The 16 Best Things We Ate in Melbourne in 2024

Whenever I put together a list like this, I wish there were an easy way to know how many bowls of noodles, scoops of ice-cream or pieces of perfectly proofed sourdough slathered with butter the Broadsheet Melbourne team has been lucky enough to try over the year. I’m no actuary, but given how often the team is out and about – and how much we love the city’s great restaurants, bakeries and bars – I’d guess it’s in the thousands.

From a balanced beef pho to a bag of beans, here are the best things we ate in 2024.

Everything bagel with whipped Schulz Dairy quark, honey and olive oil, Masses Bagels

The homesick American in me is relentlessly hunting for the perfect bagel. One fateful Saturday, pausing for a bite at Carlton Farmers Market, it found me. This wild-fermented bad boy ticked all my boxes – chewy dough with a caramel crust; drippy, decadent spread; and a salty-sweet kick. I demolished it ungracefully, sticky up to my elbows and sporting a seedy-toothed grin. Big call, but it might even replace the New York version in my bagel dreams.

– Lily Davidson, acting directory editor

Bag of beans, Miznon

Miznon’s Collingwood outpost serves a bag of green beans. Glistening in a generous pour of olive oil, these crunchy, vibrant legumes – which change seasonally through snake, yellow, snow pea, snap and sprouts – challenge the humble chip’s reign. With just a sprinkle of salt, you’re reminded: sometimes, it’s the simple things that shine brightest.
– Lucy Matthews, senior video producer

Photography: Ashley Ludkin

White pozole, El Columpio

Few, if any other, places in Melbourne serve this deeply fortifying Mexican soup. I fell in love at first slurp. Owner-chef Ricardo Garcia Flores makes his grandmother’s Oaxacan recipe. He simmers garlic, onion, hominy (nixtamalised dried corn), pork shoulder and chicken for four hours to make the broth. It’s finished with freshening lettuce, onion, red radish and Mexican oregano, plus a burn-y house-made salsa of piquin, arbol and guajillo chillies.
– Nick Connellan, Australia editor

Turkish doughnuts, Turkish Donut at Queen Victoria Market

My appreciation for the Turkish doughnuts at Queen Vic was more of a slow burn than a fast love. It started with one dark chocolate and pistachio number on my way through the market halls, which paired nicely with my black coffee.

Eventually, I was getting two (sometimes three) and taking them to picnics and home to housemates. These doughnuts are baked fresh daily by chef Mustafa – as the sign tells me – and have a crispy golden shell but a syrupy, squishy interior. They’re topped with chocolate and nuts or, otherwise enjoyed plain. Chef Mustafa occasionally shares stories about his night shift as a security guard, which makes me even more grateful that he’s getting up at market hours for these treats. They’re an indulgent and comforting joy, and I look forward to them more and more each market visit.
– James Williams, creative solutions manager

Beef pho, Good Days Noodle Bar

As a seasoned pho enthusiast, I have to say the beef pho at Good Days Noodle Bar in Brunswick stands out and has become my favourite. The beef pho – renowned for its Black Angus brisket, tender topside and rich marrow – arrives in a perfectly balanced portion, with a deep, flavourful broth and a side of spicy chilli sauce that adds just the right kick.
– Sebastian Pasinetti, contributor

Photography: Casey Horsfield

Strawberry jelly pannacotta, Joy Jaune

I wrote an essay about how much I love this Preston Market stall dessert, and I’ve still got more to say. Often it’s the simple things that are the hardest to pull off. But pastry chef and owner Joey Leung nails it every time. I like the strawberry jelly – which is made with market fruit and a perfect level of sweetness – so much that I’ve asked Leung to make me a pannacotta-free version. But I have to admit, when it’s mixed with the creamy base, the dessert becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

– Audrey Payne, Melbourne food & drink editor

Dao Xiao Mian Noodles, Dao Noodle

I have a thing for noodles, and the knife-cut noodles with chicken gravy at Dao are a complete bowl of belly-hugging goodness. The noodles have the irresistible QQ chew factor, and each bite is infused with the familiar, comforting essence of a charcoal chicken shop. Each strand is sliced from a loaf of dough with a moon-shaped knife, creating noodles that are thick in the middle and thin at the edges – perfect for soaking up all that gravy. Drizzle on some of Dao’s secret green chilli sauce and pair it with a shot of Fenjiu to truly feel alive.

– Tri Nguyen, senior creative solutions manager

Jollof rice with chicken and plantain, Bibi’s Kitchen

In June, I accepted a friend’s vague invitation to what was described as Bibi’s Kitchen Pop-up, an all-you-can-eat Nigerian dining experience in an undisclosed Richmond location.

I entered the event ready to accept whatever came my way, but I didn’t expect the food to stop me in my tracks. The highlight was the incredible mixed plate of spiced chicken and stewed black-eyed peas on a bed of jollof, topped with rich tomato gravy and perfect caramelised plantains.
– Quincy Malesovas, contributor

Mousse au chocolate, Chauncy

Remember the choccy mousse of the noughties? It was typically delivered in those plastic martini glasses that would sit in the bistro fridge for long enough that it started to taste like the lemon drizzle cake sitting beside it. It was feeble in both colour and flavour. The chocolate mousse from destination diner Chauncy shares none of those characteristics. It’s thick and fluffy and rich and creamy – and the sweetness is leveled with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. It’s extra delightful when enjoyed in the sunny courtyard.
– Stephanie Vigilante, head of social media

Naarm mushrooms, Mabu Mabu Big Esso

Our server gushed about this one particular item, saying the team often fights to take home any leftovers. The oyster mushrooms were so tender, tantalising and unami-forward, and deep-fried leaves pulled the entire dish together. Mabu Mabu’s menus are seasonal and they hero local produce, so I haven’t been able to secure its Naarm mushrooms dish again (but here’s hoping it comes back next autumn).
– Maggie Zhou, fashion editor at large

Biscoff brioche loaf, Amann patisserie

Amann says it’s all about the classics, but the bakery’s original creations hit hardest for me. King of them all is this palm-sized brioche disc with deep divots on top. Inside each divot is a blob of gooey Biscoff. The Biscoff is much too sweet; the brioche not sweet enough. Together they’re a perfectly balanced whole best enjoyed with a palate-refreshing black coffee between bites.
– Nick Connellan, Australia editor

Photography: Courtesy of Baker Bleu

Cinnamon rolls, Baker Bleu

My Saturday morning ritual is running to Baker Bleu and picking up a cinnamon roll. And it’s incredibly motivational. It’s famous for its sourdough loaves, but the cinnamon roll is a brioche-based delight. The bun is mothered in cinnamon glaze and unravels to reveal fragrant cinnamon sugar between layers of soft, pillowy brioche. Honestly, I can’t think of a better post-run reward.
– Irene Zhang, contributor

Sarciado, Fowles Wine

It’s worth the drive up to Avenel for some authentic Filipino flavours from chef Michelle Capuso made with the best Victorian produce. Sarciado is a tomato and egg fish dish that reminds me of my lola’s cooking and brings back memories of when life was idyllic; it reminds me of salu-salo (get together) with family and friends. You can request fresh chillies to give this dish a bit of a kick.
– Raine Laysco, contributor

Tawny port and prune, and malted vanilla and fennel ice-cream, Fluffy Torpedo

One chilly August eve, I wandered into Fluffy Torpedo and ordered two fat scoops: tawny port and prune on top of a velvety malted vanilla and fennel.
Each flavour could confidently headline, but this specific combination was crazy good. It is equal parts rich, boozy, comforting and sophisticated – like a sneaky Christmas tipple with the grandparents from Gilmore Girls.
– Sandra Tan, contributor

Vongole, pork sausage, fregola and cime di rapa, Embla

I love it when someone orders for the table and everyone else can just enjoy what comes. So it went on a recent visit to Embla. The conversation was in full flight, and none of us, including the guy who ordered, was paying too much attention to what we were eating. Then one bite stopped my brain – a jumble of bitter leafy greens, al dente fregola, crumbled pork sausage and chewy vongole, all slicked with the briny, oceanic funk of fish stock. “Ah”, I registered with huge satisfaction, “it’s that dish Embla gave us for our new cookbook.”
– Nick Connellan, Australia editor

Prawn toast,Yum Sing House

I think about the prawn toast at Yum Sing House too much. It’s crunchy on the outside, juicy and fragrant on the inside. The prawn cutlet is minced with ginger and coriander root and it’s finished with tobiko mayo, curry leaves and Yarra Valley caviar. It’s an absolute mouthful of goodness.
– Jo Rittey, contributor