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The European

3.9 (26 reviews)
Open 7:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

The European French Restaurant Photos

THE EUROPEAN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Classy
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

Recommended Reviews - The European

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Reviews With Photos

Vanessa R.

Part of a group of some of Melbourne's best in hospitality - Siglo, Melbourne Supper Club and City Wine Shop, The European sits comfortably amongst them offering up great European fare in a setting that is not only authentically European, but somehow so very Melbourne too. It's not too hard really - make sure you have an appetite, order anything off the menu, make sure you order a good drop to go with your dish, then sit back and enjoy. It's a beautiful experience.

Campari & Orange. I could drink this forever.
Jason M.

I walked from Crown Metropol to the European this evening based on reviews I'd read. Even though I rated it 3 stars, I still think the walk was worth it. It is a mixed bag result though. Some of the dishes (or elements) were perfect. Others were a miss. Starting with the non food components - the staff are extremely friendly, in that straight up friendly way. They weren't over the top polite and they weren't so friendly that it seemed over bearing. The exact mix that you want (well, I do). The staff are a highlight and made the experience. The decor was nice - felt very "old Melbourne". I was a single diner in a busy night and got out at the bar. I probably looked out of place but I was perfectly happy up there. The Campari and orange juice was delicious. I would have liked an option for blood orange juice, but the fresh orange was good enough. I could drink those forever. My entree was the special. I was going to have the pork belly parcels but decided to take the leek and mozzarella and walnut dish - I forget the name of it. It was nice, maybe a little too sweet and not promptly balanced. Also, the leek probably needed to lose the outer later which is hard to cut and not as tender as the rest. The main was the gnocchi - which had a hint of mint. When the mint aroma came through, it lifted this dish tremendously. However, it was barely a hint - and overall the dish wasn't seasoned anywhere near enough. More pepper - more salt. It was too bland and needed something else. The colours were great and the textures very good. Just needed a heavier hand on the S&P. The side salad of witlof, Pecorino and pear was delicious. Probably the best of this type of salad I have ever had. It was perfect and I could have eaten a whole bowl of just the salad. It was crisp and light and everything was perfectly balanced. Surprisingly for a side - it was the highlight. The dessert was a salted caramel and peanut chocolate ball with yoghurt gelato. Standalone every element was very good. Especially the salted caramel ball. However, the gelato for this dessert was too sharp and didn't go well with the salted caramel. I see why you would want to cut through the caramel and chocolate - but this was too much cutting! I would have wound it down a notch. Overall - still a very good experience, but really the food should speak the loudest and a couple of items didn't hit the mark. I'd go back again though.

Typical light snack at the European
Fred V.

love this place. great to drop in for snack or light dinner - excellent food and great selection of wines and beers with knowable friendly staff. Unpretentious atmosphere makes it very relaxing and encourages verbal exchange. The restaurant is more formal as to be expected and is great - but you need to book so as to not be disapointed

Peggy K.

Well wow. No savory vegan breakfast options at all, and a puzzled look when I asked. So had to make up my own - and guess what was on offer? Toast, spinach, mushrooms, avocado. It came out feeling like it was resentfully plated. But I have to say, the spinach was really good (and believe me, spinach can be cooked so so badly) and mushrooms were delicious. I asked for asparagus that I saw as part of another meal, but no - it was part of that meaty meal and was wrapped in bacon. The soy coffee was ok. It was obvious that they don't use good soy milk, like Bonsoy, so it wasn't as good as it could have been....and for this it cost $32! The handful of yummy mushrooms were $8! Overall feeling was that vegans are not welcome. Such a shame. I'm pretty sure that there are gourmet vegans in Europe. Never coming here again, even if it is pretty to look at.

Eggs Benedict. Perfect execution on every component.
Jen H.

Wanna Get Away? Ah, no wonder the head concierge at my hotel reco'd this fabulous wine bar and cafe as his own favorite. Tram or walk to it, still in CBD but away from the tourists. Great wine selection and tasty food in a bustling atmosphere, yet you can still score a table with laid back, friendly service while reading a book or watching the government peeps make deals.

Wagyu steak if a girl can ever cook this for me, i'd wife that in a split second
Monish S.

Service was slow, i think they has 3 waiters doing the whole resterant, Food was delicious! I can say its probably the 2nd best steak ive tasted!! Staff was friendly and atmosphere was great. One thing i didnt like was the lack of timing, had to wait 20 minutes after my reservation time to be seated

Sharon H.

European is a classic cafe and has been open for a long time. The food mainly inspired by French, Spanish and Italian cuisine with an Australian twist. It's been a very long time since I visited European, I used to come here a lot before all the fancy innovative brunch spots decide to pop up in Melbourne. still a nice place for classic brunch

Two S.

Love the European. Sophisticated surroundings. Generally excellent food. Couldn't fault a dish last night. Superb oysters, chorizo and other small dishes. Superb aged beef. Wonderful wines too. Very nice service as well from a quite beguiling young woman from Kent. A very agreeable experienced indeed. I wandered off into the cold night air immensely satisfied.

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7 years ago

Great vibe. Excellent salami plate, pasta, lambs brains. Yum! Good service. Definitely worth a visit

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14 years ago

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9 years ago

Amazing taste of France in Melbourne. Devine wine and chateaubriand. Little elbow room, noisy and very European. Loved it!

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13 years ago

What a great place, nice food and friendly stuff.

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Review Highlights - The European

When we came here, we ordered a beautiful bottle of pinot noir to share.

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Bergerac Restaurant

Bergerac Restaurant

3.4(7 reviews)
1.5 kmMelbourne
$$

Bergerac is a french place with a nice and cosy ambience, classy enough for a romantic date, yet…read morenot enough for a special occasion. The menu is very typical french (or so I was told), and with a large number of choices but nothing too special. Even their 'Specials', written in white chalk on several blackboards hanging on walls or positioned next to certain tables, are nothing over the top and do not display any form of risk taking by Monsieur Le chef, which could also be said of the wine list. The waiters are friendly, all speak french, and happy to serve. Prices are average as you'd expect, with occasional offers for lunches. The setting, ambience, lighting and red tableclothed theme work well for different occasions - from business lunches to second dates not followed by a third, etc.. How do you say 'Ordinary' in french?

My Mum had never tried authentic French food before and was keen to see what all the fuss was…read moreabout. I told her not to get her hopes too high though - it's kinda like pub food with more butter, yeah? This was certainly not the case, the dishes on offer at Bergerac were all complex, interesting and sounded mouth watering! We settled on the seafood platter (okay so it had a better French name) and the duck breast with cherry sauce (also, sounding better in French) and both dishes were really very nice! There was plenty of bread to accompany the dish, with staff constantly refreshing the bread basket! Although the meal was nice, it wasn't anything to write home about. Similarly the decor was a little questionable - my main issue was the lamps on many of the tables, a little tacky and potentially a tripping hazard! Also, the staff were lovely, all with French accents for that added authenticity (were they real, who really cares?!) however they seemed keen to assist customers who were not requesting assistance or clear tables that did not need clearing yet. Other than this, they were all lovely and helped to round out a genuinely fine night!

Photos
Bergerac Restaurant
Bergerac Restaurant
Bergerac Restaurant

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Paris Go Bistro - Dessert!!

Paris Go Bistro

4.0(5 reviews)
1.6 kmCarlton

Extremely rude waitstaff. They will talk about you openly at their bar in French thinking you…read morecannot understand them. And then mock you in English expecting that you didn't understand their chatter. Food was mostly good however some basics surprisingly not executed well, which is not their usual. One waitstaff served our food with their sleeve draped in it, and then more mistakes to follow. Wrong sauces served, two steaks ordered to the same requests but coming out completely different (god forbid if you challenge them!), impossible to get a glass of water unless you wait very patiently w the staff agitated when you ask. We used to come here frequently with the family, but now experiencing the rude service from two waitstaff tonight (one of which I have never had problems with over almost the last decade), and hearing the waitstaff conversation of ourselves and other customers, I would caution others. I don't think the waitstaff are happy people, and that sets up your dining experience. They mocked us when leaving, upsetting our young children. The staff seemed very happy to do so and became louder as we were leaving. Happy to speak to the chef owner should they want to seek constructive feedback. It is a busy restaurant so I'm sure it will still have its loyal following!

Brilliant meal, great service mixed in with a very relaxed atmosphere = wonderful French…read moreexperience. We went as a party of 4 and all of us had a great meal, from entree all the way through dessert...would very much recommend it

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Paris Go Bistro
Paris Go Bistro

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Garçon - Rump with bonemarrow

Garçon

5.0(4 reviews)
0.4 kmMelbourne
$$

So I've been to Entrecôte twice, and I've walked out the happiest gal about town twice. Never have…read moreI felt so fancy and special in a place so relaxing and unpretentious. The first time I ventured in was to indulge in what is likely the happiest of Happy Hours - $2 oysters and $12 glasses of Mumm champagne - that is ACTUAL champagne, people. I refer to this kind of treat as Choysters and I guarantee you, you'll feel like a French royal by the time you finish that second glass. My next trip was for dinner. I was so excited to try their famous Steak Frites - Grilled Hopkins River Porterhouse, with salad and BOTTOMLESS FRIES. Can you feel my excitement as you read?! The steak was cooked to absolute perfection and the salad gave much needed greenery to the dish. This is such a fun destination if you've had a GREAT day at work and want to celebrate or are celebrating an anniversary of birthday but don't want anything too over the top.

$2 oysters. $12 glasses of Champagne (the real stuff). Charming waiters. Frenchy vibes. One of the…read moremeatiest cheeseburgers known to man. Steak and endless frites. Entrecôte is what I imagine heaven is like. It's fun, decadent, doesn't take itself too seriously, and has enough options to keep each day a little different, but not so many that you need to waste precious time making decisions. This isn't complex food, it's not food that requires discussions on how it was made or where the ingredients are from. Nope, it's delicious classic food that lets you get on with what's most important - enjoying the company of your friends. You'll eat and drink way more than you intended, but by golly will you have a fun night.

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Garçon - Eggs 'Royale'. Lillet & dill cured salmon, apple cider hollandaise.

Eggs 'Royale'. Lillet & dill cured salmon, apple cider hollandaise.

Garçon - Am I in Paris??

Am I in Paris??

Garçon - $2.50 Takeaway Coffee.

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$2.50 Takeaway Coffee.

Bar Margaux - Escargot

Bar Margaux

4.3(4 reviews)
0.3 kmMelbourne

As we searched for late dinner spots upon returning from our Penguin Parade day-tour, Bar Margaux…read morecame up. It's situated in the basement level. Upon descending some stairs, we came to the host stand, and were seated shortly. It's rather dark inside the bar restaurant. I suppose it goes with the late night vibe. For me, however, it proved challenging to see the menu and the food. Some sort of perfume is used in the bar restaurant as well, which was apparent upon entering the bar restaurant. Being allergic to perfume, I was glad they found a spot for us where the smelll is not as strong. The hamburger was good and the cromesquis was decent. The escargot, however, was disappointing; the escargot themselves was so so, and the bread that came with us was burnt beyond edible in some spots.

Stopped by for dinner with a couple of friends. We showed up early and didn't have reservations…read more The host let us know we'd be able to sit but have a 2 hr limit which was no problem at all! All the servers were super friendly and came by to check on us often. Drinks were tasty and the food was even better! For our first meal landing in Melbourne after a 19 hr travel day, I couldn't have been happier! The music they played wasn't too loud so we were all able to speak to each other without screaming. It was very dark in there so reading the menu was a little difficult. I was so hungry I only got one bad pic of our steak tartare that was absolutely delicious!!!!!!! Overall I'd definitely recommend this place!

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Bar Margaux - Steak Tartare

Steak Tartare

Bar Margaux - Burnt bread that came with the escargot

Burnt bread that came with the escargot

Bar Margaux - Hamburger

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Hamburger

Mon Ami

Mon Ami

3.5(4 reviews)
1.1 kmFitzroy
$$$

Quack, quack...quack quack. Mon Ami is a tiny little restaurant on Nicholson Street facing the…read moreCarlton Gardens. It specializes in French style duck and boy does it do it will. Mon Ami is run by a Francophile husband-wife combination with the husband the chef and the wife front of house. The restaurant itself has a really relaxing atmosphere but there is only space for roughly 16 diners. So make sure that you book and don't leave it up until the last minute. Mon Ami is by no means cheap and you can expect to pay $25+ for a main and $40 plus for bottles of wine. Having said that, this is a place to indulge and is value for money when you consider the quality of the food. It would be the perfect setting for a romantic evening for two. Not too long ago this place had a sign up saying they'd cooked about a million (or somewhere round there) ducks. So as you can imagine, they are pretty good at it. I later found out the figure was over 16,000 ducks since April 2003 with only 16 seats. Quack, Quack.... mmm, mmm, mmm!

This is a cute restaurant but the owners are judgemental and up themselves. The food is ok, not…read moreexcellent. I've seen the lady who runs the place turn people away dishonestly if she doesn't like the look of someone who wants to eat in her restaurant, I witnessed this yesterday late afternoon, but hey, if you're the status quo or well to do and you like slightly below average tasting food in a tiny nook of a restaurant, then this place is for you!

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Mon Ami
Mon Ami
Mon Ami

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Bistro Thierry - Glass of 2011 Château Carbon D'Artigues, Graves Bordeaux France.

Bistro Thierry

3.8(13 reviews)
4.9 km
$$$$

So happy I got to come here recently. Many people said I must, so I took their word for it, and…read moregave it a go, and I was glad. I love French food and I felt like I could have easily been in a French restaurant in the middle of Paris somewhere. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and great decor, and the food was lovely to boot. The service was a little average; nothing special, but ok. It was a bit slow to come out, but when it did, it was worth it. I had their Duck à l'orange which was beautiful and tasty. Portion sizes were good and I think it's worth their pricing. For dessert I chose the chocolate soufflé which was delicious and would definitely have again. They mixed my sister's dessert up, because I just don't think our waiter was listening, but she kind of liked what she got, which was lucky as we didn't want to wait for the right order to come. The one big negative I have, though, is this ... If you come here, they bring bread out to your table like they do in many other restaurants around Melbourne and around anywhere. HOWEVER ... they don't tell you that they're going to charge you for this. It's only $4, but it's the principle. I was outraged. Yes, I can afford $4, but either tell me that's what it is, or something. But don't deceivingly put something down on our table - that's complimentary almost anywhere else you go - and then charge for it. It's rude. Having said all of that ... I would love to come back again one time in winter maybe. I imagine it has a more cozy vibe then, and there's still a few other dishes that looked and smelled nice.

Bistro Thierry owned by Thierry Cornevin then together with Chef Frederic Naud brings the latest…read moreideas and techniques in modern French cuisine. Their sole purpose is to give customer a taste of a bistro in Lyon or Paris in Melbourne. love this place to the max. all the food are yummy

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Bistro Thierry
Bistro Thierry
Bistro Thierry

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The European - french - Updated May 2026

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