Agapi
GREEK
262 SWAN STREET, RICHMOND
(03) 9428 8337 • MAP P.291
LICENSED & BYO, CORKAGE $6 A BOTTLE
OPEN DAILY NOON–4.30PM, 5PM–11PM
ENTREES $2–$18, MAINS $18–$25, DESSERTS $3–$6
ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
No need to go all the way to Greece – just a short distance from Richmond station you’ll find an Athenian food haven called Agapi. Well … you might not want to cancel your flight to Athens, but this family-owned restaurant will take you on a gastronomic voyage to one of the oldest cities in the world. The decor is stylish, but its sleekness doesn’t jeopardise comfort, and the atmosphere is blissfully laidback. There are some quirky surprises too. If you look upwards, you’ll notice painted stars on the ceiling. But what’s for dinner, you ask? Rustic meets refined in their smart but hearty menu. Order moussaka on a bed of green beans, or opt for the mixed grill: a combination of mixed souvlaki, gyros, sausages, keftedes and lamb cutlets. The stand-out, though, is the seafood, which is bought fresh from the market daily. ‘Agapi’ in Greek is a female name which means ‘love’ or ‘affection’. As you finish off your night with some sugary baklawa, this is just what you’ll be feeling for this place.
Binh Minh
VIETNAMESE
40 VICTORIA STREET, RICHMOND
(03) 9421 3802 • MAP P.290 LICENSED & BYO, CORKAGE $3 A BOTTLE
OPEN SUN–FRI 11AM–11PM, SAT 4PM–11PM
ENTREES $4–$16, MAINS $9–$25, DESSERTS $4–$6
NO BOOKINGS
ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
Melbourne is blessed with a profusion of Asian restaurants. But with so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to know which ones aren’t just good, but will give you something to rave about. Binh Minh is one of those places. Serving up Vietnamese, Chinese and Malaysian, this modest but outrageously popular stalwart of the Victoria Street foodie scene offers Asian fare that bursts with flavour at very affordable prices. Tuck into some Peking duck, or some Vietnamese pho bo, or jump over to Malaysia and try some roti rendang. Binh Minh is mindful of food allergies too – dishes containing peanuts are highlighted in red on the menu, making the life of anyone with an allergy that much easier. The menu is also loaded with a variety of appetising meat-free dishes, so vegetarians, too, are more than catered for. Even on a busy night, the gregarious staff will bid a friendly farewell to you on your way out. Perhaps they know that with food as good as theirs, it won’t be long before you come back.
Bosisto’s Liquor Bar
EUROPEAN
318 BRIDGE ROAD, RICHMOND
(03) 9428 6888 • MAP P.291
LICENSED
OPEN TUES 11AM–6PM, WED–FRI 11AM–11PM, SAT 8AM–11PM, SUN 9AM–11PM
ENTREES $5–$10, MAINS $9.50–$18, DESSERTS $7–$9.50
ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
From the team who brought Melbourne New Gold Mountain and Double Happiness, Bosisto’s Liquor Bar is very different from its siblings. Yes, it serves wine; yes, it serves cocktails; but Bosisto’s is situated in what is considered ‘the suburbs’, has a cut of old-world class to it, serves food all day and closes before it is given an opportunity to turn into a pumpkin. The wooden booths really make the room, as do the displays of hanging legs of ham and cured meats, a wall of wine and a shiny meat slicer on the bench. The menu is skewed towards European flavours and you can sate the morning hunger with scrambled eggs, prosciutto, fior di latte and roasted tomatoes with toasted ciabatta, a homemade nut muesli with housemade compote or an upscale prosciutto and mozzarella croissant. Lunch embraces baguettes and paninis, but dinner offers a selection of bites such as marinated olives, fried haloumi, pâté and dishes of hearty parmesan and mushroom meatballs topped with a basil pesto.
Burmese House
BURMESE
303 BRIDGE ROAD, RICHMOND
(03) 9421 2861 • MAP P.291
LICENSED & BYO, CORKAGE $3 A HEAD
OPEN DAILY 5.30PM–10PM
ENTREES $7.50–$10, MAINS $12–$26, DESSERTS $6.50
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
Spot the big red teapot hanging out front and you’ve found it – a cute little restaurant serving up authentic Burmese food. With exposed brick walls and wooden furniture, family-run Burmese House is a casual dining experience. Sit downstairs to enjoy the sounds and smells of the open kitchen or head upstairs to the slightly posher second-floor dining room. The menu is divided into salads, noodles and curries, with an extensive seafood selection. The meals are fresh and flavoursome, generously portioned and entirely unstodgy authentic Burmese cuisine. Vegetarians can be accommodated, though beware that most of their ‘vegetable dishes’ contain fish sauce – on request, chef Mimi and her staff will happily cook up something appropriate. The wine list is tiny and errs on the inexpensive side, but BYO is welcome. This is a solid place to dine if you live locally. Takeaway is available, though at the same price as the restaurant food.
The Carringbush Hotel
CONTEMPORARY
228 LANGRIDGE STREET, ABBOTSFORD
(03) 9417 2918 • MAP P.290
LICENSED
OPEN MON-FRI NOON–3PM, 6PM–9PM, SAT 6PM–9PM
ENTREES $17-$18, MAINS $31-$47, DESSERTS $13-$16
ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
The three-tiered approach at the Carringbush Hotel seems to work. On one level, there’s the very casual public bar, where everybody knows your name and they’re also still wearing bright orange high-visibility work wear. On the next level there’s the comfy bistro serving favourites like steak sandwiches and beer-battered flake. Step into the Carringbush’s dining room for level three. Targeted to a mature crowd (it was voted 3AW’s pub of the year) on a quiet backstreet of Abbotsford, candlelight and soft muzak set the mood. Exposed brick walls, an open fireplace and dark wood furniture conjure a very civilised English country pub – comfortable, friendly and low-key. It’s the perfect environment to enjoy refined standards like scallops from Hervey Bay, served with sweetcorn purée, dried tomatoes, leek and prosciutto salad and chive butter sauce, exquisitely presented. Helpfully, they’ve also marked their gluten-free options and have a vegetarian menu available on request. There are also regular degustation evenings, and live music on Sunday afternoons.
The Cherry Tree Hotel
GASTROPUB
53 BALMAIN STREET, RICHMOND
(03) 9428 5743 • MAP P.290
LICENSED
OPEN MON–SAT NOON–1AM, SUN NOON–9.30PM
ENTREES $7–$19, MAINS $12–$29.50
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
On a Saturday night, it’s hard to believe that this stylish pub in the Richmond backblocks was once a gangsters’ boozer. There’s a thirtieth birthday party going strong, folks on their way home from the football, and a gaggle of well-dressed locals. The front bar is an open, contemporary space with the dining room out the back. The entrees are well priced and generous: six mini apple and thyme sausage rolls are perfect with a beer (and the Cherry Tree has a great selection of local brews), and the owners must own a pig farm because the slow-cooked pork belly on sweet potato mash is enough for a main. The main courses – pizzas, salads and pub classics – aren’t quite as successful. The chilli and garlic prawn pizza needs more chilli and garlic, and the Thai beef salad lacks dressing and Asian influences in the flavours. Still, this is a happening spot for a bit of fun and a bite to eat.
Church Street Enoteca
ITALIAN
527 CHURCH STREET, RICHMOND
(03) 9428 7898 • MAP P.290
LICENSED
OPEN MON–FRI NOON–3PM, 6PM–LATE, MON–SAT 6PM–LATE
ENTREES $18–$25, MAINS $27–$40, DESSERTS $16–$19
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
Located at the quieter end of Church Street, this restaurant, housed within an original art deco building, has elegant charm, both inside and out. Originally a metal works set up in the early 1900s, Church Street Enoteca shows little sign of its former life. The spacious room is large, but discreet lighting, a soft, buttery yellow leather banquette and dark wooden chairs lend an intimate feel to the space. The menu is modern Italian and caters to diners who are looking for simple, quality food in a beautiful environment – and are prepared to pay for it. The service is attentive and pleasant but with the recent departure of their longtime chef, Ron O’Bryan, the food sometimes misses the mark. The wine list is extensive, though, featuring a variety of Italian wines and a map of Italy outlining various regions and their specialities. Church Street Enoteca has just about all the ingredients needed to be a great restaurant.
Co Do
VIETNAMESE
196 VICTORIA STREET, RICHMOND
(03) 9421 2418 • MAP P.290
LICENSED & BYO
OPEN DAILY 9AM–10.30PM
ENTREES $5.50–$9, MAINS $9–$20
ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
You can’t swing a vermicelli noodle in Victoria Street without hitting a Vietnamese restaurant. The strip is a veritable smorgasbord of eating options, with a bias towards the cheaper end of dining, which doesn’t mean you need to forgo quality. Focusing on cuisine from the Hue region, Co Do offers a dizzying array of over 200 menu items, but it is the fifty variations of soup that it’s most renowned for. Fresh, light and zingy, the pho here is not to be missed and is unbelievably good value at $8.50. The bun bo hue, with its ‘blood cube’ and tripe, also gets a big thumbs up. Co Do is nearly always busy and loud, the staff are attentive if slightly rushed, and the decor – purple walls and fake flowers – is not anything out of the ordinary for this strip, but you don’t go to Co Do for any of that. You go for cheap, delicious food. Sure, Victoria Street is packed with good Vietnamese restaurants, but once you’ve tried Co Do, expect to become a regular.
The Grand
ITALIAN
333 BURNLEY STREET, RICHMOND
(03) 9429 2530 • MAP P.291
LICENSED
OPEN DAILY NOON–2.30PM, 6PM–9.30PM
ENTREES $16.50–$21.50, MAINS $18.50–$38, DESSERTS $9.50–$16
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
The Grand is definitely a pub of two halves: there’s the funky, noisy bar area that spills out into a very popular, contemporary beer garden. Then there’s the dining room, with its classic bentwood chairs, starched linen tablecloths, stained-glass windows and exquisite modern Italian cuisine that has earned chefs Valerio Nucci and Chua Doan many accolades. The daily-changing pasta is made in-house, the seared scallops are served with a delicate zucchini flower stuffed with scallops, and a traditional Tuscan seafood soup (cacciucco alla livornese) will warm the cockles of your heart, pardon the pun. It can be a little on the expensive side, though, and the food served in the bar is tasty, generous and more budget-friendly (prices average $20). The flavours are more diverse too: fried zucchini flowers filled with ricotta and basil sit alongside prawn and pork cakes served with chilli caramel, and then there’s the pub’s famous parma. Something for everyone, you might say.
Ha Long Bay
VIETNAMESE
82 VICTORIA STREET, RICHMOND
(03) 9429 3268 • MAP P.290
BYO
OPEN DAILY 10AM–3PM, 5.30PM–10.30PM
ENTREES $4.50–$10.50, MAINS $8.50–$13, DESSERTS $6
ALL MAJOR CARDS ACCEPTED
Ha Long Bay is one of a slew of Vietnamese restaurants on the Victoria Street strip in Richmond characterised by bright, almost neon-coloured walls – in this case, green. The name of the restaurant suggests north Vietnamese cuisine, but on closer inspection the menu is skewed more towards Chinese and general Vietnamese. The service is hurried and inconsistent but, with a loyal following for the food, they seem to get away with it. Crispy spring rolls filled with prawn and pork, served with lettuce and nuoc cham, are a must, as is the rare beef coleslaw, with generous portions of sliced tender beef tumbled through julienned carrots, cucumber, slivers of red onion, fresh herbs and crushed roasted peanuts laced with a citrusy dressing. Pho is a popular order, leaving dishes such as the salt and pepper calamari and bun mam overlooked. Bun mam is rice vermicelli traditionally served with seafood and tofu in a pungent broth built upon fermented, salted fish – a dish not usually seen in Melbourne and worth a try at Ha Long Bay.
Maedaya Sake & Grill
JAPANESE
400 BRIDGE ROAD, RICHMOND
(03) 9428 3918 • MAP P.291
LICENSED
OPEN MON–SAT 5.30PM–10PM
ENTREES $6–$14, MAINS $12–$24, DESSERTS $3–$12
BOOKINGS FOR GROUPS OF 5 OR MORE
VISA, MC, AMEX
Melbourne’s resident sake master Toshi Maeda, previously of Albert Park’s Misuzu’s, opened his izakaya-style restaurant Maedaya in 2008, and it’s a hot ticket. Maeda and his staff greet you with welcoming shouts at the door, and tell you you’ll probably have to wait for a table, since they have stopped taking bookings for groups of under five. Luckily there are accommodating Bridge Road bars all around, and it’s worth the wait. This black-painted slice of restaurant is stylishly decorated with thick Japanese rope, exotic bottles and individual glass sake lockers (for diners to stash their undrunk sake till next visit). The menu is an enormous, colourful rogue’s gallery of tasty morsels. The food is mostly tapas-style small plates and delectable chargrilled skewers, but upstairs you get your own hot plate and a variety of tender marinated meats. Maedaya’s collection of Japanese drinks is unmatched, and a sake taster of three generous glasses goes for $16.80. Very cheap – but then Maeda has a whole city to convert to this drink.
Noir
FRENCH/MEDITERRANEAN
175 SWAN STREET, RICHMOND
(03) 9428 3585 • MAP P.290
BYO, CORKAGE $5 A TABLE
OPEN TUES–SUN 10AM–10PM
ENTREES $17.50, MAINS $35, DESSERTS $15, DEGUSTATION $70
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
Swan Street is probably better known for pies and pubs than filet mignon and fine dining, but the recent arrival of Noir has added a sophisticated vibe to the street. Noir’s sultry black walls, soft lighting and sleek wooden tables provide a cosy backdrop to its modern take on bistro classics. The stylish ambience is understandable given that chef and owner Peter Roddy has cooked under fiery but exacting Gordon Ramsay (and for U2’s Bono). With warm smiles on your arrival, the friendly staff act as trusted guides to the menu, which offers a wonderful selection of modern French/Mediterranean food. Think of beautifully presented dishes, like their seductively dark red beetroot gnocchi with a rich duck confit or a perfectly roasted pork belly with a sticky wine jus, bright green peas and juicy prawns. If the menu grips you with indecision, you should submit to the surprise tasting menu of about eight courses, which allows you to sample the full range of Roddy’s culinary talents. A very good reason to discover another side to Swan Street.
OST Bar & Diner
CONTEMPORARY
306 BRIDGE ROAD, RICHMOND
(03) 9429 6724 • MAP P.291
LICENSED
OPEN WED & THURS 5PM–11PM, FRI NOON–11PM, SAT & SUN 8AM–11PM
ENTREES $8.50–$12.50, MAINS $23.50–$32.50, DESSERTS $10
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
Opposite Richmond Town Hall, OST (Original Soundtrack) is a sleek and stylish addition to the eclectic mix along Bridge Road. The diner caters to a range of eating experiences: solo dining at the bar with a couple of design magazines, celebrating a birthday in the private function area or enjoying a romantic dinner at the more formal tables. You can sample a couple of cheeky cocktails on the front restaurant’s chic wingback couches, dine tapas-style with friends on the deck or sip a coffee street-side outdoors. The menu is flexible, inviting you to ‘choose your own adventure’ – a sign of a well-travelled chef. Try their soft shell crab, deep-fried to perfection with a kimchi salad, or head to the Middle East with lamb mince, sultanas and pine nuts with green herbs and soft flatbread. Harking back to the owners’ Austrian origins, the compact wine list contains some varieties from Austria and Germany as well as a healthy beer list. The service is attentive and friendly, and owner and DJ Christian Vance ensures the tunes are well considered and OST.
Pacific Seafood BBQ House
CHINESE
SHOP 8, 240 VICTORIA STREET, RICHMOND
(03) 9427 8225 • MAP P.291
LICENSED & BYO
OPEN SUN–THURS 11AM–11PM, FRI & SAT 11AM–11.30PM
ENTREES $5–$9.50, MAINS $10–$52, DESSERTS $5–$10
CASH ONLY
LOCATIONS ALSO IN SOUTH YARRA & CBD
A bit of a needle in a haystack, Pacific Seafood is one of the few traditional Chinese restaurants on Victoria Street. It has a strong following, so expect to be in a full, busy, noisy restaurant during peak meal hours. It’s no secret that Pacific Seafood not only does seafood well, but is also one of the best places in Melbourne to get your Chinese barbecue meats: char sui (roast pork), crispy-skinned barbecued pork, roast duck and roast chicken. It’s best to start the meal with a mixed plate of these meats. They’re sliced in expert fashion, so you can see the perfectly rendered fat, taste the juicy, well-marinated meat and crunch through the crispy skins completely unadulterated. Other highlights are hot pots of sweet, spiced beef brisket with tendon, and the combination seafood with tofu, featuring scallops, prawns, fish and calamari on snow peas and choi sum bubbling in a light soy gravy. Don’t be surprised if your food is delivered to your table a lot faster than you expect it. They run a tight ship here.
Pearl
CONTEMPORARY
631–633 CHURCH STREET, RICHMOND
(03) 9421 4599 • MAP P.292
LICENSED
OPEN DAILY NOON–11PM
ENTREES $4.80–$39.50, MAINS $39.50–$55, DESSERTS $17.50–$23.50
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
Pearl by name and pearl by nature. This smooth and lustrous establishment is still rightly one of the top-rated restaurants this city has to offer, even after a change of chef and ownership. It’s so A-list even international celebrities like Oprah stop by. The high-end food is an extraordinary global mix with an Asian bias. Very innovative. Very tasty. The signature wok-fried pearl meat from Broome is worth every cent, and you haven’t truly been to Pearl unless you finish your night with the Turkish delight and rose petal ice cream, glacé ginger and Persian fairy floss. Browsing the tasting notes on an iPad helps navigate the exceptional wine list, or just ask – the staff are knowledgeable, friendly and very helpful. Our tip – though it’s not on the dinner menu – ask for a personalised degustation; the chef knows what’s best. Lunch and bar food are also available or Pearl Cafe down the road serves a casual lunch.
Union Dining Room
EUROPEAN
270 SWAN STREET, RICHMOND
(03) 9428 2988 • MAP P.291
LICENSED
OPEN TUES–SAT 6PM–11PM
ENTREES $12–$19.50, MAINS $32–$37.50, DESSERTS $15–$16
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
What’s often lost in European bistros in the pursuit of opulence is the warmth. The tactile, humble feeling in the atmosphere. There’s something hearty and comforting about a true European dining hall, and longtime friends Nicky Riemer (formerly of Melbourne Wine Room) and Adam Cash pay fantastic homage to this. The Union opened in mid-2011 in the beautiful (heritage-listed) Union House – an embodiment of the very real sophistication that pockets of Richmond still hold. The room itself is generously spaced, giving the dining experience a nugget of intimacy. The fare here is kept simple and provincial: fresh, generous main servings (the Italian fare is exquisite), and a smattering of shared dishes that are well worth a dip. Union Dining is the sort of graceful European sit-down that Northsiders are becoming more and more privileged to enjoy – and it may well be best in class.
Vlado’s
GRILL
61 BRIDGE ROAD, RICHMOND
(03) 9428 5833 • MAP P.290
LICENSED
OPEN MON–FRI NOON–3PM, 6PM–11PM, SAT 6PM–11PM
BANQUETS $80
ALL CARDS ACCEPTED
For over forty years, Vlado’s has been running under chef and owner Vlado Gregurek and nothing has changed. The room is still a ’70s plain Jane with a lot of furniture packed into small rooms, which means you’re bumping elbows or climbing chairs to make it to the bathroom. Salads are a few leaves of lettuce tossed together with some chopped tomatoes, and a coleslaw, but you don’t come here for them. You come for the meat and you stay for the meat: cevapcici – small, dense skinless pork and beef sausages with spice – burger patties that have come straight off the grill, shashlik of lamb, and steaks, cooked perfectly by Vlado himself (no one else touches the grill). Choose your cut from a platter of uncooked grass-fed, grain-fed or wagyu steaks – this process alone will make you feel like you’ve grown hairs on your chest. Dessert, as a non-meat item, is a non-event – ice cream with crepes or strawberries – but after gorging on mass amounts of meat, you might as well finish the cycle.
