The best restaurants in St Kilda

Donovans feels like it doesn't belong in Melbourne (in the best way possible). It's the beautiful and high-quality seaside restaurant that you often search for when on holiday, but forget to look for in your hometown. Perched right on the sand, it's no surprise the seafood offerings shine, such as the daily crudo selection, the spanner crab ravioli and the crispy skin barramundi. However, the grass-fed T-bone cooked over charcoals is always a winner. Donovans has also been around long enough for its bombe Alaska to become the stuff of legends. This chocolate dessert topped with hazelnut ice cream and a lightly torched soft meringue is a must-eat. This is a special place, for a special occasion.  

The Stokehouse is a St Kilda institution that continues to shine despite challenges and hardships, including a fire that left a blackened spot on the foreshore for nearly three long years. But it's back in action with relaxed fine dining on the menu, served with a side sprinkle of bougie-ness. Enjoy cocktails and oysters on the balcony to soak up that beachy goodness before taking your seat in the aesthetically pleasing dining room. Live your best life with the seafood platter or the underrated veal tonnato, and leave room for the stellar selection of desserts. 

The revamped Espy didn’t ruin the historic Gershwin Room (three generations of Melburnians breathe a sigh of relief), and the fitout is spectacular. The grand room now houses Mya Tiger, the dining jewel in Espy's crown. It’s serving up a big-flavoured parade of Cantonese favourites – think lamb spring rolls, sesame prawn toast, spicy pork chilli wontons, caramel eggplant and duck fried rice. 

Claypots is something of an establishment down in old St Kilda town. The lantern-strewn courtyard is where it's at on long summer nights, especially when the staff are spinning records in the front room. We highly recommend group dinners here: nothing bonds like the all-hands-in ripping apart of crustaceans, especially when you've ordered the famed chilli crab.

Radio Mexico has been around for many years now, but continues to bring in the crowds seeking tasty tacos and fresh Margaritas. Totopos (white corn chips) with housemade salsa and guacamole are a must-order to share for the table, as are the elotes (street-style corn on the cob). There are many tacos to choose from but we can't go past the baja (beer-battered fish with pico de gallo and slaw), the barbacoa (slow-cooked lamb shoulder with tomatillo) and the frijoles (black beans with jalapeno, avocado and pico de gallo). Radio Mexico has a dedicated Margarita menu to wash it all down: try the Margarita Negra, the Pineapple Tommy's or the Hibiscus Mezcalrita.

Rinaldo 'Ronnie' Di Stasio’s mainstay Italian has been nailing St Kilda dining for many decades. With white-jacketed waiters at your beck and call, you will be keen to get stuck into the bougie offerings such as crayfish risotto, crab deluxe pasta and duck breast with fennel salad. Even with shiny new outposts in the CBD (Di Stasio Citta) and Carlton (Di Stasio Pizzeria), the St Kilda location continues to attract locals, regulars and newcomers alike. 

Locals and those from further afield continue to flock to the Esplanade Hotel in hordes, and for good reason. The menu at the Espy Kitchen is pub classics turned up to 11, and highlights include the rotisserie chicken served with shallot gravy and chips, a substantial seafood platter and a striploin with rocket and pepper sauce. You will also find some more refined menu items, such as stracciatella with cucumber and dill, burrata and heirloom tomato salad with sherry vinaigrette, spanner crab spaghetti and an ice cream sandwich with barbecued pineapple.

After closing for renovations earlier this year, Pontoon – the downstairs beach club of St Kilda’s Stokehouse restaurant – has returned to its roots, re-emerging as casual Mediterranean eatery, Stokehouse Pasta and Bar. The updated interiors give off a subtle coastal aesthetic – think soft whites, plenty of light and warm timber features. Stokehouse executive chef Jason Staudt and Stokehouse Pasta and Bar’s head chef Brendan Anderson are in charge of the kitchen, serving up classic Stokehouse dishes with a more casual feel. Though the menu is led by pasta – including a classic spaghetti with crab and chilli – there are snacks and share plates aplenty. Munch on gnocco fritto served with jamon, mortadella, salami and pickles, or feast on a 600g whole Murray cod with a rich pepperonata sauce and crispy chips.  

Babu Ji has been bringing feel-good service and bold Indian flavours to the better end of Grey Street for almost a decade now. Bollywood films are projected across the roof here, and there's a self-serve fridge of craft beers – simply grab your Feral IPA, bust off the cap and the waiters will tally your bottles at the end. Dishes are built for sharing: try the nachos tandoori chicken, the housemade momo dumplings and the Kerala fish curry. 

Monarch has been pushing sugar on Acland Street since 1934 and the recipes haven't changed since day one. Try the savoury-sweet Kugelhoupf. It's a yeast-based cake (cake taste, bread texture) with thick swirls of melted chocolate throughout. In a world of shiny new patisseries, Monarch continues to hold its own as a purveyor of traditional baked goodies. 

Cicciolina is an indispensable bastion of southside dining. St Kilda may have changed since it opened in 1993, but the restaurant itself has remained true to its sultry roots. Start with the housemade focaccia with stracciatella cheese and Olasagasti anchovies, followed by the chicken liver parfait with pickled cherries and rye to set yourself up for a great night out. The spaghettini vongole with pippies, lemon, chilli, garlic, olive oil and parsley is a local favourite for good reason, and acts as the perfect precursor to a Premium Espresso Martini nightcap. 

At I Carusi II, the St Kilda outpost to the Brunswick original, you can enjoy a four-cheese pizza for brunch. This Italian restaurant caters to all 'za preferences: find chocolate calzones or Hawaiian pizzas alongside the slightly more elegant Alla Moda di Valerio with fior di latte, salsiccia, soppressa and pancetta. Nab the alfresco spots in the summer months for a lazy dinner with pizza, an antipasto board and plenty of prosecco. 

The Prince Hotel – with all its dining, drinking, partying and accommodation options – remains a go-to destination for both locals and out-of-towners. Set within the Prince precinct, the Prince Dining Room is bringing laid-back vibes, tasty wood-fired food and some top-notch cocktails to those seeking an almost-beachside dining experience. Start with a couple of snacks, such as the oysters or prawn skewers, and don't miss the blistered flatbread (it comes sizzling straight from the 400-degree wood-fired oven), which is the ideal vessel for scooping up the smooth hummus topped with crunchy chickpeas. Move onto pasta or protein for the main – highlights include the prawn tagliatelle (be warned, when the menu says chilli on this one, it certainly means it). Sip on an Acland Street Soda as you watch the sunset and catch a cool sea breeze on the balcony, and don't forget to save room for the tarta de quesos, served with wood-oven strawberries and warm spiced honey. 

Watch the staff bicker over 52-year-old grievances while you smash a custard tart here. The canoe-shaped shortbread has a fine, crumbly texture and gets a lick of chocolate before being filled with custard and topped with fruits and a glaze. It ticks all the creamy, sweet and tart boxes.

Karen Martini's pizza joint Mr Wolf is a restaurant that's often packed with families earlier on in the evening and groups sharing a bottle or two of wine later on. Martini's pizzas are best at their simplest: she makes a mean Margherita and the No 9, topped with buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto and rocket, is reliably great. Another highlight is the Melanzane with napoli, mozzarella, roasted eggplant, ricotta, cherry tomato, basil oil and green chilli – yum!