I just had 100th visit in a time frame of under 2 years! That should say it all Remarkable food! Service atmosphere it's my favourite place for a reason. read more

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Sitting at the counter in the kitchen was great, being able to chat with the chef and see how everything is created is always great to watch. Head chef was really lovely and flexible with making changes or adding a few extra things along the way. 5 course set menu was real value for money read more

I have been visiting Estelle Bistro for many many years now. I come as one of my Birthday celebrations with my best friend. We always get the 5 course Degustation Menu with wine matching. Due to covid last year I missed out so hadn't not been for a few years. Upon arriving I was blown away by the renovation [a few years old now] and the nice open viewable kitchen. Once again the food and wine didn't disappoint. Service was amazing as always. I have had weight loss surgery so required longer then the 2 hour allocated time for the menu which was all arranged upon booking online. I keep coming back to Esteele because I know that I am always going to have my mind blown by flavor combination that I could never imagine. Thank you for always taking me on a journey of childish wonder and excitement. {photos from past visits 2015-2021} read more

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A superb and auspicious occasion! This marks my 60th review.It's also been 80 days since the first. It really should have been 80 in 80 days. The Estelle knows a thing or too about fine dining; the gourmand is kindly rewarded. Their whole ethos is based around a degustation menu; up to nine courses if you're that way inclined. The whole process here is about taking time out to re-awaken the senses. Take it on the easy, and slowly lead your way through various selections of their degustation menu; the only choosing one does is the number of courses. There is of course, a wine matching bracket too. Either a classic, or go for the 'adventurous' which show cases the better wines the Estelle carries. One can even break things up a start with a sake. I highly recommend this; it's a lovely savory palate warming way to begin your dining experience and destination. Aside to this, the Estelle offers a great range of beers and wines; all well selected and match nicely within the exceptional food.When the kitchen strives to such excellent standards- faults simply don't appear. Cocktails are on offer too; the list is cut down to great examples such as the French 75. Amuse bouche arrive not long after sitting down and this immediately enlivens the atmosphere and mood on the table. It's cutting edge stuff a heterogeneous mix of art, science and mastery of cooking. The Estelle is the place you go to when you want to have a grand occasion. Pure hedonism. Presentation is immaculate, and the food continues to, and consistently pushes boundaries. Think edible textures and landscapes; this is what is you get. Representations of real life objects scaled to the micro level. Scott Picket is a true chef indeed in his own right. The food immediately demonstrates this; the amount of skill and dedication involved is right there on display. The vision of the Estelle, as well as Scott and his team of highly talented chefs, is to bring us back, and make us think eat time we pick up the fork. The dining process transcends the regular meal. Here it is about re- discovering flavours, textures and the way in which a cohesive menu item There's a lot to like, and flavours finish cleanly; food in its purest form. It's about slowing down and taking each flavour as it comes, and seeing that wonderful result when these beautiful flavours combine. Take the time out a treat yourself to a magical experience. Quite clearly, dining at the Estelle is the way to go. But you'll just have to discover that for yourself. read more

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Estelle delivered on everything I always look for; amazing food minus the pretension; great service; and a vibe that makes you want to stay. I was seated in the private dining room upstairs due to space issues downstairs, so my experience might not the be the standard one, but from what I saw, I doubt Estelle would often disappoint. We had the 9-course degustation. I was, as ever, suspicious of a meal plan that takes away my choice and leaves me feeling guilty for not finishing all of my food. However in this instance, dishes were perfectly sized, with a nice mix of meat and vegetarian plates, and all were so innovative that I found myself wanting more instead of less. There were even two dishes based on an ingredient that I usually hate, but I gobbled both with gusto. 2 x dessert plates is always going to work for me. The salted caramel bread + butter pudding-type dish was incredible, as were the chocolate crumbs and sour cherries. Please note: both of these dishes were much more complex than I describe but by then I was in a food coma and not really jotting down the details. Following these two beauties I think we got a bonus round - tiny glasses of compote with musk foam. No one else could eat theirs, so I ate 4...don't judge me. The service was relaxed but flawless, even though we were upstairs by ourselves and could easily have been forgotten. Service staff appeared when plates needed clearing, glasses were topped unnoticed, everyone was friendly and head chef Ryan popped up to say hi at the end of the meal. All round it was a really great night, and the best restaurant I have been to in a while. Estelle, you sexy minx, keep up the good work. read more

My husband and I went to Estelle for our third wedding anniversary. We had the 9-course degustation and it was, as you'd expect, thoroughly delicious. We waited until our second course for our drink order, however they took both drinks off our bill without request due to the delay. One star lost for the following issues: 1. I can't eat gluten or things in the onion/leek/garlic family. I appreciate this can be difficult, and I'm willing to risk a hive outbreak (or worse) for a sauce (or whatever) it can't be removed from, but I think it's reasonable to expect the kitchen won't actually serve leeks as a key part of a dish when this is outlined on reservation and on ordering. 2. Estelle charges a surcharge for credit cards. Neither my husband nor I typically carry $350 in cash around, so it seems like basic customer service to advise of this policy on reservation. On the whole, we'd happily go again - the food more than makes up for the minor issues we experienced! read more

Talk about amazing! The whole experience was incredible. Staff were very friendly, knowledable and helpful with recommendations of drinks with each course. Food was immaculate - everything was delicious a great range of different courses and all blow my mind. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and had a lovely feel to it - very easy going place and loved that it had a vegetarian option too - ill be trying that next time i go. Was worth every penny - nothing bad to say about the place. read more

How underwhelming as a special occasion dinner. We knew on a Saturday night it would be busy, so we organised a couple of seats at the bar. However rather than having an interesting conversation with the wait staff or informal chatting with the neighbours, we felt claustrophobic (they had at least 1 person too many, probably two places) at the bar. The space offered per diner - matching some of the dishes and the service - felt 'tight'. We were rushed so much that even the entree arrived before our cutlery which we had to ask for. Another sign of lack of generosity was the fact our seat neighbours (who were obviously needing to move about 45 mins before us) were refused dessert so their two cramped bar seats could be re-used. We declined dessert (we'd already decided this earlier when they didn't allow one person to have the 3-course and the other to have a la carte). Disappointing service and atmosphere. read more

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What a superb restaurant. Just the place for a special occasion. Everything is done so wonderfully here. It's an amazing experience that's not to be missed. The food is utterly magnificent. Modern, innovative, gorgeously and meticulously prepared and presented and with a wondrous array of textures and colours. It's exceptional stuff. We loved every single dish we had. If pressed our favourites would be the smoked wallaby and black rice, the broad beans wild garlic and quail egg, the scallops daikon and apple, the barramundi and smoked leek and finally, the lemonade fruit. Within that selection the scallops and the lemonade fruit would be among the loveliest most interesting dishes I've ever tasted anywhere on this fine earth. Just beautiful gorgeous food. We were lucky enough to be sitting in the seats where the final touches were added to dishes before they went out. It ranks as one of the most fascinating and entertaining restaurant experiences I've ever had. There was Scott Pickett right in front of us carefully and methodically arranging these beautiful creative dishes. There around and behind him were others doing the same as well as hard working chefs behind them doing the cooking. The skill, speed, concentration and care among all of these people was nothing short of awesome to be honest. It is incredible to observe this sort of concentration, organisation and teamwork so close at hand. What was also noticeable was the calmness and respect shown throughout. No panic, no excessive rush. Not one angst ridden word. These are serious professionals. Just people doing a hard job really well and politely right down to voicing an impressively soft "service please" when dishes were ready for the servers to dispense. And, out they went straight to the table which in our case was about a third of a metre away. We had a superb night here. When we first came to Estelle a few years ago a noticeable number of the staff had attitude. It was pleasing that there was barely a whiff of that this time. What we have at ESP is a restaurant that works beautifully. It's expensive of course but it feels like real value for money to me because it is such a special experience. My youngest son and his lovely girlfriend are astute and formidable people. How wonderful of them to buy a voucher for us so we could come here. This is the place for that special night out. We'll be back again when we can for sure. read more

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Estelle was a beautiful experience to celebrate a hens. Honestly, I reckon they've done this a couple of times (with sarcasm font). The service was on point, drinks flowed freely and were not long without a top up. Food arrived with precision, ensuring we all ate pretty much at the same time. Honestly, the only thing that was worth mentioning was dessert was not big enough. The bride to be almost missed hers because we were circling her dessert. Lucky we like her and let her eat it. Estelle, what a dame - you put on a good lunch. read more

Dining at Estelle is like being invited to a dinner at your best friend's home. If your best friend was Heston Blumenthal. And if Blumenthal's core entourage was replaced with a bearded gang of reformed hipster look alikes. I mean 'home' in all senses of the word: not just a certain casualness to the ambiance but, well, the fact that a full-size bathtub greets you in the restroom. Yes, it would appear that Estelle Bar and Kitchen was, in a former life, a residence. A meal at Estelle comes with all the trappings of a "rough around the edges" experience you would naturally expect for a meal at a friend's house. No white tablecloths adorn the wooden tables, which are really damn close together. If you didn't know the person sitting next to you when you started the meal, you will by the end of it. No pretense, just serious food, with a bit of Fitzroy grit thrown in. The food is a molecular gastronomy take on modern Australian. It's a modified tasting menu format. You choose the # of courses, and are asked about dietary restrictions and preferences, but are not given the option to select any specific dishes. The element of surprise is hard at work. Foams, deconstructions and powders dot the dishes. They're fun, of course, but I have found that Estelle's best courses showcase top-notch Australian ingredients, not techniques. Some of the highlights over two visits include: - The charcuterie board ($32), a carnivore's delight that offers, among other meaty temptations, wagyu bresoala, felino, Joslito paleta, venison calabrese, rabbit pate and duck liver parfait, and other random accompaniments. - Duck, duck and duck. We expressed a "strong preference" for duck as one of the main courses. The flavor of the tender meat that we received blew all other ducks we've had out of the water (sorry to the bad pun police). Once with mandarin and potato, once with cherry and beetroot, uniformly spectacular. - Pork jowl with cauliflower and fig. An exaltation of pig. Insanely favorful meat, fork tender with a crisp skin. I'd huff and puff and blow the entire house-restaurant down to get at another one of these pieces of pig. - tuna tartare with avocado, daikon and a bonito jelly. Super fresh tuna, with a beautiful smokiness from the bonito jelly that pairs beautifully with the pickled daikon. Japanese-inspired, and wonderful. Not every dish was a knockout, though. Nothing was terrible, mind you, but more than one dish was just average. An early starting dish featuring heirloom tomatoes that lacked flavor and creativity. A mid-meal salmon course that was middling -- bland and texturally monotonous. A charred corn dish that, quite frankly, should have been sweeter and fresher given it was corn season. For every star, there will be a dish or two that shines less brightly, but the price point is still very reasonable for the quality of the food. Service was attentive, and most accommodating for dietary restrictions. They're everything a good host is supposed to be, making you feel right at 'home.' read more

Well delivered, lovely evening out in a great restaurant. I was not overwhelmed considering the hype. The chefs are no doubt top class, but not sure it's completely my thing. Its between 'real' food and art. Being a real food guy i would have wanted a bigger wine list and less eclectic servings. Beef Cheeks though is a must have. And yes its a bit pricey. read more

Melbourne is a fickle beast. Much-trumpeted restaurant and bar openings are a dime a dozen in this town - as are closures, be they temporary or permanent, or the ushering in of a new head chef - so to make it onto any sort of Hot Openings list you must have done something right. These places have rocked our 2011 world. The Estelle 243 High Street, Northcote. Ok, it didn't open this year, but new-team-at-the-helm Ryan Flaherty and Scott Pickett have elevated this Northcote eatery to new highs and are swiftly building a loyal customer base. The modern Mediterranean food (most prominently Basque-style offerings, as a result of Flaherty's time at El Bulli and Arzak in San Sebastian) come a la carte or as part of a tasting menu - 3, 5, 7 or 9 courses - with the option to have matching wines. The table service is second to none for a place with such a casual air about it. Go for the degustation - after you've been asked about your likes and dislikes, and any allergies, each course comes as a surprise - in a similar vein to Loam but without the price tag. read more

Tried both bistro and restaurant Restaurant was good but good wasn't something I would say well balanced for $250 although the matching wine was perfect( for someone who likes white wine probably more suitable than for red wine drinkers) I vote for bistro as price wise better and more balanced less pompous than restaurant more soul Excellent customer service great atmosphere Delicious food read more

Estelle Bistro was a new beast, so I've been told by many. I visited during Melbourne Food and Wine fest to snap the opportunity to do 2 course lunch incl wine for $40, choose from entree, main and dessert.. The decor is a smart combination of black wire exposed lighting, dark wood tables and leather benches. There is an outdoor style seating at the back, even more beautiful with hanging garden and lush greenery adorning the see through roofing. I very much want to eat here. The restaurant express menu is varied and will satisfy the meat lover, the seafood lover and the vegetarian. We did entree + main and ordered dessert to share. Starting with pork terrine and a salad of tomato, buratta and basil. it was perfect. tasty, beautifully presented and I had to stop myself from drinking the juicy drips of tomatoes on my plate. But hey, I love a good salad and you cant really mess amazing ingredients, so the real test is in the main. We ordered a cauliflower risotto and a rockling and mussel dish. My rockling was beautiful, succulent and juicy but the risotto was perfect. It wasn't mine and I had serious food envy after tasting. Dessert was chocolate tart with honeycomb, delivered by the pastry chef himself and by this stage I knew Estelle Bistro has got everything right. I can't wait to go back. read more

We had a wonderful Sunday lunch at Estelle Bistro on Sunday. At lunch on Sundays the bistro offers a set 3 course seasonal lunch for $60 per person or a $90 four course menu. We opted for the seasonal lunch, which also includes a glass of wine, beer or a mock tail. Such good value. We started with a mushroom volute with a soft poached egg. It was rich and delicious with crunchy croutons. We were also served warm sourdough with butter with this course. The main was melt in the mouth lamb shoulder with sprouts, parsnip and pumpkin purée. The meat was great and the vegetables delicious. Dessert was a lovely tart with mousse and a sorbet. I am not usually a dessert person, but this was excellent and was my favourite course of the lunch. Service was very friendly and efficient but not overbearing. Ambience was wonderful and even though tables were spaced for social distancing the atmosphere was warm and cosy. Estelle is still excellent, I hope to return many more times. read more

We received a voucher as a wedding present. Although I'd driven past if a thousand times, I didn't know much about the place. We had a lovely experience, beautiful wine & food. We did order too much & the shared lamb was far too big for two people. It was an absolute shame to waste it but we still had dessert coming, & sadly their policy is no doggy bags, not even for our ever hungry Labrador waiting at home. The dessert menu looked fab, however with a strawberry & hazelnut allergy & a chef who refused to leave any elements out, I had no choice but to order the granola. Nonetheless it was a tasty surprise. read more

Very pricey and if you have 5 or more in a group you are as stated on the menu " are requested " to have either the three courses for 70$ or 5 for 90$..........the waiter was so efficient it was hard to refuse the what seemed endless offers of proseco etc.........was really busy for a Thursday and was little slow in service which the waiter filled in with constant attentivenes...........HOWEVER slow hand clap it was the best meal I have ever tasted in my life!!!!!! and the portions were adequate due to the quality of the produce and chef, you must go to this place !,,,, read more

Excellent service, beautiful food. We were there for a birthday and they remembered an brought a desert with a candle at the end of the meal. Very kind of them. They were quite busy (even on a Tuesday night) but we booked ahead and the gave us a good table. The menu is fairly comprehensive and offers a few different options for the nights experience. read more