• First look: Brico, a slick wine bar from a hospo dream team with experience including Bar Liberty, Public Wine Shop, London’s P Franco and Bright, opens in Carlton North.

• First look: Chef Aaron Turner’s Geelong fine diner Igni reopens as casual Thai barbeque joint Songbird.

• First look: Two Bar Romanee alums open Nina’s Bar & Dining in Brunswick, bringing dishes like pork cutlet dripping in bacon glaze and a honey cake that makes good use of the upstairs beehive.

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• First look: The new Johnny’s Green Room opens with Italian snacks by Karen Martini and “spritzy and smashable” cocktails from Matt Bax.

• First look: Brunswick’s black-coffee-only spot Disciple Roasters gets a milk-focused neighbour in Kohi No Deshi.

• First look: There are already lines down the block for Genovese-style focaccia and Roman Empire sandwiches at new south-side focaccia bakery Zita’s.

• First look: Historic Hawthorn East pub The Auburn Hotel’s $4.3 million expansion.

• First look: Collingwood’s historic Albion Hotel is revived by the brains behind Bodriggy Brewing.

• First look: From late-night discos to the Italian coast, it’s a new era for Fitzroy’s Gertrude Hotel.

• First look: UGO Burrata Bar, a new shop where the divisive blob is served in a bagel, on a piece of toast, as part of a caprese salad and even for dessert, opens at the South Melbourne Market.

• First look: The Tuck Shop team opens a Fitzroy North location for its American ice-cream shop, Sundae School.

• First look: Line up for lobster bisque ramen at South Yarra’s new casual corner restaurant Snow Monkey.

• First look: Find $12.50 omurice and bustling Japanese nightlife energy at Tokyo Motto in the CBD.

• First look: Jeff Koons balloon dog cakes, surrealist mandarin entremet and more playful desserts at Le Yeahllow in the CBD.

• First look: Kori Ice-Cream’s new CBD store has Japanese-inspired scoops made by an ex-Tonka pastry chef and a vending machine filled with ice-cream pints.

• First look: Check out the baked goods at The Library Bakery, a tiny Korean- and French-inspired bakery from the Baguette Studios team.

• First look: Ceree is a light-filled spot bringing home-style Filipino dishes like silog and lumpia to the CBD.

• First look: It’s “no panini, no party” at Hawthorn’s new pint-sized spot Piccolo Panini Bar.

• First look: Preston Market favourite, boulangerie Publique, opens its second store after 12 years in business – this time at the Queen Vic Market. There are ceiling-high shelves stacked with loaves and bow-shaped laminated pastries.

• First look: Hawthorn favourite Supernova Coffee moves to a sleek new CBD spot, with topnotch sangas by the resident “sandwich king”.

• The Saint Hotel in St Kilda reopens as Saint George, with Karen Martini onboard as culinary director. Expect Martini’s bistecca alla Fiorentina from the grill, and snacky dishes and pub-style plates like fried-fish burgers and tubettoni bolognaise from the tavern.

• Collingwood’s new Jollygood Diner marries the Melbourne wine bar with American diner culture.

• This new casual CBD spot has three-for-$15 onigiri made using a special machine from Japan, plus tofu doughnuts and sake.

• Doju, a sophisticated new Korean diner in the CBD from chef Mika Chae, is serving charcoal-fired lamb, bite-sized banchan and Aussie seafood.

• The Cinema Nova team opens Fomo Cinemas, a new dine-in movie theatre in East Brunswick Village.