Where To Find The Best Restaurants & Cafes In St Kilda?

St Kilda is more than just Luna Park and the cute fairy penguins. From backpackers to the glitterati and everyone in between, the coastal district, which is only 7 kilometres from the CBD, draws a wide range of visitors.

St. Kilda's food options are as diverse as its tourists and residents, with beachfront fine eateries just a short distance away from fast food joints well-liked by the area's backpackers.

We proudly offer a premium cuisine created to delight your palate and ensure you have a wonderful dinner that you will want to recommend to your friends and family.

If it's time for lunch or dinner and you're looking for a memorable Italian culinary experience, bear in mind that one of St Kilda Road's favourite Italian restaurants is waiting for you.

For those looking for an authentic Italian dining experience, one of the best-known restaurants on St Kilda Road is the finest option.

We understand that if you're looking for the top restaurants on St Kilda Road, you want a peaceful atmosphere with wonderful food and wine. We take pride in providing a highly seasonal menu that is continually evolving and updated in order to impress our guests.

Dining is a fantastic alternative for a delicious supper. Our dishes are produced with top-quality ingredients chosen by expert chefs and stored fresh and in best circumstances for authentic Italian flavours.

We recognise the significance of high-quality drinks that complement the food you've chosen. As a result, we also provide excellent wines selected by culinary experts to send your taste buds on a flavor-filled voyage.

As one of the best restaurants on St Kilda Road, we also have an upstairs function space that can seat up to 40 people and will be ideal for your next occasion. When organising your next outing, choosing the right venue and great meals is critical.

These are some of Melbourne's best restaurants, when you're looking for a quick post-swim meal or a commemorative dinner with sun setting views of St Kilda Beach.

St Kilda's best restaurants

St Kilda is more than simply backpacker culture and beach vibes. With the renowned St Kilda district steadily reviving, it's simple to see why some of Melbourne's top restaurants are tucked on the beach.

Incredible local produce? Check. While our list is by no means exhaustive, it will allow you to at least dip your toes—pun intended—in some of St Kilda's greatest eateries and broaden your horizons as to what this neighbourhood has to offer.

So, without further ado, here are the top St Kilda restaurants.

Supernormal Canteen

A lack of buzz. It is incompatible with McConnell's restaurant business. It's time to bring in the bagmen as soon as one of his venues falls below a commercial-in-confidence number computed (we're guessing) by squaring the number of people waiting outside with decibels inside and dividing by pi. The old has gone, and the new has here. You wouldn't want to be an elderly dog curled up on this man's hearthrug.

It's been like watching a typical restaurant in slow motion while watching his treatment of this particular property on Fitzroy Street. Golden Fields was the early prototype for Supernormal on Flinders Lane in 2011, followed by the baguette-twirling Luxembourg in 2014, and now the dial has been reset to Supernormal after a three-year autocue for change.

Golden Fields was the birthplace of the New England lobster roll, that wonderful combination of warm brioche and chilled Kewpie mayo-slathered crustacean that generated a thousand UberEats deliveries. It's back with a bang under the Supernormal Canteen brand, adding to our idea that it's a homecoming, right down to how the lobster was always a distraction from the majority of the modern, spare Sino-Japanese menu at Flinders Lane HQ.

It stays at Supernormal Canteen as a result. Compared to its former university, it is more focused on snacks, but the puzzle components are the same. The menu includes the typical dumplings and bao, including options with prawns and chicken and a rough soy sauce-chili sauce with minced scallions.

Along with the same flavour explosion of lamb prepared in the northern Chinese style and bristling toastily with cumin, raw dishes include sweet pink swatches of sea bream with wasabi leaf, a flutter of ginger, and crisp nashi crunch, to fold into weightless pancake pockets with cucumber pickles.

Try the insanely irresistible typhoon housing school shrimp, a Hong Kong original made famous by its overabundance of salt and vinegar, if you're looking for some new dish action. The char siu pork neck comes off the hibachi wood grill and is a tiny dish of suckable sweet, smoky flesh topped only with garlic shoots.

There's a sort of salad with watercress crunch and a large, buttery fillet of John Dory to balance out the dressed-to-the-nines cos leaves with selected spanner crab and a crisp sesame dressing.

Service handles the tempest that descends on the Canteen each evening admirably. These people know when to bring a mean-looking knife to the table to divide a lobster roll between two people (alternatively, use it to despatch your dining compadre before guzzling the whole thing yourself).

Sure, the tick-a-box menu and pictogram drinks list starring easygoing party gear (umeshu Spritz; vodka-mandarin Highball) reduce their responsibilities, but there's a place in heaven reserved for any waiter who automatically adjusts the serve of dumplings to a number evenly divisible by table inhabitants.

The "Canteen" supplement is a cacophony of noise that means nothing. Yes, it's compact while Supernormal CBD is expansive; the lighting lends a comforting amber glow rather than the City's more clinical blue-tinged colours. It is, nevertheless, a canteen in the same way that a Bentley is a car. But let us not argue over names.

Already this year, McConnell's restless energy and aggressive attitude led to the tremendously successful revamp of Cutler & Co. Another victory for Melbourne's McMother of Reinvention, Supernormal Canteen.

Donovans

At the beginning of 2014, a large fire completely destroyed Stokehouse, and 7 months later, a less severe fate befell Donovans. The kitchen was destroyed by the fire started by the charcoal grill, which also rendered the building physically unstable.

While dining any part of the St. Kilda foreshore may make people feel as though they are gambling with their lives, once they are given a seat in the Donovans dining table, which continues to be a sort of Martha Stewart's Cape Cod fantasy, everything is right with the world.

The notable controversy, which cost a million dollars, is barely mentioned. The menu is as well-known as the sandstone fireplace, the pricey colour such as ice blue is still as desirable as ever, and the striped cushions on the lounges are cozy-chic.

In essence, this is the main factor that keeps Donovans relevant today. Although partners Gail and Kevin Donovan's pursuit of fashion would be troubling after two decades, it isn't Melbourne's most fashionable location, and its vibrant, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine isn't threatening to push any boundaries.

And it's quite expensive. The new novelty may, on occasion, lose out to comfort and dependability. And, thank you very much, the Donovans have had enough surprises to last them for the next 20 years.

It's a genuinely enjoyable bundle. The Queensland leader shrimps are split and served simply with herbs and lemon off the chargrill—presumably not the same one that caused all that drama. You can happily consume the shells because they are so delicious.

With a nod to the 1970s and a dash of cheery horseradish crumbs, the gratinating mussels are covered in a creamy sauce flavoured with saffron.

The gooey perfection of veal cheek, served with a caramelised cauliflower gratin puck and macaroni cheese, heralds the coming of the cooler months. Additionally, it is perplexing to see how many plates of fancy seafood and chips, some of Melbourne's best contenders, are being delivered to other tables in bedazzled paper.

Stokehouse

After being completely repaired, revitalised, and restored following the fire that had left a blackened stain on the foreshore for almost three years, Stokehouse revived its doors to let in some fresh St Kilda air.

So, with a slightly reduced menu and a work-in-progress vibe, it's safe to say Stokehouse is not the Stokehouse of the future. For one thing, it'll have a raw bar, albeit in its current unfinished state, it's open to walk-ins who gleefully down absurdly pink drinks on a new balcony overlooking the ocean. Cheap tickets had never looked so amazing.

Pascale Gomes McNabb's design for the restaurant follows the beach shack theme. There are wide rough-sawn boards and tubular glass chandeliers that undulate gently in the breeze this time. The tables are nicely spaced and linen-clad, reminiscent of the old Stokehouse, as do the servers, a full battalion of them, all of whom are uniformly good. Everything is how it should be.

What about the menu? The menu at Stokehouse Mark II features the same combination of tried-and-true classics and slightly edgier Mediterranean cuisine. Executive and head chef, respectively, Richard Ousby and Ollie Hansford, are aware of their clientele and what they desire: steak. Both the crumbed King George whiting with chips and tartare as well as a very good oyster blade with watercress salad and a zesty little sauce are offered.

They also understand that southside tastes differ from more daring seafood meals, so they'll serve canapés like king prawns in a seeded taco shell, which nearly borders on healthiness, and fried oysters adorned with caviar and sauce gribiche, which don't.

Beautiful, just-seared tuna goes semi-raw with whipped wasabi mayo and pickled daikon; a hearty beef tartare with capers, oregano, and puffed buckwheat (standing in for crackers) is smacked with a flavour bomb Vegemite-y black garlic emulsion.

Pontoon

Pontoon is a bar with its priorities straight, as seen by the 18-meter long bar that greets customers as soon as they enter.

Fresh sardines with harissa, a pulled beef brisket toastie with manchego, and grilled king prawns are just a few of the items that may be enjoyed with your hands or as a part of a communal meal.

Wood-fired pizzas are also available, providing the perfect touch of laid-back Mediterranean atmosphere. There is no better way to enjoy a warm summer evening than lounging on the beach.

In reality, Pontoon is a glamorous supermodel posing as a casual beach hut. George Livissianis, whose name is on the hip Sydney hangouts Apollo and the Dolphin Hotel, nailed the decor, which aims for a nautical Scandi aesthetic, with ease.

The strong rope winds around the deck's pillars and points towards the beach, which is only a few metres away. In contrast, the inside is all about texture, from the herringbone pattern of the concrete floor tiles to the honeycomb of rattan that hangs above the long centre bar.

What about seating arrangements? Picnic tables and low banquettes sit besides narrow clusters of tall tables, ideal for striking a pose in your best Mad Men garb.

The Instagram hashtag "40 speakers. DJs. Outdoor deck" perfectly captures the ambience of this place as a buzzing gathering place for people. The menu, which is best described as a haphazard fusion of dishes that float between the Mediterranean and North African spheres, can also be understood using the prism.

The smoked chicken ribcage, doused in a pimento-driven sauce where the chilli moves from a tingling to a wildfire in ten seconds, are incongruous with the whole king prawns reverberating with a sauce of fermented and burned chilli.

Jazzed-up finger foods include sardines, pickled shallot, and harissa stuffed into crisp pastry rafts, and Moroccan-style lamb cigars dipped in labne sauce thick with cumin, coriander, and the sour lemony flutter of sumac.

Chef de cuisine Lance Cameron makes use of a wood-fired grill and oven that is a whopping four metres in length. The spit-roasted, yoghurt-and-herb-rubbed chicken and lamb shoulder are two examples of hero dishes.

Experimenting with the "lighter plates" reveals items that pack a powerful flavour punch, such as charry iceberg lettuce and radicchio in an agrodolce Pedro Ximenez reduction sauce paired with the bold Spanish blue cheese Valdeón. For another example, consider octopus tentacles doused in a fiery salsa Fresca made with fresh herbs.

Cafe Di Stasio

The iconic Café Di Stasio in Melbourne has won numerous accolades.

The intimate and romantic setting created by the Bill Henson artwork and red gazar is perfect for a lavish Italian meal. The freshest homemade pasta, succulent suckling pig, tender saltimbocca, decadent tiramisu, and refreshing zabaglione are only the beginning of a comprehensive menu and wine and drink list that will leave you speechless.

Ichi Ni Izakaya

The location of Ichi Ni Izakaya, which overlooks Port Phillip Bay and the historic St. Kilda Esplanade, is ideal.

You will be spoiled for choice with all of your favourite traditional Japanese dishes available, such as tempura, gyoza, yakitori, sushi, and sashimi. The extensive selection of sake, Japanese beer, exquisite wines, and cocktails at Ichi Ni only adds to the promise of a fantastic evening.

Las Tapas

In addition to serving as a great place to grab a quick bite or a full meal, Las Tapas is also a great place to enjoy a bottle of wine and some excellent company.

The restaurant's menu changes frequently to take advantage of seasonal and locally available ingredients, yet it always manages to impress with its deliciousness. Plus, they have great weekly specials, including a grilled seafood or meat combo and a pitcher of Sangria. Please do so.

Claypots

As far as St. Kilda seafood restaurants go, Claypots is as deserving as any.

It was one of the first restaurants to forgo reservations, so get there early in order to secure a table in the enchanted courtyard with the floating model ships and Melbourne's best seafood.

Fitzrovia

Fitzrovia is expert at maintaining its fashionable atmosphere, and this extends to every detail from the decor to the plating of the food.

No matter if you're hungry for morning tea, lunch, or dinner, Fitzrovia's cuisine will sate your craving for fine dining without breaking the bank. Due to its delectable fare and welcoming atmosphere, this St. Kilda institution is perfect for a romantic evening out..

Mya Tiger

What are you waiting for if you have not yet checked out the Esplanade Hotel's recent renovations?

Sarah Chan, the chief chef of the Espys' famous Mya Tiger restaurant snacks, dumplings and bao, greens, meats, carbs, and desserts round out the menu.

You won't regret sinking into the plush green banquettes in the stunning Mya Tyger cocktail bar.

Cicciolina

Cicciolina, with its laid-back atmosphere and modern furnishings, is a natural pick for a fantastic St. Kilda eatery.

The Cicciolina cuisine, overseen by chef Virginia Redmond since the restaurant's establishment in 1993, features innovative modern Italian dishes made using the finest Melbourne has to offer in terms of seasonal vegetables. Cicciolina's has a wide variety of delicious dishes, from savoury mushroom risotto to tender chargrilled wagyu scotch fillet.

St Luja

St. Luja is a restaurant, drink and whisky bar that rides the upscale wave of Fitzroy St.

Kitchen manager Allison Hartmire (formerly of State of Grace and Mr. Mason) hosts monthly degustations with drinks from the bar. For example, smoked Flinders Island lamb pappardelle with braised shallots, carrot shards, confit garlic puree, and a red wine sauce, and seared scallops with smoked corn puree and toasted brioche crumble. A glass of Laphroaig from the last decade, served on the rocks, helps the whole thing go down easily. Absolutely not to be missed.

Mr Wolf

Pizza connoisseurs in St. Kilda, we have located the place for you: Mr. Wolf.

Karen Martini, owner, chief chef, and culinary star, is responsible for this authentic Italian meal. Mr. Wolf not only has some of the greatest pizzas in Melbourne, but they also have a wine fridge packed with the ideal bottle to pair with your meal.