Melbourne's best beachside restaurants

Kicking off with a St Kilda institution: Stokehouse. Relaxed fine dining is on the menu here, with the perfect sprinkle of bougie-ness. Live your best life with the seafood platter or the criminally underrated veal tonnato. If you feel that being close to the beach only to look at it through a window is redundant, have your cocktails and oysters at Stokebar on the terrace to really soak up that beachy goodness. 

Elwood Bathers is an all-day diner championing Victorian produce along the Elwood foreshore, seven days a week, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The all-day menu features seafood heavily in dishes like kingfish crudo, spaghetti vongole and the obligatory fish and chips next to an easy-going, New World wine list. Book a table on the terrace during summer for views all across the beach.

St Luja is a cocktail bar with a focus on whisky. However, the bar is renowned for its Tommy's Margarita aka the quintessential beachside cocktail. Although it doesn't serve food from an on-site kitchen, you can use the QR code to order delivery from nearby favourites – perfect for those nights when everyone wants something different. The inside is cosy and comfortable, but if Melbourne's weather is behaving, they have plenty of streetside seating, which is optimum for a sun-worshipping sesh. 

Take a trip to San Sebastián without the 24-hours of travel. Sebastian in Williamstown serves Basque-style food and culture, complete with the requisite beachside view. Flavoursome, charred delights are on the menu, with a focus on share plates. During November to March, they offer alfresco dining (weather permitting); however, the inside dining room is so lush you won't mind staying inside. 

Everyone loves a beach kiosk – think meat pies, hot chips and Chiko rolls with copious amounts of t-sauce. These are nothing to sneeze at, but how about introducing some Italian culture to your beachside kiosk experience? The team from Pizza d'Asporto have done the hard work for you with the charming Kiosk d'Asporto serving up fresh coffee, imported traditional pastries, paninis and even Roman-style pizza – mamma mia! Instead of lusting over your mate's Europe posts, why not have a European summer of your own, jetlag not included. 

Here's that glitzy Aussie beach club you thought only existed in Sydney, where tans, talons, and crisp Polo shirts abound. That's not to say you have to dress up. St Kilda's backpackers mingle with the glamour set, all united by the desire to be sat next to sand, the Sea Baths (downstairs) and a bar. This summer in 2023, it's all about open-air and late-night DJ sets, sun-drenched cocktail sessions and guessing games about who the mysterious "Captain" really is behind the scenes. To have fun with the latter concept, the bar will be handing out captain hats to lift everyone into the nautical spirit. Is that cringey or fun? Let's face it: after a few drinks, you'll probably forget you're even wearing one. Round up a crew and book a bungalow with bottle service for your next Sunday sesh.  

Perched on Port Phillip Bay’s picturesque waterfront, Pier Farm may not be an actual farm but the restored wooden boatshed still carries a whisper of rustic charm about it. Polished wood and azure blue tiling add to the nautical decor, making you feel like you’ve escaped on holiday. The menu's just had a summer refresh, shining the spotlight on simple Italian crowd-pleasers made from fresh local produce. Think dishes like orecchiette pesto, crab risotto with asparagus and peas, garlic prawns and burrata with tomato and fresh herbs. Paired with a slosh of something crisp and white, you can't go wrong.

Baia Di Vino, or Wine Bay, serves Mediterranean fare at its un-fussy best. You'll be transported straight to the Amalfi Coast while you nibble on the thoughtful small bites or gorge on the crowd-pleasing pasta. Hit the carbs too hard? Sandringham Beach is a stone's throw away for an after-dinner passeggiata. 

The family-friendly Cerberus Beach House serves modern Australian food with a focus on locally sourced produce. Tucked away in Half Moon Bay, this venue is the perfect spot to while away a sunny afternoon. Think hearty portions, quality ingredients and good vibes at the sit-down restaurant, or grab some well-priced fish and chips from the kiosk to eat on the sand. Just note – seagull-ian locals may require a chippie tax. 

Obviously, this would be a pretty foolish list if we didn't have at least one chippie serving up more traditional Australian beachside fare. Enter D'Lish Fish. This venue has all the greats: fried dimmies, potato cakes and battered hot dogs. For traditionalists, there's a wide variety of seafood available, and it can be cooked in your preferred style. Enjoy it at one of the inside or outside tables, or get it takeaway and eat it right on the sand. 

This venue might not have a beachside view, but the Port Melbourne seascape is just around the corner. Third Wave specialises in American-style barbecue, but they also have an assortment of other breakfast and lunch options. So line your stomach with a takeaway barbecue platter that includes brisket, pork ribs, cheese kransky and all the glorious sides you can imagine. Everyone knows barbecue can be a messy business, so the best part of Third Wave? The water is mere metres away to wash your saucy self. 

With live music on Sundays and weekend bottomless lunches, Sunny Boy Beach Club is all about enjoying yourself. The venue hosts events every other day, including kids' clubs, mussel pot Thursdays and drag trivia. It's the ultimate spot to have some fun while enjoying the views of the Mordialloc foreshore.

Pipi's Kiosk is making waves as the new beachfront place du jour, and for a good reason. This elegant Albert Park restaurant serves creative modern Australian fare with a focus on seasonality and seafood. Try the mainstay (and namesake) Pipi's pasta, which sees bucatini with pipis tossed through a smoked tomato and aniseed sauce. If you're after something casual, there is also a kiosk window that flings some of the best fish and chips in the biz. 

Three is the magic number at the Espy, which boasts three excellent dining venues on-site. You can find pub classics and pizzas at the main bar and Espy Kitchen, while Mya Tiger serves flavour-filled Cantonese-inspired options. Regardless of your pick, you can wash your dinner down with cocktails and views of St Kilda Beach.