Calling East Brunswick home is the intimate neighbourhood restaurant known as Etta Dining. The creation of a team with a strong hospitality background and a hatted chef Hayden McMillan, Etta focuses on giving their dining guest exceptional service, Australian- European fusion-inspired cuisine served with some of the finest wines from the cellar. The long narrow shaped restaurant is styled with warm timber floorboards and industrial chic black lamps, a relaxed ambience away from the bustle of cars and trams rushing along Lygon Street.

Ima Asa Yoru fills a neat little space in Brunswick’s Nightingale Village with a dual personality. By day, it serves classic Japanese breakfasts and lunches, by night, it transforms into a modern izakaya where dishes arrive with sake, cold beer and low-lit charm. Co-owned by Asako Miura and James Spinks, the kitchen combines traditional flavours with a gentle, playful twist. Expect chirashi bowls, tamagoyaki toast, mazesoba, house-made juices and coffee, all in a room of warm lighting, natural wood and soft, calming blues. It feels like a small Japanese village brought to Melbourne. 

Aptly named Teller is in the former State Savings Bank of Victoria in Brunswick, just 5kms from Melbourne's CBD.  Beautifully refitted it is now a popular all-day dining and drinking venue offering function space, open plan light filled restaurant, bar with plenty of beer on tap and a cute laneway area.  This is upmarket pub dining with an impressive menu of plates using Mediterranean flavours and also offering a kid's menu.  It is no wonder that Teller has become a favourite amongst the Brunswick East locals.

Since its inception in 2004, this popular neighbourhood joint has been a hit with both locals and visitors for more than 20 years. The menu is a fusion of Southeast Asian dishes designed to share and perfectly complemented by fresh cocktails. There's an emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients and authentic flavours free from MSG, with all pastes and sauces crafted in-house and bursting with depth and harmony.

Nina’s Bar & Dining in Victoria is a contemporary bistro offering an elegant fusion of Mediterranean and modern Australian cuisine. Set in a sleek, architecturally designed space, the menu highlights seasonal produce with dishes like spiced lamb with labneh, roasted beetroot with whipped feta, and chargrilled prawns with harissa. The bar complements the food with craft cocktails and a boutique wine list. Whether for a casual midweek dinner or a long weekend lunch, Nina’s invites diners to unwind with flavour.

Mamma’s Boy Trattoria brings classic Italian comfort food to life with a playful, modern twist. The menu is focused strongly on locally sourced ingredients and features handmade pasta and hearty mains that celebrate bold, familiar flavours. Portions are generous, and the atmosphere is lively and welcoming. The wine and cocktail list is equally as bold, enticing you to stay late into the night. Expect a dining experience that feels both nostalgic and fresh. Mamma’s Boy Trattoria is all about good food, good company and a little bit of indulgence.

Casa Chino in Brunswick, Melbourne, offers a vibrant celebration of Chino-Latino cuisine – a bold fusion of Asian and Latin American flavours The lively venue features shareable plates like tempura fish bao buns, crab and prawn toast, and the classic lomo saltado. Vegetarian options include soy ginger tofu and steamed Asian greens. The cocktail menu highlights Peruvian Pisco with drinks such as Pisco sours and the Casa Scorpion Bowl, alongside a curated wine list from Victoria and South America. 

What was once a Brunswick East corner shop has been transformed into Rumi restaurant; a dining experience that offers a modern twist on traditional Middle Eastern cooking. Here, colours and flavours leap off the plate. Try the quail kebab or the barbecued lamb ribs prepared with garlic and za'atar. The dining room is welcoming but not fussy, as is the service. Guests sit at compressed concrete tables in wooden school chairs, a minimalist setup that takes you to Beirut and back.