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Melbourne’s had its own little Bavarian escape tucked down Market Lane since 1968. @hofbrauhaus_melbourne was actually the first Hofbräuhaus opened outside Europe, and stepping inside still feels like leaving the CBD entirely. Schnitzels the size of a small doona with creamy mushroom sauce, pork belly with proper crackling, giant steins of weissbier, and a bretzel sundae that absolutely humbled us. Prost to old school Melbourne institutions. 🍻

[invite] @reymondcomms

@maybakes.melb is the new cosy Vietnamese café quietly winning over Richmond from its sunny corner on New Street. The pastry cabinet is stacked with shiopan in flavours like corn cheese, crispy rice, mushroom soup and earl gray cinnamon, while upstairs feels warm and nostalgic with mosaic tables, vintage touches and floor-to-ceiling windows. The brunch menu leans playful too, with pho broth for dipping your “pho-which” or bánh mì pâté with 63° egg and flaky bánh giò hand pies worth sharing.

📍May Bakes — Corner of New and York Street, Richmond

NEW OPENING: @spaghetticlubmelbourne by @mamasdininggroup has landed on Swan Street, bringing Richmond a Southern Italian trattoria built around Nonno’s old family recipe book, warm lighting and a very healthy respect for carbohydrates.

It is cosy without trying too hard, nostalgic without going full red-check-tablecloth theatre, with house-made pasta, fluffy focaccia, proper cocktails and the kind of menu that makes group ordering unusually diplomatic.

More on forksake.com

[invite]

Rain, hail or shine, @sunnysidesliced is slinging big New York slices and thick pan pizzas at their newest location right by Marvel Stadium.

Pickle Vodka was our fave but Hella Honey brings the chaos, and pepperoni does what it always should.
Pre-game, post-game, or no game at all.

Thanks for the invite @consumer.creative

@pascalebarandgrill at @qtmelbourne has a laneway entrance that’s easy to miss and very Melbourne. Upstairs opens into a bold, design-led dining room. The $85 chef’s menu is well paced, with strong starters, a touch of tableside theatre, and a confident finish.

[invite]

Melbourne institution @ladro_restaurant still doing what it does best, now with a quiet little upgrade out the back.

The old courtyard’s been reworked into an extended space that flows seamlessly with the restaurant. Handy for private events, but still very much part of the Ladro rhythm. Start with a limoncello spritz, some antipasti, but for me, pizzas are the main event. Diavolo every time.
And the tiramisu? Don’t even think about skipping it.

[invite]

@ondasorrento has landed in Sorrento’s newly revamped ferry terminal and yes, it’s sitting right over the bay. Natural light, a feature glass floor, that staircase everyone suddenly needs a photo on, and boats drifting past while you pretend you’ll just stay for just one drink.

Flatbread with babaganoush, crispy school prawns, burrata with green tomato chutney, pizzas done right, then a brown butter chocolate tart to finish. Not a pit stop. A plan.

Thanks @sandisieger.co for hosting.

[invite]

Set inside Olderfleet’s 1880s Gothic bones, @freyjamelbourne comes from the team at @florenceguild behind @workclubglobal, and it shows. It’s been doing its thing for a few years now, and the identity and community feels fully formed and cohesive.

There’s a Scandinavian sense of belonging that runs through it all, a cohesion between space, service and food that feels deliberate. Executive Chef @avecjbang & Head Chef @aaron.caccia run the kitchen with clean lines, restrained cooking, fermentation and texture, everything working in sync without overplaying it.

They’re also heading to Sydney soon to open @speziasydney, an Italian restaurant.

[jnvite]

Is this the city’s best-value set meal? @ototomelbourne is running a $49.90 Sentaku Set where you pick five dishes for the table, and it plays well above its price point.

There’s real finesse in the way it’s put together. Balanced, precise, but still generous and easy to enjoy. From the team behind @akaiitomelbourne, so the standard is baked in. It’s the kind of menu that feels considered without feeling serious, and one you’ll want to circle back to.

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Bar Kaeru @bar_kaeru is a hidden saké bar in the CBD, reached through a quiet entrance and curtain, with just a few seats and a calm, intimate space. The focus is on saké, with a considered selection and staff who guide you through each pour with clarity and care.

The food is precise and well-matched to the drinks, letting the subtlety of each flavour come through. Alongside traditional styles, there’s sparkling saké and a few thoughtful twists, all served in a space that feels personal, understated, and quietly memorable.

Bar Kaeru 📍 LG 62-64 Little La Trobe Street, Melbourne CBD

[invite]

Celebrity chef @peterkuruvita is in Melbourne with a limited-time pop-up at @crownmelbourne. Serendip at Evergreen is a seven-course Sri Lankan-inspired degustation, moving through seafood, spice and his signature snapper curry.

Set inside Evergreen with hourly fire displays, the menu finishes on coconut yoghurt, berries and love cake.

Running until April 26.

[invite]

@letao_australia’s signature Double Fromage comes out of Hokkaido, known for its rich dairy, and once you try it… it clicks. Light, creamy, gone in seconds.

LeTAO also has seasonal flavours in rotation alongside the original, plus cookies and other sweet bits worth grabbing on the side.

Full podcast coming soon.
Thanks LeTAO for working with us.