Spring has sprung! Time to eat at Melbourne’s best outdoor restaurants

For a secret rooftop brunch spot…

At first glance, Alimentari is a charming corner cafe and delicatessen which appears to be a single-floor affair. But pass by the rainbow of salads and sandwich counters and you’ll spot a wooden staircase.

At the top is a discreet rooftop dining space, one of Fitzroy’s best kept brunch secrets. Perfect for your eggs benny and midday bloody mary alike, the lush sun trap blooms with spring flowers and blue skies in the warmer months.

It’s open until 3pm daily, but we recommend arriving before lunch to nab a great spot. The modern menu highlights seasonal produce in tried-and-true breakfast classics with a twist. Traverse the globe with Persian dukkah-scrambled eggs, Italian prosciutto and buffalo soldiers, or harissa beans with merguez sausage croquettes.

However it’s the humble corn cakes that win our vote. Here, they’re lavished with Kaiser bacon, fresh guacamole, tomato relish and a perfectly runny-yolked egg.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Corn cakes ($20)

For a happening beer garden…

Many Fitzroy locals will tell you The Standard is the greatest pub in the area, hands down. Somewhat lesser known than classic Fitzy pubs like The Napier or the Rose, it’s aptly self-described as “hard to find, easy to love.” This is, by all accounts, true.

The dimly lit indoor space has preserved cosy, traditional pub vibes since it opened its doors in 1865, but it’s the outdoor pub garden in the back that really makes The Standard special.

Sprawling and verdant (and a basket for sunshine on good days), the garden’s an idyllic space for a frosty pint and parma. There’s even a flexible undercover roof in case a spot of light spring rain comes a’ falling, perfect for large group occasions that can’t be moved.

The Standard describes its menu as “quietly kick-arse” and really, there’s not much room for disagreement there. Consider burgers like double Wagyu or Jamaican jerk chicken, chilli bean enchiladas and handmade pappardelle with pumpkin two ways – all supported by a world-class wine list and crafty brews on tap.

Pub fare traditionalists: don’t despair. Steak sangas and beer-battered fish and chips are on offer here, too, and what’s more – you probably haven’t tasted any better in forever.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Meatsmith lamb snags with black garlic, mash, mint peas, grilled onions and port jus ($32)

For riverside bites and cocktails…

If you’re too well-dressed for the grime and grunge of Melbourne’s inner north, back up a little toward the CBD instead… and heed the call of Arbory’s seasonal pop-up Arbory Afloat.

Every year, the vibe and menu has a creative makeover but one thing remains the same: immaculate riverside vibes. Think beach club meets upscale city bar.

This spring the bar and eatery returns to the Yarra River for its seventh season, fully decked out in Balearic Islands splendour. Anticipate a bohemian Ibiza feel, with an abundance of fresh tapas, seafood, paella, raciones, cocktails and a sublime Spanish-forward wine list.

A handsome European DJ can sometimes be found spinning tunes on the deck, and the energy picks up over happy hour. Enjoy a few cocktails at sundown and bask in the warm springtime air for as long as you like – Arbory Afloat is open late.

Besides… we’re on island time now, baby!

Dish Cult’s top pick: Fremantle octopus Galician Style with potato, smoked paprika & lemon ($34)

For a slice of Italian terrace dining…

With curbside seating out on Lygon Street and a beautiful garden courtyard out back, Jimmy Watson’s ticks all the right springtime boxes.

The iconic restaurant widely thought of as “Australia’s first small bar” even has a separate drinking hole and rooftop space known as the Wolf’s Lair, accessible from Jimmy Watson Lane.

Enjoy the rays and cocktails with a side of shoestring fries and aioli, a fresh margarita pizza or a Milawa cheese board shared with friends.

In the main restaurant area, you’ll discover a more elaborate menu. Try steamed Port Arlington mussels in a spicy white wine and tomato sugo (with house baked bread to mop up all the juices) for starters. The duck leg cacciatore with polenta verde makes for a decadent main you’ll remember.

Grape lovers will be sorted with an interesting wine list. The annual Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy is widely thought to be the Australian wine industry’s most coveted prize, so you know a restaurant named after the guy is bound to look after you well.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Pork neck kontosouvli ($26)

For hand-rolled pasta in the sun…

When the sun begins to set over Park Street, locals flock to this corner pasta and wine bar for an al fresco evening dinner to remember.

Picture terrace-styled seating under white umbrellas, lush planters and plates of some of the most beautiful-looking pasta you’ve possibly ever seen. From tagliatelle with beef cheek ragu to sage butter-soaked agnolotti filled with duck, veal and pancetta, there’s no shortage of the saucy stuff to tempt you.

But it’s not just pasta you’ll pine for at this restaurant. Tasteful Italian starters span freshly shucked oysters, a range of salumi, chargrilled cuttlefish, tender pork polpette, and pickled zucchini in big white puddles of burrata.

Tie your meal up in a bow with tiramisu for dessert.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Tortelli with mushroom, leek, black truffle, lemon beurre and burro bianco ($38)