Melbourne Restaurants by de Groots

Nelson 382

Nelson 382 in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs is a local favourite with its warm, friendly ambiance and consistently impressive food. From the polished wooden floorboards and cosy space, the decor at this Wantira South restaurant is simple yet elegant. The modern Australian menu features all your standard fare with Atlantic salmon and eye fillet steak however, for those a little more adventurous, order the kangaroo fillet on sweet potato mash – it won’t disappoint.

Mr Carsisi

Awarded Best New Regional Restaurant in The Age Good Food Guide 2012 Wooden floorboards, timber beams and wrought iron sheeting make diners at Mr Carsisi feel like you’re in a shearing shed in the heart of Kyneton. Given the decor, diners may expect a hearty pie or a rib eye steak to feature on the menu, however, contrary to assumptions, Mr Carsisi serves Modern Turkish with Lebanese, Greek and Spanish flavours.

Rue de Fleurus

Creativity and artistic prowess are fostered at Rue de Fleurus, a restaurant, wine bar and exhibition space on Fitzroy’s Gertrude Street. The stylish, imaginative decor reflects the owner’s wishes to create a “transformative space”.

Robert Burns Hotel

The Robert Burns Hotel is back and better than ever. After being completely refitted with a vibrant new interior and menu, local Collingwood residents can add another to their favourite restaurant list. The Spanish inspired menu, the Scottish name of the pub, all located in an Australian city takes you on a trot across the globe

Kazuki’s at the Raglan

This Japanese inspired modern bistro, opened by chef Kazuki Tsuya (formerly of Lake House and France Soir) is a welcome addition to the Daylesford dining scene. Housed on the ground floor of the recently-restored graceful Camp Street Victorian building, Kazuki’s at the Raglan offers fantastic value-for-money banquet lunch specials and set menus.

Frangos & Frangos

Sometimes you just want to let your hair down and be a bit naughty. Frangos & Frangos know all about this feeling and are here to give you a bohemian restaurant experience to rival a night at Moulin Rouge. There is an indescribable warmth permeating through the restaurant which extends even out onto the back courtyard where celebratory cheers of private functions bring the restaurant to life. The food is fun and experimental, with distinctive European flavours bursting from signature dishes like the beetroot risotto with taleggio cream and parmesan crisp. Throw back a few cocktails and you’ll feel like you’re back in Europe in no time.

Bangkok Brasserie

Add a bit of spice to your St. Kilda dining experience by embracing the culture and cuisine of Thailand. Don’t expect to get your usual pad thai at Bangkok Brasserie, this authentic restaurant goes one step further by providing a five-course banquet of house specialties. Served with a glass of complimenting wine, settle in for an unforgettable night of culture and cuisine the whole family will love.

Marks

In one word, Marks is fresh. The vegetables travel a few meters from the lush vegetable garden to the kitchen, the seafood is delivered daily and the meat is melt-in-your-mouth standard. So fresh is the food at Marks that the menu changes daily, based on the best produce at hand. It’s disappointing when you become accustomed to a signature dish like the pork belly or roast, however when the quality keeps improving, you’d be mad to complain. The restaurant is bright, cheery and colourful, making you feel like you’re a mermaid dining under the sea.

Ovenhouse Restaurant Bar Lounge

Authentic Italian wood-fire pizza and fresh home-made pasta doesn’t get much more stylish than at this favourite Great Ocean Road haunt. Spectacular views and a chic, family-friendly atmosphere is only the start of a delightful Ovenhouse Restaurant experience. Classic pizza, wood-oven dishes and eclectic pasta concoctions are the mainstays of Ovenhouse, but the menu and bar offers a wide selection of gourmet choices for the foodies among your group.

Bellbrae Harvest Restaurant

The rustic mud brick house of Bellbrae Harvest Restaurant, nestled amongst trees and overlooking a waterlily-filled dam is the perfect escape for city dwellers wanting to stay close to home. Just 15 minutes from the bustling cities of Geelong and Torquay, Bellbrae Harvest Restaurant offers country-style homeliness with a gourmet seasonal menu of eclectic and unique dishes including pigeon, cured duck breast and roasted quail. Some head to Bellbrae Harvest for a romantic day trip while others visit for a large celebration with all their friends and family. A truly versatile and relaxing venue.

La Bimba

Seaside dining often conjures up images of seafood platters and chips. As appropriate as this meal is, sometimes you just want something a little different. La Bimba Restaurant provides a relaxed bistro feel, complete with panoramic Apollo Bay views and a menu underpinned by the exciting textures and flavours of Spanish and Portuguese cuisine. Like any European restaurant, the wine list is perfectly suited to the top quality menu offerings.

Tarra Warra Estate

After a long day of wine tasting, settle in for a comfortable night of food and (more) wine at the Tarra Warra Estate Restaurant. Enjoy a gourmet meal from Tarra Warra Estate’s sublime a la carte menu whilst gazing out onto the meticulously groomed winery gardens and feel all your stresses and anxieties simply dissolve. Food often comes second rate to beverages at wineries, though not at Tarra Warra Estate Restaurant, where diners will enjoy a seasonal menu of country favourites including char-grilled dry aged sirloin with field mushrooms, rocket & Persian feta and for a sweet note, try the bitter chocolate panna cotta with orange caramel, white chocolate mousse.

Nautical Restaurant and Lounge @3 Station Pier

Sam Zeneldin, celebrated Melbournian restaurateur has collaborated with Head Chef Martin Bainbridge to conceive a fresh approach to dining at Nautical Restaurant and Lounge. A casual atmosphere, killer water views and a modern European style cuisine makes Nautical Restaurant and Lounge the premier location for groups or intimate special occasion dining. The mouth watering new menu is comprised of the freshest seafood, served straight from the ocean below, slow cooked lamb shanks and sharing options.

Hen & Coq

Opening in mid-February 2012 The greatest places in Melbourne are often tucked in a laneway or behind a main shopping strip. Matt Wilkinson from Pope Joan and Jeff Salt, front-of-house manager of Circa have joined their talents to conceive the Hen and Coq. We have a feeling this will be a hidden gem, as it can only be accessed via stairs in the courtyard of 500 Bourke Street. The 70-seater restaurant will be relaxed, with fine dining elements, though the interior and menu has not yet been finalised.

Bistro Gitan

Opening early October With a name that is derived from the story of a freewheeling gypsy woman, Bistro Gitan truly reflects the freedom and attitudes of the gypsy lifestyle. With an ephemeral and chic interior mirroring the French and Spanish influences found in the menu, this new dining experience from the famous Reymond restaurateur family is an exciting new culinary delight.

The Bear House Restaurant

Like something out of children’s fairytale, the Bear House Restaurant is tucked away in the beautiful surrounds of Mahogany Park, offering an exclusively secluded dining experience. The Bear House is mysteriously alluring, with its dim-lit ambience and rustic timber walls, diners are welcomed with its European family warmth. The menu boasts simple favourites such as pork belly, veal scaloppini and bangers and mash with a Bear House gourmet twist.

Monroe's St. Kilda

The new and improved St. Kilda staple, Monroe’s is set to excite locals and tourists all over again. The fresh decor will inspire conversation over a mid-week corporate lunch as well as help the family relax on the weekend. The menu is a popular fusion of Modern Australian and traditional Mediterranean cuisine. Satiating the appetites of diners is a varied menu featuring specialty dishes such as souvlaki lamb skewers, potato gnocchi and their piece de resistance, a full seafood platter for two.

Cerberus Beach House

Overlooking the spectacular Half Moon Bay, just over 20km south of Melbourne, The Cerberus Beach House is the perfect spot to soak up the sprawling seascape beyond the jagged red cliffs, and golden sands of the beach on the front door step. Long famous for its fish and chips, The Beach House continues to honour this community tradition with its kiosk downstairs, whilst a relaxed restaurant up-top welcomes diners with a more expansive menu and equally impressive views. Be sure to wander in at sunset on Sunday to catch the soulful tunes by resident musician Ben Ford Davies.

Town Hall Hotel

One Chef’s Hats The Age Good Food Guide 2012 There’s a great deal of sparse country on this great land of ours, but city dwellers don’t have the fortune of enjoying it. Town Hall Hotel, in Melbourne’s inner suburbs brings a little taste of the country to the city. Offering a varied menu of simple favourites, like nachos, BLT, chicken schnitzel and pasta, and a traditional bar stocked with everyone’s favourite beers and wines, Town Hall Hotel is a true-blue dining experience.

Oscar W's Wharfside

One Chef’s Hats The Age Good Food Guide 2012 Set on the Murray, next to Echuca's famous red gum wharf and the port of echuca’s paddle steamer fleet – it’s no surprise the food at Oscar W’s Wharfside restaurant is traditional in every sense of the word. Don’t confuse traditional with boring though, as the team at Oscar’s have paid special attention to creating a menu which combines country charm with Modern Australian spice. And the team at Oscars understands the difficulty in choosing just one dish from the extensive menu, so they offer a range of all-day taster plates for the diner who can’t get enough.