A crown jewel of Collins Street Melbourne’s culinary scene,Societyis an experience beyond dining. Resting sichuan food right above the now infamous speciality tea destination Yugen Tea Bar,Yugen Diningis a two-level eatery with three unique spaces, each one evoking a sense of intimacy mixed with innovation and newness. Inside the sleek 85-seat restaurant is an industrious but welcoming space, decked out with warm lighting illuminating 6-metre concrete walls.
Part neighbourhood wine bar, part fine diner, Marion is all the things that we’ve come to love from Andrew McConnell’s stable and long considered one fo the best restaurants in Melbourne. The next-door neighbour to Cutler & Co, Marion has a much more accessible and laid-back feel to it. It may be a tighter space than others, but the charm of Embla is what’s made it such a popular spot. An absolute marvel of South-Eastern Asian cuisine, Sunda puts a serious fine-dining lens onto the region. Established by chef Khanh Nguyen, a Vietnamese-Australian chef who has now achieved celebrity status, Sunda was his first restaurant in Melbourne and it's known as one of the best. Dedicated to showcasing the fine dining qualities of South East Asian cuisine Nguyen has crafted a menu of Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Indonesian flavours.
You’d be forgiven for mistaking spiffy hot pot restaurant Chef David for a nightclub, with all the neon lights, chrome chandeliers and patent leather seats in tow. Sibling venue to soupy stalwarts David's Spicy Pot and David's Hot Pot, you’ll find not only the standard, tongue-numbing Sichuan beef broth here but eight other options including Thai tom yum, Malaysian seafood and oxtail soup. From there you can take your pick of thinly sliced high-grade meat, vegetables, tofu, seafood, dumplings and noodles to bolster your pot.
Chancery Lane, a European bistro by Scott Pickett welcomes diners to the historic Normanby Chambers building. Suited for any occasion, from a glass and a bite at the bar to a private dinner party, you can expect classic European dishes with a twist. The 100-seater bistro is ensconced in a rich palette of dark green, checkerboard tiling and dark timber, emulating old-world charm and opulence of La Belle Epoque. Antique brass and textured gold details are featured throughout. Punch in the Mouth, or Kick in the Nuts Sichuan might be more apt for this South Yarra treasure, where the chilli is hot and the Sichuan pepper is tinglingly, numbingly fresh.
There’s usually a line for a table in the evenings, but it’s so worth the wait. Start off with the pita and dips before gorging on souvs and gyros. They also have a pretty great kids’ menu with far more options than your standard selection of burgers and chips.
Chef-owner Philippe Mouchel’s signature is all over this basement bistro in more ways than one. This bar and restaurant inside Curtin House is all about agave-based spirits – but the food's no afterthought. Baja-style rockling tacos, achiote chicken quesadillas and Mexican doughnuts with salted espresso dulce de leche all go dangerously well with a margarita or the spicy riff on a pina colada. The tables at Bottega spill out onto the footpath much like they would in Rome or Florence, luring in passers-by with an energetic atmosphere. Mains usually feature produce from owner Denis Lucey’s farm, while an expertly curated wine list offers around 150 bottles from both Australia and Italy. Its revered xiao long bao has drawn crowds since it opened in 2008.
I think the owner is very clever that names their restaurant “nihao”, so the whole world knows what cuisine they do! The restaurant was recommended by couple of friends for a reason. Food was nice and hot, mild modified to what western world favors while very well keeps the authenticity of classic Cantonese food. Take the smoked eel foie gras with candied konbu and pink peppercorn or pork jowl with Warragul greens, and a star anise roast duck sauce. There’s also a dizzying amount of wines on offer but with wine pairing menu options you can leave it to the in-house sommeliers. The menu is meant for sharing and consists of a range of small and large plates, kick-off with some Blackmore wagyu bresaola then dive into some mussels with Nduja with fried bread, lovage, and aioli.
This authentic Sichuan starter includes velvety steamed chicken, dressed with a slick of chilli oil, cucumber, sesame, soy and peanuts. Get your fix at Sichuan Bang Bang in Brisbane, where you’ll also find mod-Sichuan dishes, such as Chongqing Chicken with Potato Chips. Dan Hong’s Mr Wong offers a broad sweep of China, but one of the Sichuan standouts is the Ma Po Tofu of stir-fried pork mince, chilli and Sichuan pepper served on freshly steamed soy milk custard. Secret Kitchen brings you to the City of Melbourne exquisite Chinese dining experience – Yum Cha by day and seafood dinner by night. Fresh, innovative and delicious Chinese dishes created for the best dining experience here at Crystal Jade.
The sweet acidity of pineapple evens out the sour notes in the sauce. If you haven’t tried a “bing zhen”, ‘shocking’ the freshly fried meat with ice helps to seal keeps the outer layer crisp. While there looks like a pool of chilli oil over, the heat level is actually quite manageable. And like a classic Sichuan dish, this has a spicy kick to perk up your palate. The peppercorns and chili oil create a numbing and spicy sensation in the mouth, while the other seasonings add depth and complexity to the dish. Here you can find the hottest trendy dishes in China ready to please Singaporean foodies, from Imperial Sauced Sliced Beef, Awesome Spicy Chilli Chicken with Fried Dough Twist, to Homemade Mapo Tofu.
Find a spot among the suited-up office workers and savour its boat noodles, oyster omelette and generous bowls of tom yum noodle soup. Some things never go out of style, and Longrain – Melbourne’s favourite Thai restaurant – is one of them. Here, the food is simple yet flavourful, while the elegant bar offers up the perfect spot to while away the wait for a table. With a contemporary take on classic dishes and an eternally buzzy atmosphere, there’s a reason this city still can’t get enough of Longrain. Opening as part of HER Melbourne, a glamorous multi-level venue in a CBD heritage building, BKK serves Bangkok street food and tropical cocktails in a quintessentially Melbourne setting. With everything from spicy ocean trout salad to barbecue skewers, charred meats and Thai curries on the menu, we recommend sharing multiple dishes and sampling them amongst friends.