12 romantic restaurants for date night in Melbourne

For bespoke cocktails with dazzling skyline views, head to The Cloakroom in Southbank. Zoom up the elevator up to the 46th floor of the Shadow Play building, and you’ll find a sleek, 40-seat space with terrazzo floors, custom furniture, and friendly bartenders. Get acquainted with your date over drinks from a cocktail menu that prioritises premium spirits and fresh ingredients, such as Gabriella’s Punch (house rum, strawberry, and Champagne acid) or Silhouette (whiskey, shiitake, umeshu, and bitters). The Cloakroom Bar also serves a seasonal menu of bar snacks for a bite to accompany your drinks.

Pair the terms “late night” and “cheese bar”, and you have a match made in heaven, aka Milk the Cow. With outposts in St Kilda and Carlton, the licensed fromagerie, offers choose-your-own cheese boards from 180 varieties. A range of boutique beverages such as sparkling wine and whiskey pair well with the snacks. If you’d rather just focus on your date and leave the decisions to someone else, the resident cheesemongers can curate a custom board for you.

Just a stone’s throw from busy Smith street, Mono XO transports diners to the alleyways of Tokyo, courtesy of chef Sam Stafford’s Japanese-influenced small plates. Creations such as sweet and sour pork jowl yakitori, fish tartare with pomelo ponzu, and prawn toast with spanner crab all make inventive meals. The drinks list, composed by co-owner and winemaker Andy Buchan, spotlights natural wine from small local producers. Comfortable couches, warm lighting, and just 22 seats make it a natural get-to-know-you spot.

Oster in Richmond was made for levelling up your next special occasion. The restaurant’s chic interiors feature concrete finishes and low-hanging pendant lights that evoke the menu’s northern Italian focus. Expect imaginative starters such as yellowfin tuna crudo alongside larger dishes of handmade pasta with braised beef ragu. To drink, there’s an Italian-leaning cocktail list featuring standouts such as an olive martini and bergamot negroni, as well as an all-Australian wine list with a biodynamic focus.

With moody lighting and warm wooden interiors, The Alps Wine bar is a cosy setting for a recurring date night. Featuring a 400-plus strong wine library stocked with bottles from the regions around the European Alps (and a rotating list of 20 available by the glass), there is always a new drop to sample here. The bites are snacky, with seafood-forward options including oysters, anchovies, and pickled mussels, meaning you can linger without feeling stuffed.

Creative dishes from various parts of South America make Tino, a modern Latin American spot, worth returning to for multiple dates. Sip on a pisco sour or choose from local and international wines and beers as you browse a stellar tapas lineup featuring confit duck arepitas, chorizo with marinated peppers, and beef tartare topped with morita salsa, avocado crema, and saltbush. Tino’s intimate interiors and relaxed service set the tone for an easygoing but special evening.

For an unforgettable group get-together, look no further than Mesa Verde, a bright and lively restaurant inside the Art Nouveau Curtin House in Melbourne’s CBD. Offering boundary-pushing Mexican fare and an agave-focused drinks list, Mesa Verde’s menu is sure to serve as a conversation starter for you and your crew. Kick things off with mezcal martinis and oysters before moving on to smaller share plates, such as guacamole with totopos (a Zapotec riff on tortilla chips) and char-grilled asparagus with smoked sunflower mole. If your group is extra hungry, there are heartier plates to choose from, such as lamb ribs with fennel and apple slaw.

Yagiz in South Yarra was made for food-centric group hangs. Go for the traditional Turkish fare, served family style. Start with dips such as topik (chickpeas, pinenuts, and cinnamon), served with housemade Turkish bread. Then feast on fried eggplant, saganaki, charcoal calamari, and steak, accompanied by heirloom tomato and feta salad. To drink, there’s a large selection of raki (a Turkish grape and aniseed liqueur), plus European, Middle Eastern and Australian wine and classic cocktails. To that, add live traditional music on Wednesday nights, and you’ve got all the components for a memorable Turkish bash with friends.

Flovie, a destination cafe like no other, is one of Carlton’s quirkiest restaurants, ideal for a breakfast or brunch date. To enter, pass through a florist frontage featuring unique arrangements and into a transportive dining space that centres around a grand piano. Enjoy the Asian-fusion menu featuring daytime hits such as manganola (homemade mango yoghurt with granola and seasonal fruit) and a Tokyo lobster roll. Be sure to impress your date by grabbing a bouquet of freshly cut blooms on your way out.

It’s tough to beat the awe-inspiring views at Trofeo Estate, which overlook 50 acres of scenic vineyards down the Mornington Peninsula. Begin your adventure here with a cellar-door tasting from the largest producer of terracotta amphora wine in the Southern hemisphere before settling into the restaurant. Hatted chef Steve Davidson’s set menu showcases local and seasonal produce, featuring dishes such as charred leeks, honey and whipped ricotta, and confit duck with kipfler potatoes, green beans, and walnuts. Wine is the scene-stealer here, so consider a glass of the Estate’s pinot noir, chardonnay, or shiraz.

The stately Lancemore Mansion Hotel setting makes a splashy setting to woo a loved one. The property’s flagship restaurant is dressed in white linen, with heavy cutlery and sparkling stemware, perfect for the ultimate Champagne toast. Treat yourself—and someone special—to a seasonal four- or six-course tasting menu featuring doppio ravioli filled with lemon thyme ricotta and pumpkin, lamb rump with Dutch carrots and turnips, and sheep yoghurt and blackberry cremeux for dessert. Toast your momentous occasion with one of the 200 bottles on Joseph’s extensive wine list or opt for the sommelier’s pairing.