WE ALSO LOVE

ANCHOVY

Small and punchy, just like its namesake fish, this restaurant has serious modern Aussie-asian moves. Ò338 Bridge Rd, Richmond 3121. 03 9428 3526. anchovy.net.au.

CARLTON WINE ROOM

Last year’s Restaurant of the Year is still very much in our hearts. Ò172- 174 Faraday St, Carlton 3053. 03 9347 2626. thecarltonwineroom.com.au.

DI STASIO CITTÀ

La dolce vita arrives at Spring Street bearing Italian food to put mama in the shade. Ò45 Spring St, Melbourne 3000. 03 9070 1177. distasio.com.au/citta.

GREASY ZOE’S

A small operation with a big heart, Greasy Zoe’s does locavore like few others. Ò3/ 850 Heidelberg-kinglake Rd, Hurstbridge 3099. 03 9718 0324. greasyzoes.com.au.

KAZUKI’S

This Lygon Street disruptor is sheer class. Ò121 Lygon St, Carlton 3053. 03 9349 2223. kazukis.com.au.

LESA

Get the fundamentals of smoke and char, pickles and ferments, with the added alchemy of Dave Verheul. Òlvl 1, 122 Russell St, Melbourne 3000. 03 9935 9838. lesarestaurant.com.au.

NAPIER QUARTER

The perfect local has cross-town allure. Ò359 Napier St, Fitzroy 3065. 03 9416 0666. napierquarter.com.au.

NAVI

Its meticulous degustation is putting the mod into mod-oz and the fine diner into Yarraville. Ò83B Gamon St, Yarraville 3013. 03 9939 9774. restaurantnavi.com.au.

SUNDA

Our love affair with the roti Vegemite curry endures, along with pretty much everything else on Khanh Nguyen’s menu. Ò18 Punch Ln, Melbourne 3000. 03 9654 8190. sunda.com.au.