Diversity is key to the best dining in South Yarra. This upscale, riverside suburb is minutes from the Melbourne CBD and attracts a range of young and old with its trendy Chapel Street eateries and upmarket restaurants along Toorak Road.
You can indulge in cuisine from around the world and close to home, choose from hawker-style joints to intimate restaurants, and follow dinner with a bar crawl along Chapel Street. But where exactly are the best places to eat in South Yarra?
To help you decide, we’ve hand-picked five South Yarra restaurants renowned for their “grammable” meals, trendy settings and friendly service. Read on to find out why they’re our pick of the top restaurants in South Yarra.
COVID-19 Update: Restaurants around South Yarra have implemented safety precautions to keep you safe. Find information about cleaning, sanitising, and usage of personal protective equipment on their OpenTable page. You can also order delivery or takeaway via the OpenTable app or website.
Oriental Tea House – Chapel St
Quick Bites
- Oriental Tea House is a Chinese restaurant.
- Oriental Tea House is located at 455 Chapel Street, South Yarra, Victoria 3141.
- Oriental Tea House is open from 10.30am until 10pm (Mon-Thurs & Sun) and 10.30am until 11pm (Fri & Sat).
- Oriental Tea House is a licensed restaurant.
- You can order takeaway from Oriental Tea House through OpenTable.
- You can book a table at Oriental Tea House through OpenTable.
Easily one of the best Asian restaurants in South Yarra, Oriental Tea House (OTH) has been dishing up dumplings and yum cha on Chapel Street for years. Both a Chinese restaurant and traditional teahouse, OTH pairs flavoursome dumplings – anything from prawn and pork to roast duck and wagyu beef – with their delicious teas brewed by owner David Zhou.
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Dumplings may be the restaurant’s forte, but they’re certainly not getting lonely on a menu stacked with Chinese specialties. The salt and pepper tofu is a tantalizing dish for vegans, while the Peking duck pancakes pair well with a glass of Pinot gris.
Speaking of drinks, OTH’s old-world drinking den Zhou Zhou is located above the restaurant and boasts an extensive Japanese whisky list, Oriental-themed cocktails and craft beer. Combine this with the restaurant downstairs and you’ve found the perfect spot for birthday celebrations, anniversaries, post-work drinks and first dates.
Omnia Bistro & Bar
Quick Bites
- Omnia Bistro & Bar is a European restaurant.
- Omnia Bistro & Bar is located on the corner of Chapel Street and Toorak Road, South Yarra, Victoria 3141.
- Omnia Bistro & Bar is open daily from 12pm until 3pm and 5.30pm until 11pm.
- Omnia Bistro & Bar is a licensed restaurant.
- You can order takeaway from Omnia Bistro & Bar through OpenTable.
- You can book a table at Omnia Bistro & Bar through OpenTable.
What originated as a pop-up restaurant in South Yarra has become a beloved restaurant revered for its expertly crafted European dishes and meticulously curated wine list. This slice of European grandeur is all thanks to award-winning chef Stephen Nairn, who previously worked at Vue de monde.
Nairn’s menu emphasises quality, from ingredients, to preparation and presentation. The honey roasted duck for two is pure epicurean heaven. Those who stay for dessert are well rewarded with the gooey liquid centre cheesecake with fresh blackberry sorbet.
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(@tsanga.eats)Nairn has partnered with 2018 World Class Global Bartender of the Year, Orlando Marzo, who’s brought with him a menu of botanical-inspired cocktails. Think Apple Mint Manhattans, Saffron Negronis and whisky-infused Cinnamon Frappés.
Located on the ground floor of the Capitol Grand apartment tower, Omnia Bistro & Bar certainly looks the part with mirrored ceiling, Romanesque pillars, exposed bricks, marble bar and Chapel Street views. It’s a favoured after-work hangout, but is also ideal for weekend lunches and intimate dinners.
Rock Sugar Melbourne – South Yarra
Quick Bites
- Rock Sugar Melbourne is a Thai restaurant.
- Rock Sugar Melbourne is located at 477 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Victoria 3141.
- Rock Sugar Melbourne is open from 5pm until midnight (Wed-Sun).
- Rock Sugar Melbourne is a licensed restaurant.
- You can order takeaway from Rock Sugar Melbourne through OpenTable.
- You can book a table at Rock Sugar Melbourne through OpenTable.
There’s nothing usual about Rock Sugar. This Thai restaurant in South Yarra once used to be owner Nikon Souphan’s childhood bedroom and doesn’t serve many Thai staples. In fact, the menu is populated with innovative modern Thai dishes dreamed up by chef Kam McManamey and inspired by the street food of Isan and Chiang Mai. McManamey, by the way, once headed the kitchen at Botherambo, one of our top Restaurants in Richmond.
Rock Sugar’s menu is a bodacious selection of gluten-free (mostly) Thai specialties with an emphasis on sharing, including Thai tapas! The whole baby snapper with yellow beans and chilli salt covers seafood lovers, while the Rocking Fried Chicken with red nam jim, spiced caramel and mayo will haunt your tastebuds long after your plate is licked perfectly clean.
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The drinks list is pretty typical of Melbourne’s restaurants, except for the ‘Rocktails’. The Fairy Floss Martini is, of course, topped with fairy floss. The Salted Caramel Mocha Martini comes with toasted marshmallows. And the #Rockstar Martini has passionfruit puree and housemade caramel.
Rock Sugar’s neon-lit interior matches its Thailand Full Moon Party vibe, which is ideal for drinks and birthday celebrations with friends in one of the booths. However, there’s also more intimate seating for date nights.
Gilson
Quick Bites
- Gilson is an Italian restaurant.
- Gilson is located at 171 Domain Road, South Yarra, Victoria 3141.
- Gilson is open from 6am until 11pm (Mon-Fri) and 7am until 11pm (Sat & Sun).
- Gilson is a licensed restaurant.
- You can order takeaway from Gilson through OpenTable.
- You can book a table at Gilson through OpenTable.
When one thinks of the best Italian restaurants in South Yarra, Gilson immediately comes to mind. Part of the Botanical Hotel, it’s fronted by European-style alfresco seating overlooking the verdant Botanical Garden.
It’s no surprise Gilson has been so successful. Owners Jamie and Loren McBride are behind many Melbourne staples, including Mammoth and Barry. Add in chef John Paul Twomey and you’ve got Gilson, where prawn linguine, burrata and beef carpaccio meet crafted cocktails and international and Australian wine and beer.
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The salads are fresh, topped with poached chicken, Italian tuna or avocado and beetroot. You can also order a classic cheeseburger or dig your teeth into a golden-brown chicken cotoletta with sugo, fior di latte, fries and salad.
Gilson has an ever-changing vibe, from the quiet breakfast crowds at 7am, to laidback lunches with friends and family and boisterous dinners and drinks until 11pm. The restaurant also hosts regular themed nights perfect for birthdays, such as the Pizza Party on Sunday, Spaghetti & Wine Night on Thursday and the popular Chicken Parmigiana night on Tuesday.
The Stables of Como
Quick Bites
- The Stables of Como is a Modern Australian restaurant.
- The Stables of Como is located on the corner of Williams Road and Lechlade Avenue, South Yarra, Victoria 3141.
- The Stables of Como is open from 9am until 5pm (Mon-Sat) and 10am until 5pm (Sun).
- The Stables of Como is a licensed restaurant.
- You can order takeaway from The Stables of Como through OpenTable.
- You can book a table at The Stables of Como through OpenTable.
The Stables of Como is a highly coveted cafe run by Melbourne cafe owner Jason Jones. You might have visited his other establishments around the city, such as Friends of Mine, Porgie and Mr Jones, and Snow Pony.
Breakfast goers are often enticed by the fresh and healthy Corn and Courgette Fritters stacked with eggplant, avocado and chilli jam – the zucchini is sourced from the cafe’s garden. Those with sweeter inclinations can satiate their cravings with the Ricotta Hotcake, a decadent tower of glazed seasonal berries, dulce de leche, lemon verbena and white chocolate cream.
The Tasting Board with a complimentary glass of wine is a popular choice for friends catching up, while the crispy skin barramundi is a sumptuous medley of tastes, including carrot mousseline, char grilled salsa and congo potato crisps. Of course, you can always stick to dessert, such as a traditionally French Crème Brûlée or a croissants filled with gelato.
The setting is one-of-a-kind. The historic Como House and its surrounding gardens create a beauty few other cafes can contest. The cafe itself is actually housed inside converted horse stables and features indoor and outdoor seating that’s both rustic and decidedly elegant. It’s a vibe that resonates well with couple’s brunches, birthday lunches and breakfast with friends.
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