
10 Feb 2023
From quirky brunch nooks to elevated European wine bars, Port Melbourne ranks just as highly in the foodie stakes as its inner-city neighbours. Try sinking your teeth into one of these spots next time you’re in this part of town…
Tucked inside Bay Street’s heritage-listed courthouse, you’ll find one of the most romantic contemporary Italian restaurants in Melbourne.
Ciao Cielo, a warm space with large windows and dark wood furnishings, is certainly notable for its beauty. But the kitchen here could be serving dishes out of a hovel and diners would still come knocking in their droves.
The upscale Italian fare on offer has a reputation for being outstanding. Ciao Cielo describes itself as “respecting tradition but not bound to it,” and you’ll notice that playful dance between authenticity and modernity in the menu.
Try freshly shucked oysters and the Roman-style arancini filled with saffron, mint, scamorza and red onion ketchup to begin. A traditional Caprese salad on the side is the perfect palate cleanser.
Other standout dishes include the Northern-style oxtail ragu gnocchi and truffle forest mushroom pizza, but don’t get too full that you overlook Nonna’s tiramisu for dessert. (Here, it’s served with a sinfully rich Tia Maria gelato.)
Dish Cult’s top pick: Sardinian style braised goat leg with wild olives, lemon, fennel, chilli, marjoram, crumbed polenta and pangrattato ($42)
There’s good steak, and then there’s great steak. The Railway Club masters the latter, and every meat lover in Melbourne knows it.
Widely recognised as the city’s “original steak pub”, the iconic institution consistently serves up some of the juiciest char-grilled cuts to keep that reputation alive and kicking.
Here, the star is grass-fed beef. You’ve got eye fillet, T-bone, porterhouse, rump, scotch fillet and rib eye to choose from, with a side of Railway’s hand-cut chips, and your pick of pouring sauce. Try the black garlic and truffle aioli for something different.
Though the steak may be the focus, don’t overlook some of the more interesting starters on the menu. Opt for the cevapcici sausages with onion and olive tapenade, fragrant chilli mussels or chicken liver parfait.
While the ingredients may be premium, the atmosphere at The Railway is relaxed and casual. Make it a date night, or come with a group of friends for a round of pints. Just make sure you book ahead – this place gets popular.
Dish Cult’s top pick: Tournedos rossini – two 110gm eye fillet medallions, grilled field mushrooms, pate, red wine jus and hand cut chips ($62)
The first thing you’ll notice about Balderdash is the 19th century pub architecture. Wander inside and you’ll be met with a grungy-but-clean, modern aesthetic – the first of many contradictions you’ll notice here.
Perhaps that’s the reason for this corner cafe’s name, “Balderdash”, a rather archaic British word meaning “nonsense”. In any case, it’s an interesting choice, given that the menu is refreshingly sensible.
Here, breakfast classics span the tried-and-tested gamut: think bircher muesli, chilli scramble, egg n’ bacon burgers and zucchini fritters. It’s simple stuff, but in a city gone mad with Insta-worthy brunch and breakfast monstrosities, sometimes you just want simple.
Paired with freshly brewed espresso from the folks at 5 Senses, it’s morning magic. Try the cold drip for a refreshed take on your caffeine fix – the friendly baristas will be happy to share what’s behind the delicate process.
Dish Cult’s top pick: Field mushrooms with poached egg, truffle, hollandaise and Grana Padano shavings ($18)
Self-described as “first-class traditional Japanese”, Moshi Moshi is your go-to restaurant in Port Melbourne for quality sushi, sashimi and traditional omakase dining.
Opting for the omakase dining experience here will entrust your five-course meal to the hands of the chef.
If you’d rather choose your own dishes, you’re spoilt for choice. A short list of “Japanese tapas” offers cold dishes to start with, including fresh oysters with caviar and spring onion, tataki with scallop, wagyu or tuna and sashimi salad.
On the hotter side of the menu, try classic pork or veg gyoza dumplings, a range of feather-light tempura, karaage fried chicken, seafood hot pot, steak and Japanese curries.
But at Moshi Moshi, it’s really the fresh seafood you come for, so be sure to make plenty of room. A clever range of plum wines and Japanese sake will offer your table plenty of scope for accompaniment.
Dish Cult’s top pick: Moshi omakase course ($65 pp)
This classy European restaurant and wine bar on Bay Street isn’t ashamed to stick to its roots.
Paying tribute to the kind of comfort foods you’ll find in Italian street enotecas and French bistros, the menu at Vinoteca celebrates the marriage of traditional dishes with fresh Aussie produce.
The menu changes with Melbourne’s seasons, allowing the kitchen to reinvent and express the character of local ingredients.
Anticipate aromatic dishes like the seafood risotto, with Atlantic king crab, heirloom cherry tomatoes, chilli and garlic, or the gnocchi with slow-braised duck and rich porcini mushroom ragu.
Beetroot ravioli with goats cheese, hazelnut, brown butter and sage has been done a thousand times before, but like everything else on Vinoteca’s menu – is no less sensational.
An interesting Euro-forward wine list is the cherry on top.
Dish Cult’s top pick: Mortadella slider with parmesan cream ($12)