Desperate to Try by Dan Tran

Desperate to Try by Dan Tran | Secondz

User Recommendations

A.P House (A.P Bakery)

Surry Hills, NSW

Cuisines: Bakery, Coffee

Address: L2/80 Commonwealth St

Tamura Sake Bar

Fitzroy, VIC

Cuisines: Sake, Japanese

Address: 1/43 Gertrude St

Poodle Bar & Bistro

Fitzroy, VIC

Cuisines: Modern French

Address: 81-83 Gertrude St

Studio Amaro

Windsor, VIC

Cuisines: Italian

Address: 168 Chapel St

Firedoor Restaurant

Surry Hills, NSW

Cuisines: Australian, Barbecue, Steak

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.

Address: 23/33 Mary St

Love Letter

Richmond, VIC

Cuisines: Australian, Modern Australian

At Love Letter we are a semi-fine diner restaurant with a weekly rotating chaos menu, featuring modern-Australian, French influence and a nostalgic lean towards the food that we grew up eating in Aussie, Jewish and Italian households. Think old school French bistro classics with modern Australian flair, rotating snacks and weekly specials.

Address: 144 Bridge Rd

For Heaven's Steaks

Clayton, VIC

Cuisines: Fast Food, Sandwich/Subs

Address: 1465 Centre Rd

Doju

Melbourne CBD, VIC

Cuisines: Korean

Address: 530 Little Collins St

Gimlet

Melbourne CBD, VIC

Cuisines: European

Set in the landmark Cavendish House, Gimlet blends vintage glamour with modern Melbourne flair. From oysters to wood-fired mains and martinis, it’s a place made for every occasion.

Address: 33 Russell St

Embla

Melbourne CBD, VIC

Cuisines: Modern Australian

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.

Address: 122 Russell St

Bakemono Bakers

Melbourne CBD, VIC

Cuisines: Japanese

A bakery that offers staples and a menu inspired by bakeries in Japan and Korea.

Address: 273 Little Lonsdale St

Patricia Coffee Brewers

Melbourne CBD, VIC

Cuisines: Coffee

Tiny, standing-room-only coffee bar tucked between Melbourne’s laneways, serving some of the city’s best espresso with unmatched precision and charm. Patricia proves that good coffee doesn’t need a seat — just skill, speed, and style.

Address: Rear of 493-495 Little Bourke St

Napier Quarter

Fitzroy, VIC

Cuisines: Modern Australian, European

Address: 359 Napier St

The Grounds Coffee Factory

Eveleigh, NSW

Cuisines: Coffee, Brunch

Address: Bay 4a/2 Locomotive St

Small Batch Roasting Co.

North Melbourne, VIC

Cuisines: Coffee

Address: 3-9 Little Howard St

Don's

Prahran, VIC

Cuisines: Modern Australian

Address: 202 Commercial Rd

Bun Bun Bakery

Springvale, VIC

Cuisines: Coffee

A bakery situated on Springvale Rd offering a variety of rolls including sliced and crispy pork, lemon grass chicken and the chicken kebab.

Address: 1/288 Springvale Rd

Pho Hung Vuong Saigon

Springvale, VIC

Cuisines: Vietnamese

Address: 2/15 Balmoral Ave

Byrdi

Melbourne CBD, VIC

Cuisines: Cocktail

Dedicating to creativity and hospitality, this trailblazing establishment at Melbourne's cocktail scene, offering an innovative and immersive drinking experience.

Address: 211 La Trobe Street, Tenancy GD075

ARU Restaurant

Melbourne CBD, VIC

Cuisines: Modern Australian,

Modern Australian cuisine with a fusion of native ingredients and the flavours of Asia-Pacific.

Address: 268 Little Collins St

Three Horses

Melbourne, VIC

Cuisines: Cocktail

Address: 106 Little Lonsdale St

Pu Ji Mi Eastwood

Eastwood, NSW

Cuisines:

Pu Ji Mi is permanently closed.

Address: Shop 202/62-80 Rowe St

Lilac Wine

Cremorne, VIC

Cuisines: Modern Australian

Address: 31 Stephenson St

Poly

Surry Hills, NSW

Cuisines: Modern Australian

Address: 74-76 Commonwealth St

Lee Ho Fook

Melbourne CBD, VIC

Cuisines: Chinese

A modern Chinese restaurant, showcasing the best Australian produce and wine, gastronomic tasting menu and innovative and creative a'la carte dining.

Address: 11-15 Duckboard Place

Marguerite

Singapore, Singapore

Cuisines: Contemporary European

Address: 18 Marina Gardens Dr, #01-09 Flower Dome

Burnt Ends

Singapore, Singapore

Cuisines: Modern Australian

Address: 7 Dempsey Rd, #01-02 Burnt Ends

Le Rebelle

Mount Lawley, Western Australia

Cuisines: European

Address: 676 Beaufort St

Taqueria Sin Nombre

Melbourne, VIC

Cuisines: Mexican

A little taquería without a name. Somewhere in Celestial Avenue, Chinatown.

Address: 12-14 Celestial Ave

Kok Sen Restaurant

Singapore, Singapore

Cuisines: Singaporean

Address: Keong Saik Rd., 4

Anchovy

Richmond, VIC

Cuisines: Vietnamese

Address: 338 Bridge Rd

Madalenas Bar

South Fremantle, Western Australia

Cuisines: Seafood

Address: 406 South Terrace

Pneuma Restaurant

Brisbane City, QLD

Cuisines: Modern Australian, European

Address: 336 George St

Ester Restaurant

Chippendale, NSW

Cuisines: Modern Australian

Address: 46-52 Meagher St

LuMi Dining

Pyrmont, NSW

Cuisines: Italian, Japanese,

Address: 56 Pirrama Rd

Single O Surry Hills

Surry Hills, NSW

Cuisines: Coffee

Address: 60/64 Reservoir St

NOMAD Melbourne

Melbourne CBD, VIC

Cuisines: Modern Australian

Located along Flinders Lane dining precinct, with a large open kitchen & bar showcasing Middle Eastern flavours cooked over fire & smoke.

Address: 187 Flinders Ln

Marion Wine Bar

Fitzroy, VIC

Cuisines: Modern Australian, European,

Neighbourhood wine bar with a loyal Fitzroy following, known for its ever-changing wine list and unfussy, produce-driven plates.

Address: 53 Gertrude St

Bar Liberty

Fitzroy, VIC

Cuisines: European

A European-style wine bar located at Fitzroy serving small-but-perfectly-formed cocktail and sophisticated snack menu

Address: 234 Johnston St

Builders Arms Hotel

Fitzroy, VIC

Cuisines: Modern Australian, European,

A place with two dining areas—the bistro and the public bar—that serves an à la carte menu with a variety of daily specials.

Address: 211 Gertrude St

Butchers Diner

Melbourne CBD, VIC

Cuisines: American,

A beloved neighborhood spot that captures the essence of classic American diner culture.

Address: 10 Bourke St

Carlton Wine Room

Carlton, VIC

Cuisines: Modern Australian, European,

A restaurant serving inventive tasting menus and a thoughtful wine list

Address: 172-174 Faraday St

Soi 38 Melbourne

Melbourne CBD, VIC

Cuisines: Thai

Authentic Thai known for its Bangkok-style boat noodles and bold street-food flavours. Chef Tee brings real Thai energy to the menu — from rich beef broth to spicy tom yum — earning Soi 38 a spot among Melbourne’s best Thai restaurants.

Address: 38 Royal Ln

Victor Churchill

Armadale, VIC

Cuisines: European, Steak

Address: 953 High St

Odette

Singapore, Singapore

Cuisines:

Address: 1 St Andrew's Rd, #01-04 Odette, National Gallery

Keng Eng Kee Seafood @ Alexandra Village

Singapore, Singapore

Cuisines: Singaporean, Chinese, Seafood

A modern zi char classic where bold wok-hei meets Hainanese heart. With roots from a 1970s hawker stall, this Alexandra Village favourite serves salted egg crab, coffee-pork ribs and moonlight hor fun with flair. Whether you’re sharing plates over beers or digging into a family feast, KEK delivers the flavour-rich spirit of Singapore’s zi char scene.

Address: 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-136