Romance fills Melbourne’s coastal air each February. But in this food-centric city, it’s best to skip the roses and jewellery and present your date with a precious dinner reservation instead. From first dates to anniversaries to engagements, the most romantic restaurants in Melbourne promise a memorable time.
Adventure to a Peninsula winery with breathtaking views for an epic celebration. If you’re looking for a more laid-back evening, opt for cheese flights at a beloved fromagerie with outposts in St Kilda and Carlton. Bespoke cocktails and dazzling skyline views make for an especially spectacular date at a Southbank hotspot.
Read on for a guide to 10 of the most romantic restaurants in Melbourne, and get a jump on Valentine’s Day planning to impress that special someone in your life by booking your date night on OpenTable.
The best romantic restaurants in Melbourne for a date night to remember – read on for a guide
For a first date at a charming wine bar – visit Toorak Cellars in Armadale
Toorak Cellars is a fuss-free wine bar that doubles as a bottle shop and makes a casual but charming first date spot. The wine list spotlights creations that highlight the grapes’ terroir, with 20 rotating by-the-glass options; any bottle on the shelf is available to open. Drop in for a quick drink, and if things are going especially well, stay a while and tuck into an antipasti, cheese, or charcuterie plate.
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For a spectacular date at a vineyard – head over to Trofeo Estate in Dromana
It’s tough to beat the awe-inspiring views at Trofeo Estate, which overlooks 50 acres of scenic vineyards down the Mornington Peninsula. Begin your adventure here with a cellar-door tasting from the largest producer of terracotta amphora wine in the Southern hemisphere before settling into the restaurant. Hatted chef Steve Davidson’s set menu showcases local and seasonal produce, featuring dishes such as whipped feta on flatbread, crispy pork belly, coconut poached chicken and gnocchi with broccoli, asparagus and roquette pesto. Wine is the scene-stealer here, so consider a glass of the Estate’s pinot noir, chardonnay, or shiraz.
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For one of the most romantic restaurants in Melbourne for creative cocktails with stunning views – try The Cloakroom Bar in Southbank
For bespoke cocktails with dazzling skyline views, head to The Cloakroom Bar in Southbank. Zoom up the elevator up to the 46th floor of the Shadow Play building, and you’ll find a sleek, 40-seat space with terrazzo floors, custom furniture, and friendly bartenders. Get acquainted with your date over drinks from a cocktail menu that prioritises premium spirits and fresh ingredients, such as Gabriella’s Punch (house rum, strawberry, and Champagne acid) or Silhouette (whiskey, shiitake, umeshu, and bitters). The Cloakroom Bar also serves a seasonal menu of bar snacks for a bite to accompany your drinks, such as zucchini flowers with salted ricotta and fig chutney, grilled octopus and a must-try dark chocolate semifreddo with pistachios and cherries.
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For a cheese-and-wine type of date – try Milk the Cow in Carlton and St Kilda
Pair the terms “late night” and “cheese bar”, and you have a match made in heaven, aka Milk the Cow. With outposts in St Kilda and Carlton, this licensed fromagerie offers choose-your-own cheese boards from 180 varieties. A range of boutique beverages such as sparkling wine and whiskey pair well with the snacks. If you’d rather just focus on your date and leave the decisions to someone else, the resident cheesemongers can curate a custom board for you. Other highlights from the menu include a classic French croque monsieur with smoked ham or eggplant, deep-fried camembert, melted raclette cheese over potatoes with prosciutto, and a flaming saganaki soaked in Grand Marnier and set alight at the table. Make sure to leave room for dessert with the burnt basque cheesecake and the cheese mille-feuille with berries and chantilly cream.
📍 St Kilda — Check Availability
📍 Carlton — Check Availability
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For an anniversary at one of the most romantic restaurants in Melbourne – book a table at Oster in Richmond
Oster in Richmond was made for levelling up your next special occasion. The restaurant’s chic interiors feature concrete finishes and low-hanging pendant lights that evoke the menu’s northern Italian focus. Expect seasonal ingredients in imaginative starters such as scallop crudo with salmon caviar and a cauliflower panna cotta with almond purée and onion caramel alongside larger dishes of handmade pasta with braised pork and beef ragu. To drink, there’s an Italian-leaning cocktail list featuring standouts such as a dark chocolate martini and yuzu negroni, as well as an all-Australian wine list with a biodynamic focus. For the ultimate celebratory date, go for the 6-course degustation menu.
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For an intimate and cosy night out – don’t miss The Alps Wine Shop & Bar in Prahran
With moody lighting and warm wooden interiors, The Alps Wine Shop & Bar is a cosy setting for a recurring date night. Featuring a 400-plus strong wine library stocked with bottles from the regions around the European Alps (and a rotating list of 20 available by the glass), there is always a new drop to sample here. The bites are snacky, with seafood-forward options including oysters, anchovies, and pickled mussels, meaning you can linger without feeling stuffed.
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For Melbourne’s most romantic restaurant for a date night with tapas and piscos – visit Tino in Brunswick
Creative dishes from various parts of South America make Tino, a modern Latin American spot, worth returning to for multiple dates. Sip on a pisco sour or choose from local and international wines and beers as you browse a stellar tapas lineup featuring corn and cheese empanadas, chorizo with onion jam, crumbed eggplant with cauliflower purée and steak fillet with potato mille-feuille and chimichurri. Tino’s intimate interiors and relaxed service set the tone for an easygoing but special evening.
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For one of the most romantic restaurants in Melbourne for a date night with a group – book at Mesa Verde in Melbourne CBD
For an unforgettable group get-together, look no further than Mesa Verde, a bright and lively restaurant inside the Art Nouveau Curtin House in Melbourne’s CBD. Offering boundary-pushing Mexican fare and an agave-focused drinks list, Mesa Verde’s menu is sure to serve as a conversation starter for you and your crew. Kick things off with mezcal martinis and oysters before moving on to shareable plates, such as guacamole with totopos (a Zapotec riff on tortilla chips), smoked portobello quesadillas with Oaxaca cheese and salsa verde, and slow-cooked pork ribs. Or order a selection of tacos for the whole group to share.
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For a charming brunch date at a romantic café – don’t miss Flovie Florist Cafe in Carlton
Flovie Florist Cafe, a destination cafe like no other, is one of Carlton’s quirkiest restaurants, ideal for a breakfast or brunch date. To enter, pass through a florist frontage featuring unique arrangements and into a transportive dining space that centres around a grand piano. Enjoy the Asian-fusion menu featuring daytime hits such as prawns with curry scramble eggs and turmeric mayo, poached eggs with cumin pulled pork and hollandaise and a mouthwatering cheese fondue burger with grilled pepper and pineapple. Be sure to impress your date by grabbing a bouquet of freshly cut blooms on your way out.
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For the most romantic restaurant in Melbourne for a proposal – pop the question at Joseph’s Restaurant in Werribee
The stately Lancemore Mansion Hotel setting makes a splashy setting to woo a loved one. The property’s flagship Joseph’s restaurant is dressed in white linen, with heavy cutlery and sparkling stemware, perfect for the ultimate champagne toast. Treat yourself—and someone special—to a seasonal four or six-course tasting menu featuring chicken, leek and truffle terrine, duck breast in truffle honey, and lamb rump with ratatouille and potato dauphine in rosemary jus. For dessert, the rose parfait with lychee champagne gel and meringue and the mille-feuille with lavender cream are the perfect way to end a memorable evening. Toast your momentous occasion with one of the 200 bottles on Joseph’s extensive wine list or opt for the sommelier’s pairing.
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