Melbourne

Booking essential at this popular and acclaimed Spanish joint that dishes up authentic tapas and sherry. Part of a growing empire that includes MoVida Next Door and MoVida Aqui. — Insight Guides

As chef-driven as Attica may be, it’s also a restaurant that’s about the overall dining occasion– a sublime and captivating experience. — The World's 50 Best Restaurants

As you'd expect, seafood is the highlight, and it's expertly woven into wonderful pastas and risottos, as well as a scrumptious fish soup. — Fodor's

So if you’re looking for somewhere that’s intimate, crowded, well run, and has superb but simple food, look no further than Cicciolina. — Frommer's

They’re known for their peking duck, but regulars will always get an order of abalone in there as well. — The Infatuation

This bustling joint in Chinatown blends cocktail bar, beer hall, and Thai restaurant with apparent ease—and without a phalanx of Instagrammers. — Condé Nast Traveler

Hutong kicked off the xiaolongbao obsession in Melbourne, and is still the best spot for soup dumplings in town. — The Infatuation

Once you finally get to sit down, you might feel a bit weird saying “feed me” to your waiter, but after you do they’ll start bringing out dish after excellent dish. — The Infatuation

Café Di Stasio: the St Kilda Legend where the long lunches of the '80s never quit. — Time Out

The menu goes way beyond the usual avocado toast (although there is still one of those) with things like steamed fish and a minced lamb “fry up” during the day. — The Infatuation

Brunetti, the famous pasticceria, is a damned Melbourne institution on Lygon Street. — Time Out

This design-forward cafe in South Yarra services the nearby business crowd as well as power shoppers getting ready to browse the boutiques on Chapel Street. — Condé Nast Traveler

Embla is completely approachable and ridiculously cool. — The Infatuation

The menu features many of the barbecue classics, including pulled pork and beef rib from the smoker, hot wings, brisket beans and mac and cheese. — Wallpaper

No-one minds queuing on the stairs to wait for a high-turnover table in the unglamorous and dated upstairs dining room – the reward is the top-quality Cantonese food. — Lonely Planet

Occasion dining par excellence in this eyrie above Fed Square. A head-spinning list of wine and skilfully cooked European and Japanese food attract every celebrity in town. — Insight Guides

Settle in with one (or two) cocktails. They’ve got swagger, and the bobbing hunks of ginger and generous slugs of chilli and lime deliver quite a zing. — Time Out

Start off with a Spanish txakoli – a dry Spanish white wine - and a lot of small plates. They’re all good: charcuterie, olives, croquettes. — Time Out

Meals are served in sets of either two, three, or four courses and the food is often revelatory: deeply spiced, it plays with textures, colors and contrasting tastes to great effect. — Frommer's