10 venues in Melbourne
With a portfolio spanning coffee joints, bars and full-service dining, Steve Chan’s taste across Melbourne shares one clear commonality: it’s all genuinely tasty. In North Melbourne, that sharp edit plays out across a considered mix — from the quietly cult Queensberry Street Co-op and the under-sung precision of Small Batch Roasting Co., to the polished minimalism of Above Board and the enduring pull of Caretaker’s Cottage. There’s comfort in the details too — chicken rice at Gai Wong, unfussy Japanese at Don Tojo — alongside a tight run of cafés and casual spots he rates for doing the basics exceptionally well.
688 Queensberry St, North Melbourne VIC
3-9 Little Howard St, North Melbourne VIC
139-141 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne CBD VIC
Chopper Lane", Collingwood VIC
Shop 1/5-17 Flemington Rd, North Melbourne VIC
164 Cardigan St, Carlton VIC
345 Victoria St, Melbourne CBD VIC
Unit 1 A/2 Mansard Ln, Collingwood VIC
Unit 1/36 Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC
362 Victoria St, North Melbourne VIC
688 Queensberry St, North Melbourne VIC
3-9 Little Howard St, North Melbourne VIC
139-141 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne CBD VIC
Chopper Lane", Collingwood VIC
Shop 1/5-17 Flemington Rd, North Melbourne VIC
164 Cardigan St, Carlton VIC
345 Victoria St, Melbourne CBD VIC
Unit 1 A/2 Mansard Ln, Collingwood VIC
Unit 1/36 Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC
362 Victoria St, North Melbourne VIC
See what diners are saving, sharing, and talking across the city.
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.
Viewing 8 of 10 recommendations in Melbourne
See what diners are saving, sharing, and talking across the city.
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.
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.
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.
