Melbourne’s laneways and sprawling suburbs hide one of the most exciting, fiercely multicultural food scenes on the planet. Filming No Reservations in 2009, the mission was to explore a city that doesn’t just embrace its immigrant history, but wears it proudly on every menu. Melbourne is internationally revered for its sophisticated coffee culture, but its true culinary strength lies in its diversity—from blazing hot Sichuan joints and Lebanese bakeries to brilliant, avant-garde modern Australian dining. The angle for this trip was to bypass the typical tourist traps and highlight the casual excellence that defines the city. Whether it was eating a late-night kebab on the street or sitting down to a hyper-local, multi-course tasting menu that rivals anything in Europe, the focus was on quality without pretension. If you want to understand the true, dynamic flavor of modern Australia, Melbourne is the absolute starting point. Here are the essential stops to make.
When Anthony Bourdain visited Melbourne on his show No Reservations, he and his crew picked many restaurants. Here are all the addresses and the dishes showcased in a convenient list.
This is No Reservations, season 5, episode 12. It first aired on July 20, 2009.
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DISH – Bratwurst
WHAT IS IT?
They had spicy bratwurst with mustard and sauerkraut.
“Meat in tube form, y’know it’s classic, it–it crosses all borders but this is nice, it’s all chunky and spicy.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Bratwurst Shop & Co
513 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
DISH – “Modern Australian Cuisine”
WHAT IS IT?
First: Local snapper sashimi with lemon myrtle and tasmanian wasabi.
Second: Black oysters with native lime caviar.
Third: Yellowfin tuna with caramelized pork belly, watermelon and herbs.
Fourth: Sea urchin with heirloom tomato and spanner crab vinaigrette.
Fifth: Freshwater lobster with anchovies, sherry and pimento padron.
Sixth: Wild mulloway and bacon broth with clams, romesco and fried zucchini blossom.
Seventh: Wagyu brisket with bone marrow.
“This…is too much of a good thing. Fatty beef, bone marrow and toast and sea urchin in one meal? I am a happy man.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Half Moon
120 Church St, Brighton VIC 3186, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
DISH – “Lebanese Baked Goods”
WHAT IS IT?
They had Lebanese pizza made of spinach, ground lamb, sumac and Za’atar made of thyme, sesame seeds and salt.
“Spicy herb-y. This is really delicious, very tasty.”
WHERE IS IT?
A1 Bakery
643-645 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia
Brunswick, Australia
DISH – Kebab
WHAT IS IT?
They had kebab.
“How do you begin to rate the great culinary centers of the world? You walk out the door down the street and have a kebab man. And in Melbourne, the cheap stuff you pickup on the go is simply on another level.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Town Hall Kebab
154 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia
Brunswick, Australia
NOTES
Unfortunately, this restaurant has since closed its doors.
READ MORE: MALAYSIA: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON NO RESERVATIONS
DISH – Apéritif
WHAT IS IT?
They had Apéritif an alcoholic beverage served before a meal to stimulate the appetite.
WHERE IS IT?
The Alderman
134 Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC 3057, Australia
Brunswick, Australia
DISH – “French Inspired Cooking” – No Reservations Melbourne
WHAT IS IT?
First: Lamb brains.
Second: Sweet softshell prawns fried in the shell.
Third: Marinated barbecue quail and lamb ribs.
Fourth:
“Delicate, subtlely flavored and cooked to a ethereal perfection.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Rumi Brunswick
116 Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC 3057, Australia
Brunswick, Australia
DISH – “Sichuan Dishes” – Anthony Bourdain Melbourne
WHAT IS IT?
They had Sichuan chicken, pork heart and tongue and cumin-flavored pork,
“You actually forget you’re in the bustling urban center of Melbourne, you’re somewhere else. Riding wave after wave of flavor into another dimension.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Dainty Sichuan
237 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
DISH – “Best Australian Food” – No Reservations Melbourne
WHAT IS IT?
First: Sardines with jamon, radish and smoked tuna.
Second: Summer vegetables with shoots, leaves and flowers.
Third: Egg yolk with toasted rye, legumes and yeast.
Fourth: Calamari with black cream, carrot and cardamom.
Fifth: Kingfish with cucumber, wild rice and saffron.
Sixth: Pegion with beet root, white chocolate and rose.
Seventh: Lamb with green shallots, sheep’s milk, licorice and wine.
Eighth: Apple with triple cream caramel and chamomile.
Ninth: Pistachio hazelnut and honeycomb with chocolate.
Tenth: Fig leaves served with fresh and dried berries.
“Absolutely extraordinary, one of the best meals in the world.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld
98 Parker St, Dunkeld VIC 3294, Australia
Dunkeld, Australia
READ MORE: ANTHONY BOURDAIN SYDNEY : ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED ON A COOK’S TOUR
Melbourne consistently impressed Bourdain, standing as proof that a city can offer world-class, intellectually stimulating food without the suffocating snobbery often found elsewhere. He admired the fact that the locals expect excellence just as much from a corner kebab stand as they do from a fine-dining institution. This episode is historically significant for highlighting the seamless integration of global flavors—Middle Eastern, Asian, and European—that create the distinct, modern Australian palate. It served as a love letter to the city’s unassuming brilliance and its thriving immigrant communities. The legacy left here is a reminder that the best dining cities are the ones that never stop evolving. Next time you find yourself Down Under, grab a flat white, wander the laneways, and eat bravely.
