The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria), Page 2

Anchovy received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Aru Melbourne is a useful CBD booking when location and wine credibility matter more than chasing a heavily defined dining format. The 2026 Star Wine List recognition gives it a clearer reason to book than a generic Little Collins Street option, especially for small dinners, work-adjacent meals, or visitors staying central.

Askal is worth booking when the brief is polished Contemporary Filipino food in Melbourne’s CBD, not a quick convenience meal. Go for a dine-in experience built around shared dishes, Filipino reference points, and a warm multi-level room; skip it if the priority is takeaway or a low-commitment solo dinner.

Attica is Melbourne's hardest reservation and its most decorated tasting menu restaurant, scoring 96 points on La Liste 2025 and reaching #20 on the World's 50 Best in 2018. Ben Shewry's kitchen builds multi-course sequences around native Australian ingredients with technical precision that has no direct peer in the city. Book months in advance and go with a clear evening free.

Bar Carolina on Toorak Road is South Yarra's accessible bar-forward choice for a date night or relaxed celebration. The intimate scale suits couples and small groups, booking is easy, and the address puts you in the heart of the suburb's best dining corridor. A practical pick when you want a serious room without the pressure of a full fine-dining commitment.

Bistra is worth booking for a relaxed Carlton dinner with strong date-night energy, seasonal Australian bistro cooking, and a wine-led experience around A$70 per person. Go for à la carte flexibility rather than a tasting-menu occasion; it suits couples and wine-minded diners better than large groups or anyone chasing awards.

BiZu Hotpot received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Caterina's on Queen St is a CBD Italian venue that suits weekday lunch regulars more than occasion diners. With easy booking and a low-key room, it's a practical choice for solo diners or small groups wanting Italian without the production of a destination restaurant. For a special occasion in Melbourne, Florentino or Flower Drum are stronger calls.

Chae is a Korean diner in Cockatoo. Chef Jung Eun Chae presents a degustation shaped by Korean traditions, fermentation and dishes such as sanjeok reconceived with house-made ganjang.

CIRCL Wine House is worth booking when the plan is wine-led and late, especially after dinner in Melbourne's CBD. It suits explorers who care more about the list and the after-hours window than a fully specified cuisine or fixed spend. For a complete restaurant occasion, compare Florentino or Maison Bâtard first.

Coda Melbourne is a strong Flinders Lane choice for a polished date, client dinner or small celebration, especially if wine matters. Book it over louder Melbourne options when the priority is a central room, easier planning and a more contained occasion feel.

Cote Basque is a good fit if the brief is wood-fired European cooking with Basque-coast influence, not a formal tasting-menu night. The draw is the grill-led format and coastal-European direction; choose it for category fit, then verify practical details before using it for a larger group or special occasion.

Doju is worth booking for a polished modern Korean meal in Melbourne CBD, especially if fermentation-led flavours and a calm dining room matter more than barbecue theatre. At $75 per person, it suits dates, small celebrations and food-focused diners who want a seasonal Korean format with Good Food Guide recognition behind it.

Donovans received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Embla is Melbourne's most wine-serious share-plate room, backed by Star Wine List recognition in 2021, 2022, and 2026. At 122 Russell Street, it works best for date nights and celebrations where the bottle matters as much as the food. Easier to book than Attica or Vue de Monde, and priced below the full fine-dining tier.

French Saloon received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Gaea received 2 hats in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Gimlet at Cavendish House is Melbourne's most accessible fine-dining booking for a special occasion: a grand European brasserie under Andrew McConnell, with a wood-fired grill program backed by a World of Fine Wine 3-Star wine list. Easier to book than Attica or Vue de Monde, and more technically serious than most CBD alternatives. Book one to two weeks out for weekday dinners; three to four weeks for weekends.

House of Mi-Rin is a boutique farm-to-table retreat in Yea, with seasonal dining, wellness and slow living at its centre. Its cooking draws on Korean flavours, Hansik principles, garden produce and long-fermented ingredients.

Ishizuka received 2 hats in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Kadota has appeared on the La Liste Top Restaurants list in both 2025 and 2026, scoring 77 points in its most recent entry, making it the clearest reason to plan a dedicated food trip to Daylesford. The Australian Farmhouse approach means the experience shifts meaningfully with the seasons, which rewards return visits. Booking is easy relative to peers like Brae, making it one of the more accessible entries into serious regional Australian cooking.

Kafeneion is a smart pick when dinner needs to run late without turning into bar snacks. Go for Greek comfort dishes, shared plates, and the Melbourne Supper Club room’s lounge-like energy; skip it if the brief is a quiet tasting menu or formal fine dining.

Kazuki's is worth booking when wine is central to the meal, especially for a planned Carlton dinner or Sunday lunch. The key trust signal is its World's Best Wine Lists 2022 2-Star recognition, which makes it a stronger choice than casual nearby options when the table wants a more wine-led restaurant experience.

Book Maha for a polished Melbourne CBD meal when convenience and occasion feel matter more than chasing a documented fine-dining credential.

Maison Bâtard holds a World of Fine Wine 3-Star Accreditation and the Australasia Regional Winner title: Melbourne's clearest credential for a serious wine-led dining occasion. Booking is rated easy, the CBD location is accessible, and the atmosphere suits celebration dinners and business meals where the list matters as much as the kitchen.

Many Little is worth considering in Red Hill when Sri Lankan hoppers are the draw, not when the brief is a classic winery lunch or formal tasting-menu meal. Use the current menu as a focused food stop within a broader Mornington Peninsula day.

Minamishima is worth booking for a quiet, formal Edomae sushi omakase in Richmond, especially if counter dining and chef-led pacing are the point. Expect a smart casual room, essential reservations, sake and wine pairings, and a price level suited to special occasions rather than a casual sushi night.

Montalto is the Mornington Peninsula pick when the winery visit is the main event, not a quick stop between cellar doors. It suits celebrations, date lunches, and slower Red Hill South itineraries; if availability is tight, compare Ten Minutes by Tractor for a serious wine-led meal or Port Phillip Estate/Kooyong for a larger estate feel.

Navi received 2 hats in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Nihao Kitchen received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

NOMAD Melbourne is a strong Flinders Lane choice for groups, celebrations, and shared dining built around fire, smoke, Australian produce, and Mediterranean-inspired flavours. The value is clearest when four or more people can order broadly or choose a set menu; solo diners and quiet-date seekers may get less from the room’s lively restaurant-bar format.

Norma received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Book Orson when the goal is a planned country fine dining meal in Rosebud, not a casual beach-town fallback. It is strongest for a date, anniversary, or small celebration where the meal is the main event; check current menu, pricing, and hours before locking it in.

Pipis Kiosk on Beaconsfield Parade is a casual foreshore stop for Albert Park locals, cyclists, and anyone walking the waterfront. The kiosk format means no bookings, no dress code, and no pressure: just a quick, seafood-leaning offer with a bay backdrop. Worth folding into a morning along the water; less suited to a standalone dining occasion.

Polperro received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Poodle Bar & Bistro received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Public is an easy Fitzroy North pick when the plan is a relaxed wine-led night rather than a formal meal. The 2026 Star Wine List recognition gives it credibility, but choose it for low-friction local drinking, not for a chef-led destination booking or a named signature order.

Reed House received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Scopri works for a polished Carlton meal when the brief is date night, a small celebration, or a business dinner that should feel considered without becoming formal. Book it for experience and setting first; cross-shop Al Dente or Capitano if the group wants a clearer contemporary Melbourne comparison.

Serai is the Melbourne CBD pick for a lively special-occasion meal built around modern Filipino cooking, wood fire, cocktails, and natural wine. Go for shared plates, smoke, and energy rather than quiet luxury; the $$$ spend makes sense when atmosphere and a distinct culinary angle matter.

Stokehouse is worth booking for a seafood-led special occasion where the St Kilda waterfront setting is part of the spend. Choose the dining room for a polished lunch, dinner, date, or group celebration; choose STOKEBAR for a more casual, no-booking terrace visit with drinks and fish and chips.

Supreme J Kitchen received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

TarraWarra Estate is worth prioritising if the goal is a premium Yarra Valley winery visit with a strong sense of place, not a quick tasting-room hop. It suits couples and small wine-focused groups better than loose, high-volume itineraries. For easier cross-category planning, compare it with Four Pillars Distillery or other regional winery stops before locking the day.

The Independent received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Tommy Gunns received one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).

Vue de Monde is one of Melbourne's most credentialled fine dining rooms, holding a La Liste score of 97.5 points and a Star Wine List White Star for its 2,000-selection cellar. Hugh Allen's Australian-French tasting menu at $$$ is a serious proposition, but the wine program, led by Dorian Guillon with 7,000 bottles in inventory, is equally the reason to book. Easier to secure than Attica; formal dress expected.

Warabi received 2 hats in The Age Good Food Guide 2027: Full List of Hats (Victoria).