Diners' Choice: Best Ambience restaurants in Melbourne

OpenTable

Updated 05 January 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best ambience in Melbourne? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Shelanous

5.0

5 (102)

$101 and over

Australian

Port Melbourne

About the restaurant

Born from a Melbourne sunset, our pop-up restaurant, Shelanous, evolved into a multi-sensory journey, blending Melbourne’s seasons into each dish. As we transitioned to “Shelanous”, we retained the essence of sharing, embodied in “nous,” meaning “our” or “us” in Hebrew and French.

Top review

Julie

Dined on 23 Dec 2024

I don’t know that you can describe the experience at Shelanous! It was like being Alice in Wonderland, the setting, the music , the staff and the food are like nothing you have ever experienced before. Rony and his team are exceptional and there is such a joy that comes with this whole dining experience that you have to see it to believe it. This has become our top restaurant ever! WOW. Thank you so very much.

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Experience

10 Course Degustation & Matching Beverages Sunday

Experience

10 Course Degustation & Matching Beverages Weekday

Goldy's! Tavern

4.7

4.7 (167)

$40 and under

Gastro Pub

Collingwood

About the restaurant

”There’s something magical about Goldy’s! Maybe it’s how the sun streaks through the front windows and bathes the pool table in light that makes the silver balls sparkle, or maybe how if you look closely at your beer you realise the bubbles are dancing in pairs to the surface, or it could simply be how everyone’s favourite song seems to be playing when they walk in. You can’t quite place where the magic comes from, but if you sit at the orange bar long enough and listen to the laughter and stories being shared around, you realise, with the right type of eyes, that the magic comes from the shared love of everyone within. This is a pub where your new best friend sits waiting, this is the pub where long lasting friendships are forged. This is Goldy’s!, and it’s magical.”

Matthew O’Brien, local legend

Top review

Susie

Dined on 26 Dec 2024

Nice people, cool environment, lovely staff - great spot

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Experience

Goldy's Monday Trivia!

Experience

Steak Night

Experience

Goldy's Gnocchi Gnite

Bar Rosella

4.4

4.4 (84)

$101 and over

Italian

Fitzroy

About the restaurant

An Italian restaurant and wine bar with a Puglian accent.
Located in the heart of Fitzroy, in one of the most beautiful streets in the world: Gertrude Street.
Serving Food, Wine and Stories
𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘶𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘢, 𝘛𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦..

Top review

Rachael

Dined 3 days ago

We ordered the Feed Me Menu for lunch, and the selection was brilliant, thoroughly satisfied. The food was amazing, perfectly sized for two, and the limoncello spritz were exceptionally delicious. The service was impeccable.

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Experience

Express Lunch Special

Experience

BYO Wine Tuesdays

The Standard Hotel

4.8

4.8 (401)

$40 and under

Pub

Fitzroy

About the restaurant

Located in the backstreets of Fitzroy, Melbourne. The Standard Hotel brings you the best pub food, wines & cold beers that Fitzroy has to offer.

Reservations:

-The maximum booking size is 20 people. If you would like a larger booking, please give us a call or e-mail to discuss. (03) 9419 4793 or bookings@thestandardhotel.com.au

-If you wish to make a booking on the same day, please give us a call and we will see if we can fit you in. We don’t accept same-day online bookings.

-Please note, we don’t take bookings outside after 5 pm Monday-Friday and after 3 pm Saturday, Sunday.

-We will not accommodate Bucks/Hens parties or Pub Crawls.

Top review

Pablo

Dined on 26 Dec 2024

Had a lovely Boxing Day lunch. Always great food and bevy. A comfortable escape from the blazing heat outside in the real world. Thanks.

Vue de monde

4.9

4.9 (1855)

$101 and over

Modern Australian

Melbourne CBD

About the restaurant

Vue de monde is a testament to the belief that dining can be a wondrous and unforgettable experience. The ever-changing chef’s menu pays homage to classical fine dining in a modern context by exploring the beauty of native Australian ingredients. While in the past the menu looked to Europe for inspiration, Executive Chef Hugh Allen continues to celebrate the unparalleled quality of home-grown produce with thoughtfully considered dishes committed to seasonality and locality.

Vue de monde has been synonymous with Melbourne dining for almost 20 years, continuing to present an exciting and dynamic experience with a progression of flavours and sense of curiosity. The whimsical spirit at the heart of the Vue de monde menu has not been lost throughout the years, with the lighter-handed and more natural approach to cooking being no less infused with theatre.

Top review

AleksanderVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Dining for a special occasion was just perfect here - very highly recommended

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Experience

Valentine's Day at Vue de monde 2025

Borsch Vodka & Tears

4.8

4.8 (281)

$40 and under

Polish

Windsor

About the restaurant

Borsch, Vodka and Tears is a Melbourne institution currently celebrating 20 years at the colourful end of Chapel Street. Styled after a Kraków cellar bar, Borsch is a romantic Bohemian enclave, the home of the Green Faery, an ode to a hazy and debauched bygone world. We specialise in Polish vodka, vodka-centric interpretations of classic and modern cocktails, authentic wormwood absinthe, Eastern European beers, contemporary Polish dishes and late night fun times.

Top review

Frances

Dined on 27 Dec 2024

Great traditional polish food. Amazing cocktails. Soft ambiance. Definitely be back.

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Popular dish

Gołąbki Cabbage Rolls

Experience

WÓDKA TASTING TRAY

Holy Basil Thai

4.9

4.9 (725)

$41 to $100

Thai

Croydon

About the restaurant

Holy Basil in Croydon Victoria has a very simple vision, to bring wholesome, delicious and exciting food to the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
Our dream at Holy Basil was to create an exciting diner in the Eastern suburbs where people can relax, come together, have fun and enjoy proper homemade food in a very inclusive environment.
We are proud to deliver 100% vegan and Vegetarian options at Holy Basil, use free-range eggs and source only sustainably caught seafood as well as a range of other exciting meals with 95% of the menu being gluten free.
At Holy Basil we make our own curry pastes, sauces, desserts, chilli jam, and roti.
We happily use gluten free soy and 100% pure fish sauce.
We greatly appreciate your support in choosing to dine at Holy Basil.
Chefs Duncan Robertson and Julia Robertson look forward to seeing you.

Top review

Annie

Dined 4 days ago

As always , just perfect . Never been disappointed. Duncan and his beautiful , professional team do an amazing and consistent job . The flavours are immense

Bellota Wine Bar

4.9

4.9 (58)

$41 to $100

Wine Bar

South Melbourne

About the restaurant

Nestled next to Australia’s leading independent wine store, the Prince Wine Store, Bellota makes full use of the massive selection on offer from its sister business. The restaurant/wine bar brings to fruition a long-held desire to provide a venue that showcases the great wines of the world in a warm and friendly environment alongside beautifully executed food. Head chef Nicky Riemer champions the kitchen with her European cuisine which offers a sense of provenance and brings back flavours that often get lost in modern cooking techniques.

The casual, friendly atmosphere is at the heart of Bellota. Our knowledgeable staff’s aim is simple; try and help you love the wine as much as they do. Our list changes with the seasons and wines are all available by the taste, glass and carafe (half bottle), reflecting our belief that good and interesting wines are made all over the globe. We also offer a small selection of iconic wines, poured by the taste utilising the Coravin wine access system.

Top review

Jayson

Dined on 20 Dec 2024

Food was amazing and reasonably priced. Possibly the best beef carpaccio I’ve ever eaten. The blue swimmer crab spaghettini was also very nice

V Wine Salon

4.9

4.9 (148)

$41 to $100

Wine Bar

Melbourne CBD

About the restaurant

V Wine Salon is the epitome of the French wine bar experience.

Located in a beautiful heritage-listed building in the heart of the Melbourne CBD, cosy seats, high ceilings and modern decor reminiscent of Paris-by-night are paired with friendly, knowledgeable and professional service.

Co-founder and director Vianney Establet was born in prime Bordeaux terroir with wine in his veins, coming from a family of winemakers going back five generations, and honed his craft as a sommelier for over a decade in some of the finest restaurants and private members clubs around the world.

We pride ourselves on our eclectic boutique wine list (awarded two glasses by Australia's Wine List of the Year Awards), craft beers, cocktails and an impressive selection of gourmet cheeses and other French nibbles (see menu) making V the perfect venue for catching up with friends, dates, and after-work drinks. Wine to take home is also available from our retail boutique.

Book now for a fantastic experience!

Top review

Rita

Dined on 5 Dec 2024

Love V. It's one of my favourite places. You can have great wine, cheese and just watch the world go by.

QT Kitchen

5.0

5 (20)

$40 and under

Vietnamese

Glen Iris

About the restaurant

National Awards for Excellence Vietnamese Restaurant 2024 & 2022 by Restaurant & Catering Association, A Gold & Silver medal for Restaurants Challenge 2024 & 2023 by Australian Culinary Federation.

Founded in 2017, QT' Kitchen has quickly become an institution in Glen Iris, Ashburton, Camberwell and surrounding suburbs of Melbourne.

The team hopes to please every customer with superb front of house service, a creative, delicious menu and a bustling ambience that is warm & welcoming. Functions are held regularly in the 90 seat space where family and friends come together to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, school friendships and much more.

Bookings are recommended although apart from our busiest times on Friday & Saturday night you can generally find a table in our spacious venue.

We can't wait to serve you.

Top review

EvaVIP

Dined 3 days ago

This is our only go-to Asian restaurant. Not only the ambient, amazing, and warmth. The food are superbly scrumptuous, fresh, and flavoursome!. The drinks are refreshingly fresh and crafted to perfection. The staff are knowledgeable, attentive, friendly, and efficient.

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