Formula One Australian Grand Prix fever has hit Melbourne hard. We might be biased, but all eyes are on our very own Oscar Piastri flying the flag for McLaren. From the roar of engines at Albert Park to the buzz of Gatorade Run the Track and the F1 Fan Festival taking over Fed Square, Melbourne is revving things up.
Scored yourself a Park Pass? Lucky ducky! Beyond the hairpin turns and high-speed straights, the culinary line-up is top notch. We’re talking 140 food outlets and 27 of the city’s best restaurants, bars and eateries ready to fuel racegoers, many of which have Grand Prix-exclusive creations available only across race weekend from March 5-8.
From quick pit-stop bites to celebratory desserts, the offerings are full-throttle delicious. Here's everything you should be racing to eat if you’re heading to the Grand Prix in 2026.
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One simply cannot go wrong with the world's eighth best pizza chain, 400 Gradi. Coming straight out of the pizza oven, the menu is full of fan favourites – but our eyes are on the exclusive GP offering called The Burning Fuel with San Marzano tomato, cheese, ham, hot salami, bacon, barbecue sauce and hot chilli oil.
Where to find it: Piastri – Motorsport Straight
A tiny hole-in-the-wall kitchen in a Brunswick East side street, Charrd has quickly become the talk of Melbourne's foodie scene. For the Grand Prix weekend, they're serving a juicy chicken sandwich loaded with fried chicken, iceberg lettuce and Caesar sauce that's just waiting for you to take a succulent bite. Thank us later.
Where to find it: Melbourne Junction
All Things Equal in Balaclava not only serves great coffee, brunch and lunch, but it's also a social enterprise café that creates real pathways into hospitality for people with disabilities. On Grand Prix weekend, their staff will be dishing up pies, salads, drinks, plus their very own speciality dessert they've called The Grand Peach (get it?). It's a tart filled with peach mousse, tangy passionfruit curd, housemade raspberry jam and is encased in crisp tart shell with a peach dome on top.
Where to find it: Piastri – Motorsport Straight
Don't like waiting in line outside Chin Chin? Try the Chin Chin pop-up restaurant experience by American Express. Featuring 124 seats with a 45-minute service rotation, guests will enjoy a curated six-course tasting menu designed to deliver the bold, high-energy flavours that the restaurant is known for. Have an Amex card? You'll be treated to a takeaway dessert. Psst! A few tickets are still available.
Where to try it: Melbourne Junction
The hype surrounding Gelato Messina – the super popular Sydney import where all-natural gelato rules – has yet to abate in Melbourne. Join the queue at their F1 outpost if you want to try their special creation, the Fast & Frozen ice cream sandwich ($14). It's got baked cheesecake gelato swirled with burnt honey caramel that's wedged between two discs of vanilla sable and then dipped in honeycomb chocolate. Drool.
Where to find it: Melbourne Junction
A pop-up edition of Grill Americano, Chris Lucas’ celebrated Italian steakhouse, will take up residence inside the Amex Lounge at the Grand Prix. It's reserved exclusively for guests holding premium hospitality tickets who will enjoy a high-end dining experience – and fast cars to boot.
Where to get it: American Express Lounge
Hochi Mama is bringing big energy and bold flavours to the F1 this year. They’re doing a special collab with MasterChef Australia alum Brendan Pang called Mama’s Banh Mi ($18) – and it's loaded with super crispy pork belly. Don't eat meat? They'll also have a vegetarian option.
Where to find it: Melbourne Junction
Is it really a Melbourne event if Lune isn’t present? The famed institution founded by Kate Reid that's dedicated to croissants is baking a special menu this weekend. Let us tell you about their Tim Tam pain au chocolat – it's crunchy, it's buttery, it's filled with malt biscuit frangipane and chocolate ganache and then drizzled with milk chocolate and topped with Tim Tam chunks. We don’t know which is faster: an F1 racing car flying around Albert Park or Lune selling out of pastries – but we can guarantee both will happen at crazy high speeds.
Where to find it: Melbourne Junction
The team behind Mr. Miyagi is bringing a modern French offering to the Grand Prix via Madeline’s – portable, playful and perfect for race day crowds. There's the Shake Le Steak – think golden frites layered with seared steak and rich Café de Paris butter. It's all inside a signature box that you're meant to shake which coats everything in flavourful, herby butter. The menu also features Shake de Chook, Maddie’s cheeseburger, and fried chicken and frites with tarragon crème fraîche. They're all designed to deliver big flavour, fast.
Where to get it: Piastri – Motorsport Straight
Race to Melbourne Junction to score some hefty burgs by burger empire, Royal Stacks. Their F1 offering is called My Cousins VL and includes double crispy fried chicken, bacon, lettuce, ranch sauce and jalapeno. Yum.
Where to find it: Melbourne Junction
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