Restaurants & Cafés

One of the great modern innovations of Chinese fast casual dining, malatang, or ‘hot numbing soup’ has at last taken root in Melbourne’s increasingly detailed regional Chinese food scene. Malatang is an abridged take on classic Sichuan hot pot, streamlined into a single bowl for the solo diner. A favourable price point and a high vegetable content also make it a good call for any night you don’t want to cook.It works like this: customers grab a pair of tongs and a basket and line up in front of a series of shelves holding vegetables, carbs, seafood, meats and vital organs. You fill your basket with whatever you would like to eat, then it is weighed, charged per 100 grams and whisked away to be plunged into one of several rich, secret spice-laden broths that range in intensity from mild to ruinously hot. In most malatang venues your meal is then served in a fabulously ornate bowl ‘dry’ (without broth) or ‘wet’ (with) minutes later.For new players, malatang restaurants generally mandate a minimum per bowl—generally somewhere in the area of 300-400 grams. This information will be available somewhere near the counter, so make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before you begin assembling your meal — 400 grams (plus soup) is nothing to sneeze at. Dedicated malatang stores are opening across the CBD and out into the suburbs of Melbourne. Here’s our pick of the top five spots to get your hot pot fix. Prefer dumplings? Here's Melbourne's best. If you don't know what yo

Australia’s got a hard-earned rep for producing some of the best beef in the world. Unfortunately, our track record at cooking the stuff hasn’t been quite as golden, with “grilled to within an inch of its life” a common approach, historically. Thankfully, Melbourne’s restaurants are catching on to what many have known for years – that when it comes to premium cuts, fresh is not always best. Dry-ageing, the longer the better, has finally taken off, and the result is tender steaks packed with meaty flavour, worthy of the noble beasts from whence they came. If you’re in need of a red meat fix, here’s our list of ten of the best places in Melbourne to get yours. These are by no means the only places in town throwing a rump on the grill, but they’re our go-to for every budget and occasion. Not sure exactly what you want? Here are the 50 best restaurants in Melbourne.And for dessert? The 8 best places for ice cream and gelato. Just want something fun? Try one of Melbourne's best teppanyaki restaurants.

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Red Stripe is a smooth, full bodied amber lager from the sandy beaches of Jamaica where it was first brewed, over 90 years ago. Named after the red stripe that used to run down Jamaican police uniforms, Red Stripe is an unpretentious drop that goes down nice’n’easy. Fans of the beer have the opportunity to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Jamaica in July 2019. The prize includes return economy flights, hotel accommodation in Montego Bay, and daily activities. To win one of two trips for two people, simply purchase a Red Stripe from a participating venue, take a creative photo with the Red Stripe promotional coaster that you’ll receive with your purchase, and post it to Instagram, tagging #RedStripeAus and the venue where you bought your Red Stripe. Remember to have your Instagram set to public. The two most creative posts will win. The competition is open from February 1 to May 19, 2019. The prize trip must be taken on July 17-21, 2019, and cannot be changed, transferred or redeemed for cash. Go here for more information and terms and conditions. So, where can you enjoy Red Stripe and get that promotional coaster? Here's the list:  Jack and Bones Island BarJack and Bones Island Bar prides itself on being Melbourne’s “only Hawaiian bar”, but that's not its exclusive focus. Among the tiki drinks you can get yourself a taste of Jamaica’s famous brew. The Barkly HotelTucked in the corner of Barkly and Grey Street, this is a locals’ bar down on street level that does a hango

More than 500 people packed into Transport Public Bar in Federation Square on a Sunday afternoon to toast the best in the hospitality business.  Hosted by the very funny Rhys Nicholson (who doesn’t love a free comedy show thrown in with an awards ceremony?), the event saw ten awards given out across a range of categories. Guests were treated to delicious drinks, great food, sweet tunes from DJ Coco Brown, with a copy of the new Time Out Bar Awards issue to take home at the end of the night. Attendees were also in the running to take home their very own crystal glassware from Waterford simply by taking a snap with the Mobsta crew in the Waterford area. The snack game was strong, with Southern fried chicken, pizzas, charcuterie and cheese platters courtesy of Transport Public Bar doing the rounds. People were sipping on free-flowing Espresso Martinis on tap, Malibu Piña Coladas, Altos Tequila cocktails, Urban Alley beers, and a bespoke cocktail from Perrier. As if that wasn't enough they also got to sample Riot Wines’ wine in a can from McLaren Vale, and ciders from Hills Cider Co. So who emerged victorious in the 2019 Time Out Bar Awards? Fitzroy cocktail bar the Everleigh was named Bar of the Year. The Everleigh is where you get the exacting standards, beautiful surrounds and whip-smart service of a high-end bar in London, but right here in the heart of Melbourne. The Everleigh is the very definition of putting our best drink forward.As well as the top gong, the Best C