I've been looking forward to my adventures in Melbourne not only for the urban vibes, diverse…read morehistoric architecture, and surrounding ocean scenery, but the FOOD. I prepared a collection of must-try stops during the month of my visit, and from my research, Daughter in Law made the list. It also happens to be around the corner from my hotel so it ended up being the first restaurant I tried after arriving at the hotel and getting settled. I wanted something comforting and guaranteed to be a delightful food experience and Indian food never disappoints for me and my cravings. Daughter in Law went above and beyond all expectations of the every day delicious Indian restaurant. You'll know it from first glance as you approach the restaurant and see the colorful tables and neon sign. Everything about the ambience took me back to our Mama Speaks hotel in Rome...my absolute favorite for the fantastic indulgent, maximalist, colorful decor. Everything about the space says party with a sophisticated twist. The second time we went here, there was a birthday happening for a grandma with her large family there. This place is a gem. All I can say is hopefully I get to have a birthday here someday. It was a party and we were all smiles. We ordered the Hiramasa Kingfish Ceviche You won't regret this choice It was heaven in a clamshell. I could have eaten several of these as a meal. It was a fresh as fresh gets scallop ceviche with the perfect Indian spin of flavors. I don't know how I didn't get a picture of it except to say most likely because we ate it too fast for pictures. We followed this with the Ball of Happiness (Gol Gappa). A crisp hollowed out orb served with a layered shot of the classic mint, tamarind, and chutney flavor sauces that are meant to be poured into the orb and popped into your mouth for a flavor explosion. It was fun and delicious but I personally would have gone for another scallop en croute in place of this. Though it's worth a go! For drinks, I ordered a Passionfruit Spritz. I was worried it may be too sweet but it turned out to be just right and very refreshing. The little mermaid was a fun touch and my daughter wanted to take her home. The Mango Lassi was perfect, authentic, and not too sweet. There was only 2 of us, so as much as I wanted to try the Rogan Josh, we shared the Chicken Tikka Masala instead. It was delicious phenomenal. So rich and flavorful, with a brightness and tang to it that made it hard to stop eating. Incredible flavor! The garlic naan was of course, woodfired crisp and perfectly soft where it should be when pulled apart. Daughter in Law is going to be a regular spot for the next couple of months and anytime I'm traveling here in Melbourne!

As a Indian food lover I had to absolutely try some in Melbourne while I'm here. Went to Daughter…read morein law last night. Now not your typical Indian restaurant. This was kinda upbeat, trendy hipster a little bit. I did enjoy the music very much while there. Service was good. I would say it was a very solid 4 stars . More closure to 4.5 Just not the insane depth of flavors like I've had in many other places but good non the less. Had the lamb Rojan Josh. And we did the naan Bread and condiments sampler.

Flawless service from Noah at the bar today - will definitely be back for more drinks at Afloat!read more

Nice and chill spot for brunch on the harbor. The food is tasty. I tried the cheese pastry and the…read moreSkewers. Everything was delicious.

Had Wednesday steak night with a friend recently, absolutely brilliant - excellent food and…read moreservice. Fantastic atmosphere and very attentive staff. Highly recommended for locals and tourists. ​

It's still got the ambiance. Mac's for the 2020s. Good drinks selection, decent menu.read more

Fantastic contemporary Australian cuisine! Our Aussie friends suggested this restaurant for our…read morefirst night in Melbourne. Service was friendly, everything was delightful and the wine selection was fantastic!! Great introduction to Melbourne dining. The roast lamb for the table was particularly memorable!

Host appears to have too many additional duties causing delays being greeted and seated. Asked for…read moreand received a different table as the one offered was in an awful location. They rush your choices for drinks/food evidently to turn the tables on time. As requested we gave our full order at once. I don't want to have my food start appearing before my cocktail is finished! Long delay between a couple of the tapas style courses. Limited dessert options and overly high priced wines, especially by the glass, although the list is quite extensive. The food is very good. The atmosphere is very loud and slightly chaotic. It's worth a meal but with so many options I doubt we would return.

We ended up at Cargo because a nearby cafe was closed (public holiday). I was not expecting much…read morebecause it does have that generic "waterfront restaurant" look but honestly, it was really good! It was breakfast time and I had scrambled eggs on toast - 2 giant sourdough slices with a huge amount of eggs and a hash brown cake. My eggs were custard-y and really good. The Mister had the "big brekkie" and it was HUGE - so huge he couldn't finish it and that's a rare thing. Prices are pretty fair considering the river views, they make a very nice flat white and you surely won't leave hungry!

This is a good place on the promenade for breakfast. Killer views. I got the breakfast burger $15…read moreAus and it was good. Loved their bacon. Docklands in general is Uber pricey and this place is one of the more reasonably priced venues. Check it out.

With a casual bar in the front, a lively open kitchen in the middle, and a fine dining atmosphere…read morein the back, Cutler & Co has it all! This is a place for a nice date or evening out with friendly service and requisite menu prices. At each table is a fresh taper candle that's lit as soon as you sit down, and soon after ordering, we received an amuse bouche of a parmesan crisp with fromage blanc and mustard, as well as bread service--sourdough with two kinds of seasoned butter! To start, we shared the assorted greens (lettuce, radicchio) in buttermilk dressing, which was fresh but nothing too spectacular. We continued with our mains: the snapper with pureed eggplant, oyster sauce, watermelon radish, and purplette onion was creative and tasty. But my favorite was definitely the mushroom pithivier, a lovely mushroom "pie" made of layers of duxelles, kohlrabi, and Comte cheese in a flaky, crispy pie crust! Absolutely divine--the filling was rich with umami, but light at the same time with the kohlrabi. The dish came with a light frisee salad on the side and a mushroom ketchup, which added a hit of acidity to every bite of the savory pie. We were told that the pie would take 30-40 minutes to prepare after ordering, but it was totally worth it! We decided to skip dessert, but to finish off, we were given small complementary bites of a jelly and a salted chocolate truffle, which simply melted in your mouth! Overall, this is a lovely place to come for fine dining, though it does get expensive quickly.

"I just rescued some wine. It was trapped in a bottle."…read more Why try just one wine bar when you can do two from the same group? Another stunner with its solid energy, jovial conversations and relaxed feel in a contemporary setting. Wine is king here. New and dynamic wines from up and coming producers to DRC's and Australia's very own Henschke Hill of Grace. 30 wines by the glass, 600+ by the bottle. All at very reasonable prices. Food is a big part of the wine loving experience and Cutler and Co delivers. Ingredients are fresh and seasonal. The menu changes regularly to reflect this. Standouts included: Donuts with sour cream, salmon roe and chives - Not a donut in the American sense, this one, more like a pate a choux puff. Mix up the accompanying sour cream, salmon eggs and chives then spread it on, the slightest hint of yolky brininess in the otherwise mostly sour cream spread and a sip of a racy red; ahhhh. Taco of suckling pig, salsa verde, anchovy and rocket - A simple white corn tortilla with chunk of crispy skin, juicy and tender suckling pig, a smear of a creamy salsa verde backed by anchovy and a peppery, bitter rocket leaf. Add a squeeze of lemon and the flavors come together while begging for a sip of wine. Zucchini flowers, fresh cheese, pickled radicchio and pistachio - A true celebration of summer. Vibrant, fresh, colorful. A kiss of citrus sweetness from the zucchini flowers, texture from the young zucchini themselves. A zesty vinaigrette brings it all together. You guessed it, more wine please! Service is very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Prices are good with many selections 60AUD - 80AUD. Markup for top wines 1.5x - 2x auction prices. A worthy visit. Just remember, be a good visitor to Australia, "save water, drink wine".

Located in a restaurant filled alleyway. This place is one of many. I'm glad we stopped by…read more Beautifully presented food and tasty! The bloody Mary was so good. Just the right taste of spice. I enjoyed my brekkie plate. The pancakes were nice and crisp with a gentle sweetness. My partner enjoyed his soup as well. I am obsessed with Affogatos so this one certainly hit the spot.

This is another one of those really charming cafes that happen to be hidden down one of Melbourne's…read moremany laneways. I should mention that it is best to get here pretty early since I have discovered that it does get quite packed with all of the morning workers swarming through here. However, it is a pretty cool place to grab some breakfast, and they also have some really nice options on the menu as well. Oh, and the staff are also really, really good.

I don't know where to start. This has been not just a meal. It has been an experience. From the…read moremoment we say down, our every need has been catered for including my highly sensitive coeliac (gluten free) requirements They say a picture tells a thousand words so I've posted the menu and pictures of what we ate. I don't believe you could go wrong here with whatever you choose The wine list is limited but well covered and surprisingly not expensive. Do yourself a favour and come check it out!!!!

I have enjoyed lunch (a themed event) and dinner here - what a find! It is marvellous. Located…read morewithin the Arts Centre, the entrance is either from the interior lobby or directly from outside with its own entrance. The restaurant area is well designed, so diners have enough space to enjoy conversation. You could attend just for drinks - there is a very good happy most days. The service is friendly and the menu has some delicious offerings. For dinner, my companion and I enjoyed the pork rib and the venison as main courses with baked cauliflower and green salad as sides. It's a lovely location and I will definitely be back - thank you.

Second best Espresso Martini in Melbourne, only being upstaged by Eau de Vie's liquid nitrogen top…read more Happy hour price is $12 (5-7pm), otherwise you will pay $17 full price. Smooth, strong and delicious! There are other specials as well, along with the standard beer and wine selection. I haven't tried the food, although everything coming out of the kitchen looked on point. Mostly burgers and chips, bar fare. The Barre is classy and a great spot either before or after a show. However, you don't need a reason to stop in as it's open to the public with a lovely view of the Arts Centre garden. It's a great place for a date, catch up with friends or even a business meeting.

To be honest, I am more a fan of progressive cuisine and this is the complete opposite so maybe it…read moreis unfair to compare but, if I look at the worlds best 50 I prefer Gaggan (Bangkok) or Andre (Singapore) any day above Dinner. That being said, the 5-course lunch was executed well: it had some unique elements and the service throughout the experience was excellent. The stand-out dish of the day was for sure the Meat Fruit, I was kinda hoping for the mandarin but that day they served the plum. The pate was super delicious, one of the best I ever had! The first dish of the day, Hay Smoked Kingfish was also flawless, it showed restraint and was perfectly balanced. The entree, Chicken with Lettuces was very tasty but I found that the garnishes were better than the protein itself. That being said, I found the Meat & Flesh on the salty side and for a 38$ appetizer I find the amount of meat, two tiny pieces about the size of my pinky nail, unacceptable. In addition, I asked the sommelier for a cocktail suggestions and specifically stated that I did not want a sweet cocktail. He suggested the Mint Rickey which was way too sweet for my taste. Overall a good experience, would go back for the Meat fruit and the atmosphere was excellent but I wouldn't call it a flawless experience and isn't that what you expect for this type of restaurant?

Dinner by Heston was a fantastic evening. I have been to The Fat Duck in the UK but preferred it…read morehere as the food was more to my liking. The room is gorgeous and the kitchen is walled with glass so you can see all the action. The service is impeccable and the staff were all friendly and knowledgeable. We started with the Meat Fruit which is this cute dish that looks like a mandarin, but is filled with chicken parfait. It was amazing and the best parfait I have eaten. Next up was the Chicken and Lettuces (don't let the name put you off) and the Beef Short Rib. I loved the chicken (my dish) and it was so moist and lovely. The beef was slow cooked over 56 hours and it was still lovely and pink in the middle. Dessert was out of this world...so much so we indulged in dessert followed by the ice cream trolley. We selected the Tipsy Cake and the Lamington. The Tipsy Cake is the signature dessert and it was my favourite of the two. It is a brioche that is cooked in a delightful alcoholic custard and we were told that one chef has the responsibility of constantly spooning said custard over the cake while it is cooking. It kind of reminded me of an amazing doughnut type cake as it was so light. The Lamington is the dessert that Heston made for his Australian restaurant and it is layer upon layer of delight with a jammy centre. The ice cream trolley is worth getting purely for visual spectacle alone. Liquid nitrogen ice cream that is prepared at the table with a choice of yummy toppings served in a delicate handmade cone. Dinner by Heston is not as expensive as you would think and I would not hesitate in returning. I can honestly say that it was the best meal and overall experience that I have had.