Editor's picks: August

Singaporean expats and those with an incurable sweet tooth need to head into Miilk, stat. It’s a new dessert café and cake studio that’s just opened on Swanston Street, and it's inspired by owner Tia Tan’s long lineage of family bakers and the diverse flavours of her Southeast Asian heritage. I had the pleasure of visiting recently and discovered her creations to be everything a good cake should be: adorable, featherlight and fluffy, and piped with an array of sweet fillings you’re unlikely to find in any old traditional Western cake shop. It’s the lychee, strawberry and cream sponge that turned my eyes into love heart emojis, and I can’t wait to go back for a bubble tea and another slice!

I recently popped into Nomad for a Friday work lunch (fancy, right?!) and was blown away by this subterranean fine diner hidden away on Flinders Lane. While everything on the menu is suitably delish (the woodfired bread topped with burrata and fennel jam is a combo I will dream about for a long time), there was one standout for me: the smoked mussels with piment d’espelette and toum. This heavenly starter – served delicately on a round plate, the toum so pale you don't even notice it at first glance – is so ridiculously good, you won't want to share. But wait, we haven't even got to the best bit. It's paired with a crispy, salt-dusted hash brown that adds just the right amount of crunch to really elevate this dish into God-tier territory. I'm making a booking to go back and eat it again as we speak.

While Melbourne may play host to endless wine bars and star-studded fine diners, sometimes there’s nothing better than gathering the troops for a night of BYO and simple home-cooked fare. Since opening in Collingwood in 1980, Jim’s Greek Tavern has become an institution with a welcoming charm that has endured through the years thanks to the Panagopoulos family. As for the menu, you can leave it up to them and watch the dishes roll out like waves in the Aegean Sea. Expect plates of lemony saganaki, taramasalata and tzatziki dips, sizzling calamari, Greek salads, grilled chicken and pan-roasted red snapper to land on the white-clothed table. If you’re looking for unpretentious food in a restaurant accommodating 12 disciples or more, this is the place to opa your way into the night.

Wander down the Brunswick East end of Lygon Street on a Saturday arvo and you’ll find Bahama Gold heaving with good vibes – it’s one of my favourite wine bars in Melbourne at the moment. The little sister to neighbouring Old Palm Liquor, it started as a liquor delivery service during the lockdown era but has since evolved into a funky lo-fi wine shop and intimate 12-seater drinking hole – with a solid sound system to match. The team behind the bar select their own vinyl records for the perfect soundtrack to all the alt wines and snack plates on offer. You can even watch Jane Low, the Malaysian-born head chef, prepare many of her dishes right in front of you. And out the back, there’s a roaring fireplace and vino bottles to admire and take home. Pop in for a glass of rare pét nat and some of Jane’s housemade Tuscan bread. In life, it’s all about the special little details and here, there are many.

There's nothing I love more than a good soak, especially when the weather starts to cool. So I'm stoked that a brand new hot springs site has just opened on the Mornington Peninsula. Alba Thermal Springs is a sustainable, $90 million sanctuary that boasts 31 pools, a day spa and a café. From cold plunge pools to herbal-infused botanical pools and invigorating rain pools, there's a body of water to suit all your wellness needs. And if you want some extra pampering, be sure to book in for a facial – trust me, it will be the most relaxing, luxurious hour of your life. 

Is there a city that does rooftop bars better than Melbourne? I'd argue no, although I am biased. And now there's a new one to add to the collection: Beverly Rooftop in South Yarra, a swanky drinking and dining space that offers unmatched 270-degree views of the city skyline. The ingenious retractable glass ceiling means it's an all-weather destination (very important in Melbourne), and it boasts a modern Australian menu with nods to Southern Californian influences. But it's the impressive drinks list that shines – order a Bellini Sunset (complete with actual rose petals) and settle in to watch the sky put on a show.

I was lucky enough to visit the newly renovated Saint Hotel last week (I hadn’t been since it was a sweaty, sticky nightclub), and boy oh boy, does it live up to the hype. It’s now home to five drinking and dining destinations: a restaurant, listening lounge, all-day eatery, retail wine store and a Studio 54-inspired cocktail bar. You can’t go past a meal at Saint Dining, however – the modern Australian menu is loaded with incredible dishes, with the honey-glazed duck served alongside a medley of rhubarb, fennel and lavender an unrivalled highlight. The wine list is just as impressive, so make sure you don’t get stuck as the deso driver. 

When the daily drudgery has ground you down to a pulp, there’s no better way to resuscitate yourself than with a trip to inner-north oasis, Sense of Self. This heavenly bathhouse and spa opened in March 2021 with an aim to blend ancient spa rituals with modern design, and the facilities include a large mineral bath, Finnish sauna, pail shower, cold plunge and a day spa for massages, Gua Sha facials and more. The all-gender communal bathhouse – which ranges from $59-$69 for two hours of access – is a total sanctuary. In between plunges and steams, read a book and snack on dried figs and tamari almonds as if you are Cleopatra herself. You’ll leave walking on air.

As far as late-night cocktail bars go, they don't come much cooler than Jayda. Sitting pretty next to Shane Delia's modern Middle Eastern restaurant Maha (making it the perfect spot for a post-dinner nightcap), this sister venue boasts a highly considered snack menu loaded with tasty bites. The freshly baked focaccia is a must, obviously, but for something a bit different my vote goes to the tuna kibbeh neya with sesame leaf, salmon caviar and pickled cucumber. This heavenly mouthful will have you flagging down a passing waiter so you can order another round. 

Head to Borsch, Vodka and Tears in Windsor to find out whether you like it shaken or stirred with their 50-strong Martini list. The Polish bar and restaurant is the brainchild of Andrzej Kaczmarksi, who emigrated from Warsaw to St Kilda via Dortmund in the early '80s. Nowadays, the intimate space – located on the site of a former Polish soup kitchen – serves up traditional dishes like potato blintzes with sour cream, salmon and sauerkraut, meaty cabbage rolls and cheesy pierogi. But it's the Martini list that impresses – choose between a dark chocolate concoction with vanilla vodka, a lychee version with elderflower or a classic tipple with Baczewski potato vodka with green olives.