Every time I return to Melbourne, I am reminded that great restaurant cities are not defined by hype alone, but by how they make you feel. Right now, Melbourne feels magnetic and deeply connected to the people and produce that shape its tables. Chefs are cooking more personally than ever, and from beautifully restrained neighbourhood restaurants to ambitious destination dining, Melbourne and its regions are once again reminding the world that hospitality, when done exceptionally well, is as much about emotion as it is about food.

The talk of the town is owner-chef Tom Sarafian’s newly opened Zareh on Smith St in Collingwood. Just over six months in, it has fast become one of the hottest meals in town, with reservations booked out weeks in advance. Grab a seat at the counter and immediately order the Arak Martini from a cocktail list that has a huge focus on the aniseed-flavoured spirit of Lebanon. As a seasoned martini drinker, I took my first sip with more than a hint of hesitation, but the surprise was in the restraint – it’s bright, cold and super-fresh with a delicate herbal lift, yet still retains the clarity of a traditional martini.

A little bit Armenian, a little bit Lebanese, a little bit Egyptian and a whole lot sensational, the dishes at Zareh are literally on fire, thanks to the charcoal grill and wood-fired oven that dominate the open kitchen running half the length of the room. Get ready for a tightly edited collection of plates that each deserve their own moment. Kafta Nayyeh arrives as diced, spiced raw lamb with fresh radish and fried pita dusted in sumac, followed by Tom’s insanely good hummus with a toum-and-chilli-spiked sauce of king prawns and crab. A superb chicken kebab carries those deep savoury edges that only an onion juice marinade and live fire can create, and the batata harra could possibly be the most life-changing roast spuds on the planet. They’re layered with toum and harissa, each one boiled, crisped and finally roasted over fire to create an irresistible crunch. To finish, a pistachio mafroumah – a stunning honey ice cream sando with a beetroot, carrot and rose jam surprise hiding in the centre.

The pace is full-on in a tiny kitchen that demands a perfectly choreographed performance and, from my front-row seat at the pass, I was struck by Tom’s knack for delivering every order with a gentle “please” and “thank you” to his team. zareh.com.au

ARU I wasn’t sure what to expect from Aru on Little Collins St. What I found was a thoughtfully designed space and a coming together of Native Australian and Asian influences that felt carefully polished by an elegant, wise and easygoing soul. Clothed in muted greys and browns brought to life with textures of marble, wood, terracotta and sandstone, with a blazing wood-fired hearth and leather banquettes divided by chainmail curtains, Aru is a bold statement in modern dining, yet one delivered with remarkable warmth and restraint. Head chef Nico Koevoets and his team are driven by a deep respect for fire-led cooking, while ferments and dry-ageing techniques bring added depth, complexity and quiet intensity to the menu. Start with small bites in the form of yellowfin tuna on fried rice noodles, with red radish, shiso and Yarra Valley caviar. Triumphant lamb spring rolls with onion relish and sambal emulsion sit alongside a bowl of summer tomatoes with mapo dressing, fresh ricotta and crispy chickpeas. On to the shared plates, with the signature claypot broken rice housing braised pork cheek, king brown mushrooms and ohhhhhh that golden egg yolk waiting to be stirred into the flavour-packed rice beneath. Papaya, jalapeño nahm jim, desert lime and blistered tomatoes arrive at the same time as the most sensational dry-aged duck with wood-fired mustard greens. To finish, a caramelised Basque-style cheesecake, yuzu curd and a delicate cardamom and lime diplomat cream are layered between sheets of flaky puff pastry in the style of a mille-feuille and topped with jasmine milk tea ice cream, pineapple gel and shiso.

There is theatre at Aru, certainly, but absolutely no ego. Instead, there’s a quiet and graceful confidence that runs through the room, leaving you feeling grounded and yet excited.

REINE & LA RUE Once home to Melbourne’s stock exchange, the 1890s Cathedral Room of Reine & La Rue at 380 Collins St is truly a magnificent dining space. Soaring vaulted ceilings, Gothic detailing, stained glass, solid limestone walls and spectacular granite columns induce a feeling that you have stepped into another era entirely, one where grandeur, romance and theatre still hold enormous value. Yet, once I settled in, despite its scale and history, the room did not feel intimidating. Culinary director Michael Greenlaw and his team deliver a substantial menu of fabulous French classics and my eyes lingered on hot-smoked Ōra King salmon, pickled golden beets and oyster mayonnaise, a scallop choucroute with smoked sausage and fermented radish, or wood-fired calamari with vadouvan butter, crispy shallot and lime. Having already ordered the jewel from their sea collection – the southern rock lobster cocktail – I moved on to my main: the warm savoury clouds of gnocchi Parisienne, which carried the deep comfort of cep and duxelles and an almost balsamic-like black garlic with a nutty, silky Comté to bind. For dessert, the iconic Paris-Brest was tempting, but an intriguing frozen coconut meringue with fruit vert and honeydew sorbet ultimately won me over and arrived like a cool and fragrant exhale at the end of a richly layered meal. The price of a meal at this 2-hatted restaurant has been much discussed by media and, yes, the caviar service can set you back as much as A$450 for 30g of Kaluga. With snacks ranging from A$12–$15, entrées starting at A$28, mains sitting between A$46 and A$98, and the 600g Westholme wagyu coming off the grill at A$190, you will want to feel impressed, and can trust that you will.

As you would expect, the wine list showcases some of the best in the world, and a trusty Coravin means you can try some of the more exclusive wines by the glass. reineandlarue.melbourne

GIMLET Andrew McConnell’s Gimlet in Cavendish House on Russell Street is sharp in its edgy, perceptive, pointed delivery of indulgence on every level. Gimlet is full-tilt nostalgia and glamour, yet also a glimpse of the future, driven by a team that absolutely knocked it out of the park. Enter Ari Vlassopoulos, my waiter that afternoon, who was truly standing in my corner, anticipating my needs and making me feel seen and cared for – Gimlet’s secret weapon when it comes to building a stellar customer relationship. Taking advantage of this personal masterclass, I started with a Tommy’s Marg – Don Julio Blanco, a whole mandarin, lime and agave – and I did not look back. Head chef Colin Mainds delivers an outstanding menu that is European in tradition, Australian in flavour and future-forward in technique. Gnocco fritto with bresaola and parmesan led the snacks, followed by a perfect skewer of raw tuna, scallop and red prawn sitting on a mini pool of sauce vierge, and an anchovy toast topped with a bullhorn pepper bringing up the rear. While discovering a delicious new label from a top Aussie viti with a glass of De La Bêche High-Density Aligoté, my Corner Inlet calamari with celery heart and a vibrant picada verda was its own masterclass in restraint, heightened by a side serve of heritage tomato, soft curds, basil and fennel seeds. Coming within a week of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, this was all I needed, but I will be back for the rock flathead with pipis, tarragon and vermouth sauce and what looked like an exceptional Comté tart. And, of course, I needed to save room for a spectacular mille-feuille layered with fresh figs and fig jam seasoned with muscat, slathered with layers of whipped crème fraîche and vanilla diplomat, and served with fig-leaf gelato. gimlet.melbourne

Having ‘canapés in the garden’ can take on a whole new meaning with chef Robin Wickens. As I wondered about logistics – the garden is a four-minute drive from the restaurant – I realised the clever snacks had arrived on a 3D-printed plate in the exact shape of his famous garden, which is among the largest working kitchen gardens in Australia. One of the most exceptional wine lists in the country, with the largest collection of Bordeaux and Burgundy in the Southern Hemisphere, is also a glorious excuse to travel to this two-hatted destination fine-diner. Ultimately, chef Robin plays a serious game when it comes to fresh produce: summer gazpacho comes with his riff on a Ryvita, topped with deliciously dressed spanner crab and toasted pepitas; there’s a mille-feuille of zucchini with zucchini flower and marjoram; wood-grilled dory is served alongside a signature ratatouille and basil purée with black olive; and Royal Mail beef comes with Roscoff onion, barbecued ox tongue, warrigal greens and sancho pickle.

Staff are highly polished and the flavours are bold and adventurous. In fact, our eight-course menu showcased elements of France, Spain, Thailand, Korea and Mexico, while firmly grounded in Dunkeld, Victoria. With his name on the front door and his mark on every aspect of the Wickens experience, every dish feels meticulous and delivered with the quiet confidence of a chef at the height of his craft. royalmail.com.au

Nothing demonstrates a food-and-drink story better than a deep sense of place, and for Brae, if I had to choose one word, it would be “considered”. It’s a smoothly orchestrated culinary and cultural experience curated by founders Dan Hunter and Julianne Bagnato, who have considered absolutely everything. The best way to start is to book a stroll through the thriving garden with head gardener Jodie Lawson. The land surrounding Brae is managed using regenerative farming techniques and produces much of the food that you will eat, and although evidence of talent and creativity is certainly on each plate in this 3-hatted restaurant, once you spend some time with Jo, you will understand that creativity and care must start well before the food reaches the kitchen.

The beautifully restored 19th-century cottage is elegant and calm, and flooded with soft natural light from windows that offer glimpses of the glorious garden. Beautifully paced, the tasting menu offers nine courses that showcase some of the best cooking you will find in Australia, and where head of development and creativity Damien Neylon works alongside Dan and head chef Jason White to ensure that their offering remains anchored by creativity, sustainability, consistency and excellence. Restaurant manager Alex Casey runs a floor that is tightly synchronised and, together with excellent head sommelier Lyndal Taylor, ensures the team presents an experience that is outstanding. Every tiny detail is indeed considered.

The autumn lunch menu begins with a delicate chilled broth of apple and lemon myrtle, alongside a potato gem with lovage and aged mountain tomme that is paired with a “Wild Cider”. Wild-caught Spencer Gulf prawns have a light kombu cure, then sit on a smooth, tangy cultured citrus cream dotted with oil of tarragon, shiso and lovage, while alongside sits a jewel-like tart of pickled Tokyo turnip and preserved bullhorn peppers. These intricate courses continue to build to the classic Brae dessert, the half-time (choc) orange – an ode to the oranges enthusiastically dispersed to Aussie kids during their sports breaks – where the skin of the half orange is layered with marmalade and the most sensational burnt orange cream and topped with a pumpkin and cocoa granita. The finale is a crisp golden shell of parsnip filled with a mousse of parsnip purée, autumn apple purée and pure cream.

It’s not mandatory to stay the night at Brae, but here is where your experience will come full circle. A night in one of the luxurious suites will entail a brilliantly (and lightly) designed dinner, a record player and an eclectic collection of vinyl designed for you to while away the evening as the Birregurra sunset quietly slips away. braerestaurant.com