Where to source a free meal during Melbourne lockdown

You'll be glad to know that Tipo 00, one of the finest pasta bars in Melbourne, is offering a special set menu for Easter. On Good Friday you can enjoy a seafood extravaganza – think tuna crudo, prawn ravioli, spanner crab spaghettini and more. At $120pp, it truly is a fishy feast. Tipo 00 will also be open from 11.30am on Easter Saturday. A 15 per cent surcharge applies on both days. Find out more here.

After undergoing a major transformation, Studley Park Boathouse is now a dining, drinking and entertainment space. Celebrate Easter here, where relaxed riverside dining meets family-friendly fun. Tuck into classic fish and chips with family-style packs available across the weekend, while little ones can enjoy Easter-themed activities from Saturday to Monday. On Easter Sunday, the Easter Bunny hops in with sweet treats from 12–2pm. Get the details here. 

In a city where many restaurants lean toward curated aesthetics and trendy branding, this restaurant serves hospo the old-fashioned way. Think homestyle Italian with large servings, zero pretences, and, of course, carbs on carbs on carbs. Nestled on Malvern Road, Officina Gastronomica Italiana (or simply, Officina) exudes rustic charm and screams of 'local fave'. This Easter, it's open on Good Friday and Easter Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner (a 20 per cent surcharge applies). Book here. 

If you fancy a bougie brekkie this Easter weekend, Allegro at The Westin on Collins Street has got you covered with its sumptuous spread. We're talking hot and cold buffets, barista coffee, eggs made-to-order and a fresh juice station. The Lobby Lounge is also open all Easter long weekend from 9am until late. Book here.

Hanoi Hannah is a teeny-tiny diner in Windsor that's jam-packed and bustling – just like any cheap eats restaurant in Vietnam. Fitted out with exposed bricks and retro Vietnamese watercolours, it serves affordable, tasty hawker-style fare. This Easter, it's open on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday (a 20 per cent surcharge applies). Find out more here.

Stokehouse will be open all Easter weekend long, serving its full à la carte menu (with plenty of seasonal seafood) plus an exclusive weekend-only dessert by the pastry team. Inspired by the Easter egg, the sweet treat comes in a nest-like form and centres around chocolate and caramel – yum! Downstairs at Stokehouse Pasta and Bar you can score $3 oysters from 3-6pm, and be sure to try the hot cross cake with rum and raisin sauce. Find out more here.

Chris Lucas’ Grill Americano distils a retro-glam brief into a squelchingly expensive fitout of terrazzo floors and royal blue leather seats, a sweeping white marble bar lit by individual deco-ish lamps and the sultry backdrop of ink-blue walls. It's open as per normal trading hours across the entire Easter long weekend with $14.50 cocktails. Expect Bellinis, Pineapple Fizz,  Hugo Highballs, Negroni Classico and Sicilian Spritz. Get the details here. 

Atsu in South Carlton is open for dinner from 5.30-9.30pm on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday (15 per cent surcharge applies). You can feast on crispy katsu, donburi bowls and excellent cocktails – all set to a soundtrack that's vibing. Book here. 

Brunswick's heritage-listed Hotel Railway had a massive facelift from the Riverland Group and new life has been breathed into the space so that the public can once again pop in for a pint. Open all Easter long weekend from 12 noon until late, you won't want to miss the Easter Hunt – just grab a map and find all the Easter egg artwork around the venue to claim your prize. There's also colouring and face painting, plus kids get a free meal with every adult main from the grill section. Make a booking here. 

The Espy, as locals like to call it, has got live bands and DJs to ensure your Easter is pumping all long weekend long. The Main Bar, the Sunroom and the Gersh all play host to different musical offerings. We're most keen for the Bad Bunny Appreciation Party on Easter Sunday from 9pm. Get the details here. 

If a fancy-fied fish and chips will steal your heart this Easter feasting season, then look no further than Lillian – the refined brasserie from restaurateur Chris Lucas, housed in the same luxe Collins Street precinct as fine diner Society. The dish will be served throughout the weekend (except Easter Monday), available alongside the venue’s regular à la carte offering. Walk-ins will be welcomed, but your best bet is to make a reservation here.

Hit up one of Brunswick East's most happening restaurants this long weekend for an authentic Polish Easter feast for $95 pp. You'll chow down on traditional dishes like Żurek (white borscht), salatka jarzynowa, whole baked rainbow trout and mazurek Easter cake. Fun fact: Eat Pierogi Make Love won the Best Relaxed Dining award at Time Out Melbourne's Food and Drink Awards 2025! The feast will be available on Good Friday and Easter Saturday across two sessions: 12pm or 2pm. Make a booking here.

Hofbräuhaus has been serving traditional German comfort food – schnitzel, bratwurst, pork knuckle, sauerkraut and plenty more – since 1968. And that's exactly what you'll be digging into (washed down with a Bavarian beer, of course) from Good Friday until Easter Sunday from 12 noon onwards (closed on Easter Monday). Book here. 

Until April 7, enjoy a luxe chocolate-driven Easter afternoon tea with a selection of appetisers, just-baked scones, and sweet and savoury creations prepared by the Ritz-Carlton's master pâtissiers. Indulge in a glass of Moët & Chandon Champagne on arrival and free-flowing tea and barista coffee. Set on Level 80 against the breathtaking backdrop of Melbourne’s skyline, this is Easter feasting in style. Find out more here. 

Round up your crew and settle in at Fargo and Co for an Easter long weekend of bottomless brunch, DJs and guaranteed good times. From Thursday through to Easter Sunday, expect flowing drinks, live music and sunset sips, with the party going late into the night. If it's a fun party vibe you're after this Easter, this it the place you want to be. Find out more here. 

Ciao Cielo in Port Melbourne is an Italian bistro that's already gathered quite a dedicated local following. Some of our fave dishes on the menu include the duck arancini, homemade pappardelle and a caramel plate that's to die for. This Easter, it's open from noon to 10pm all long weekend (with a 15 per cent surcharge). Book here.

Located in the wonderland of Pt Leo Estate on the Mornington Peninsula, Laura is the Estate’s pièce de resistance. If fine dining and a regional road trip are your thing this Easter, be sure to make a booking. It's open for lunch from Good Friday right through to Easter Sunday, with a special dinner sitting on Easter Saturday from 6pm (a 15 per cent surcharge applies). 

Open all Easter long weekend for brekkie and lunch, Andzero in Glen Waverley is perfect for a special Easter brunch sesh with a Japanese twist. The menu features katsu rolls, teishoku set meals and grilled salmon chazuke, but we're really here for the drinks – our picks are the melon cream soda and matcha mont blanc. Book here. 

Osteria Ilaria, the smart-casual bar and eatery from the same peeps behind Tipo 00, is located on Little Bourke Street. It's open on Good Friday and Easter Saturday (with a 15 per cent public holiday surcharge), and is perfect if you're after an Italian feast with world-class wines. Bookings can be made here. 

Common Cuts is open for lunch and dinner on Easter Saturday and only for dinner on Easter Monday (10 per cent surcharge applies). Located opposite Old Melbourne Gaol on Russell Street in the CBD, this steakhouse is serving epic steak frites, Wagyu cheeseburgers and steak tartare – among plenty of other tasty things. Book here.

Harriot, the polished CBD bistro one of our food critics recently gave five stars, is open for business on Good Friday and Easter Saturday with a 15 per cent public holiday surcharge. Head here for French-inspired flavours that make the most of classical French cooking techniques and local Victorian produce. Find out more and make a booking here. 

Settle in for five days of footy, food and good company at the Hawthorn Hotel this Easter long weekend. From Thursday through to Monday, catch all the AFL action live while tucking into the crowd-pleasing Punters Pack – which includes classic pub favourites like a parma, beef burger (or plant-based) or fish and chips, paired with two hours of bottomless drinks for $70 per head. Whether it’s with mates or family, it’s a winning way to spend the long weekend. To book, head to the website.

The family-friendly Easter festivities at the Auburn Hotel kick off at noon on Good Friday with a basket making sesh the kids will love. There's live music late on Saturday, while on Easter Sunday the line-up of activities includes an egg hunt, a petting zoo and face painting. The fun continues on Monday with children's entertainment from 12-2pm. For more information, head to the website.

Open every single day during the Easter long weekend for dinner from 5.30pm (15 per cent surcharge), Sachi in the CBD is a love letter to seafood-focused Japanese cuisine. Make a beeline here if you're craving the freshest sushi, sashimi, chirashi don and, of course, omakase. Book here. 

Marameo is giving Italian party vibes – what more could you want this Easter long weekend? It's open on Good Friday for dinner and Easter Saturday all day (a 15 per cent surcharge applies). Our pick of the menu? The ten-cheese lasagne with mushrooms. We can confirm it's one of the best things we've eaten. Make a booking here.

Good for dates and family outings alike this long weekend, Moonhouse invites you to linger over some truly tantalising Easter specials. Order the set menu and thank us later – it features all the tastiest bites: oysters, pork buns, wontons and fried rice. Moonhouse is open on Good Friday and Easter Saturday for dinner. Note that a 20 per cent surcharge applies. Make a booking here.

Snugly situated in the basement of Le Méridien Melbourne, Dolly is an immersive restaurant and cocktail bar that transports its guests back in time to the glamour and mystique of 1930s cinema. This Easter Sunday, it's throwing a stylish and affordable lunchtime feast at just $69 a head. Dig into a generous roast with all the accoutrements, plus an all-you-can-eat dessert buffet. Bookings can be made here. 

Everything tastes better charred – and Firebird got the memo. A restaurant dedicated to smoke, flames and fire, every dish in some way, shape or form has been licked by the fire, and it’s all the better for it. It's open from 5-10pm on both Good Friday and Easter Saturday this year. A 20 per cent surcharge applies. Make a booking here.

Hungry for a modern Japanese take on your Easter feast this year? Tokyo Tina has you sorted. It's serving up all its funky faves this long weekend. You can make dinner booking from 5-10pm all weekend long (20 per cent surcharge), except Easter Monday. And best of all, if you feel like a spot of karaoke, Tokyo Tina has a room where you can belt out a banger or two. Find out more here.