In March 2025, a food critic from Los Angeles undertook an extensive exploration of Melbourne’s vibrant culinary landscape, guided by Besha, a former staff restaurant critic for L.A. Weekly who had recently returned to her hometown after several years in the United States. The visit coincided with the annual Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, providing an opportunity to experience the city’s rich and varied dining scene, shaped by a deep history and diverse immigrant communities.
Melbourne, located in Australia’s southernmost mainland city, traces its culinary roots to British colonization in the 1830s. The subsequent Victorian-era gold rush spurred significant population growth and wealth, fostering early tastes for luxury goods such as Champagne. At the same time, the city developed a culture of accessible dining, with generations of pubs serving a broad spectrum of residents. This history has contributed to Melbourne’s reputation for sincere hospitality, where working in food service is often viewed as a vocational calling rather than a mere job.
A defining feature of Melbourne’s contemporary food culture is its diversity, driven by immigrant communities that have shaped the city since its founding. This multicultural fabric parallels that of Los Angeles, yet offers a distinct experience. During the two-week culinary journey, the critic sampled a broad range of cuisines, exemplified by fine-dining experiences and neighborhood staples alike.
The trip began with a dinner at Flower Drum, a 50-year-old Cantonese institution known for its midcentury glamor and meticulous preparation. Dishes such as Peking duck and Western Australian pearl meat—an uncommon seafood delicacy with flavors bridging scallop and lobster—highlighted the restaurant’s refined approach. The next day brought a casual encounter with pizza capricciosa at University Cafe on Lygon Street, a historic Italian enclave founded by post-World War II immigrants. While some Melburnians critique the capricciosa’s humble origins, the critic’s experience emphasized its local significance when made with quality ingredients.
Throughout the visit, the routine included mornings spent exploring various coffee offerings, followed by lunches and dinners that showcased the city’s culinary breadth. At Serai, a Filipino restaurant tucked away in the Central Business District, kangaroo meat prepared in a citrus-vinegar style recalled gamey flavors akin to venison. At Navi, a tasting menu restaurant, Indigenous ingredients such as bush tomatoes, macadamias, and green ants—known for their citrus notes—introduced diners to native Australian flavors. A noted First Nations establishment, Big Esso, had closed shortly before the visit, making Navi one of the closest experiences of Indigenous cuisine during the stay.
The itinerary also included Lebanese breakfasts, pub lunches featuring spanner crab with fried potato cakes, and French dinners at lesser-known venues. Mauritian cuisine was discovered at Manzé, where rotis infused with mustard seeds and curry leaves offered a complex flavor profile. Adventures outside the city included a Korean restaurant in a forested town 40 miles east of Melbourne and Barragunda Dining on the Mornington Peninsula, a farm-based restaurant highlighting seasonal local produce.
One of the visit’s most memorable revelations was the excellence of Melbourne’s Greek food scene. Locations such as Kafeneion, perched above a wine bar near the city’s Parliament House, evoked the atmosphere of Athens with robust oregano accents. Other establishments like Tzaki pushed culinary boundaries by incorporating ingredients like crab meat into traditional moussaka, and Jim’s Greek Tavern operated without a printed menu, relying on conversational orders. A Sunday lunch with Besha’s extended family at Jim’s illustrated how food operates as a cultural anchor and source of comfort for many locals.
Ultimately, the critic found Melbourne’s dining landscape defies simple categorization, emphasizing the city’s commitment to culinary curiosity and inclusivity. The experience surfaced as a dynamic interchange between familiar multicultural influences and uniquely Australian expressions, inviting visitors to embrace a continuously evolving food culture.