Tucked away on Russell Street in Melbourne’s CBD, Embla is a wood-fired wine bar and modern Australian restaurant that redefines casual fine dining. The menu celebrates seasonality and local produce through bold, inventive dishes, matched with a wine list championing small, independent makers from Australia and beyond.

A vibrant Newtown favourite where creative European-leaning plates meet a standout natural wine list. Chef-owner Pasi Petänen brings unexpected flavour pairings—think potato dumplings with XO trout and devilled eggs with trout roe—served in a relaxed bar-bistro setting on King Street. Drop in for snacks and glasses or stay for something longer.

Firedoor is a shrine to smoke, flame, and elemental cooking where chef Lennox Hastie harnesses the raw power of fire to spotlight hyperlocal, seasonal produce and dry-aged steaks, all cooked over a custom-built wood-fired furnace.