One of the world's most influential chefs - a Chef's Table original whose restaurant has sat on the World's 50 Best list and become a certified B Corp. His memoir Uses for Obsession skewers the industry he leads; his sandwich opinions are just as serious.
3 venues in Melbourne
Chef Ben Shewry, the mind behind Melbourne institution Attica, is drawn to places that are completely “dialled in.” Talking about sandwich shops leads him to Japan, where people dedicate their lives to repeating the same craft over and over until they become exceptional at it. That’s what connects his picks here: roast shops, schnitzel counters and steak sandwich spots focused on doing one thing properly — no funny business, no endless options, just deeply satisfying food made with total conviction.
2/159 Chesterville Rd, Moorabbin VIC
111 Clarinda Rd, Oakleigh South VIC
1465 Centre Rd, Clayton VIC
2/159 Chesterville Rd, Moorabbin VIC
111 Clarinda Rd, Oakleigh South VIC
1465 Centre Rd, Clayton VIC
See what diners are saving, sharing, and talking across the city.
Former aerospace engineer turned pastry phenomenon, Kate Reid has helped shape Melbourne’s obsession with precision pastries and great coffee. When the “butter queen” isn’t perfecting croissants at Lune Croissanterie, she’s visiting a tight rotation of cafés across the city. From the produce-driven kitchen at Morning Market to CBD institutions like Patricia Coffee Brewers and Good Measure. These are the Melbourne cafés she swears by.
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Ben Shewry keeps it simple: long lunches at Manzé, coffee from Market Lane Coffee, late nights at Caretaker’s Cottage, and comforting cheap eats at Pacific House. But the real insight? Melbourne’s best hospitality often lives well outside the CBD — hidden suburban spots with personality, heart, and fiercely loyal regulars. This board follows Ben’s version of Melbourne: thoughtful, understated, and deeply local.
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See what diners are saving, sharing, and talking across the city.
Former aerospace engineer turned pastry phenomenon, Kate Reid has helped shape Melbourne’s obsession with precision pastries and great coffee. When the “butter queen” isn’t perfecting croissants at Lune Croissanterie, she’s visiting a tight rotation of cafés across the city. From the produce-driven kitchen at Morning Market to CBD institutions like Patricia Coffee Brewers and Good Measure. These are the Melbourne cafés she swears by.
Thai Ho, founder of MAMAS Dining Group, has built a reputation on bold, high-energy takes on Vietnamese food. But it all starts in Springvale. This is where the standards are set, shaped by community, tradition and generations of pride. From crispy bánh mì to slow-simmered broths and street-side iced coffee, this is his Springvale circuit.
Melbourne food writer and MasterChef Australia judge Sofia Levin tends to skip the obvious. Her South Melbourne picks lean under-the-radar. The kind of places that don’t shout, but deliver every time. Think unfussy, authentic and quietly excellent, with a mix of neighbourhood staples and spots worth knowing about before everyone else does.
Thai Ho, founder of MAMAS Dining Group, has built a reputation on bold, high-energy takes on Vietnamese food. But it all starts in Springvale. This is where the standards are set, shaped by community, tradition and generations of pride. From crispy bánh mì to slow-simmered broths and street-side iced coffee, this is his Springvale circuit.
Melbourne food writer and MasterChef Australia judge Sofia Levin tends to skip the obvious. Her South Melbourne picks lean under-the-radar. The kind of places that don’t shout, but deliver every time. Think unfussy, authentic and quietly excellent, with a mix of neighbourhood staples and spots worth knowing about before everyone else does.
