I'm going to Melbourne in a few weeks, do you have recommendation for the best local restaurants there?
Melbourne has one of the best culinary scenes on the planet after you get past the burgers, pizza and salt & pepper squid that is ubiquitos across Australia. I think it rivals Manhattan save for the pizza and steak. There are too many places to list, but here are a few of my favourites, many being Asian influenced.
ChinChin and their sister restaurant Hawkers Hall both amazing, always busy and expensive, but worth it. Considered the best resto in Melbourne by many.
Red Spice Road (has a great lunch prix fix offer before 3pm) also fantastic
Spice Temple
Flower Drum
Lucy Liu Kitchen and Bar
Hutong Dumpling Bar
Little Ramen Bar
Oriental Tea House on Chapel St. for dim sum or rather yum cha
Tim Ho Wan also for yum cha
Supernormal - Japanese
+39 Pizza good pizza and their lamb ragout is excellent
Primo Pizza in Northcote is excellent - best I've had in Melbourne, though I have not had too many.
Naked for Satan - ground floor for pintxo's - Basque tapas / rooftop for full menu
Cumulus Inc
Pastuso - Peruvian
Harley House Bar and Grill - Peruvian
Rice Paper Scissors
Longrain
Delhi Street Food
Two Fat Indians
St.Kilda area:
Claypots - seafood (super cool place)
Cicciolina - Italian
Lezzet - Turkish
Machi - Japanese
Curry Leaf - Indian
Roll'd is a Vietnamese chain in food courts, but very good.
I have yet to find a steakhouse that rivals the ones in NYC, but Meat Maiden and Meat & Wine Co. are both good and the Provincial Hotel has the best valued steak night
There are so many great places in the CBD, you'll find a whole other world in the alleys and lanes. Fitzroy, Brunswick, St.Kilda, Chapel St, Footscray all have tons of restaurants. You almost can't go wrong anywhere...it truely is a remarkable city for food. The restaurants along the Yarra in Southgate are a little touristry for my taste and just ok. Munich Brauhaus is good though.