Recomendations of good restuarants and cafes in Melbourne?

[AnxiousMum]

Hi All,

Am interested to find out if anyone can recommend good restaurants and cafes in Melbourne and the Mornington areas? Child friendly would be an advantage too.

Happy Christmas to all:emoticon-signxmas:

[Petals]

Its difficult to recommend restaurants and cafes as we like different things. For instance Iike going to the pub for a steak my friend likes to hang out with the latte crowd in cafes eating cake. If you asked my daughter she would recommend the Japanese restaurant in Mornington. Others like the Rocks, however there are a lot of cafes in Mornington I think every third shop is one. There are lots of restaurants in the area as well depending on the budget. The pub is good for families and the meals are nice, the Tanti has nice meals in Mornington. Steeples also has nice meals but you need to book as its very popular same with the Tanti.

Willow Creek Winery Salix is a lovely restaurant but in Red Hill.

Once you arrive you will find your niche.

[treesea]

Wood fired pizzas - Blue Train cafe, on the south bank of the Yarra, across from the CBD
Lebanese - Cafe Abla, 109 Elgin Street, Carlton

Middle Eastern style meat pizzas - A1 Middle Eastern Bakery, west side of Sydney road, Brunswick. Big double fronted shop, also has Middle Eastern grocery

Mexican - Amigos, 478 Chapel street, South yarra (next to the Jam Factory - a big entertainment precinct)

Vegetarian - Soul Food cafe, Smith Street, Collingwood

Brunch on Sundays - The Fitz cafe, 347 brunswick Street, Fitzroy

Yum Cha - Tai Pan, 239 Blackburn Road, Doncaster East. I wouldn't eat a la carte here - just yum cha at lunchtime

Smorgasbord - The Sheraton, on the South Bank, opposite the CBD

Yum Cha - Shark Fin House, 131 Little Bourke Street. Good food, though the service is a bit slack and rude.

Wiener Schnitzel and chocolate mousse, Tiamo's Lygon Street, Carlton (near the north end of the street, approximately opposite the cinema Nova) - I don't miss Melbourne's weather, but OH, how I MISS the food....

Turkish - Alasya, 555 Sydney Road, Brunswick

Fish and Chips - well, this could be a bit of a trek - but.... Fed-Up fish cafe, 1571 Point Nepean Road, Rosebud West, yes, that's the one, way down on the Mornington Penisula, for those of you who have made the trek. Not cheap, but super yummy.
Closer to the CBD, for takeaway fish and chips, south Melbourne Fish and Chip shop, at 360 Clarendon street, South melbourne (the main shopping street), do a pretty good nosh.
On the north side, on Queens Parade, in Clifton Hill, there is also a god wet fish shop which serves up pretty memorable fish and chips.

Steak - though the fish is meant to be good here, but I always had steak - Mediterraneo Grill, 116 Bridport Street, Albert Park

Vietnamese - Pho Tam, Level 1, Lleds St (cnr Ryan Street) Footscray - The most incredible Vietnamese beef soup and the spring rolls are completely delicious....

Italian - Arrivederci, 191 Nicholson Street, Carlton. Not cheap, but heaven on a plate....
Italian but at more budget prices, Carpaccios, 404 Queens Parade, Clifton Hill

Malaysian - Omah's, 136 rouse Street, Prot melbourne. Best beef rendang in Melbourne...
Malaysian - Penang Coffee House, 549 Burwood Road, Hawthorn - I recommend their Char Kway Teow, Ice Chendol, and the Penang laksa. This is, imho, the best place to eat Penang Laksa in Melbourne.

Coffee and cake, Brunetti's, Faraday Street, Carlton (off Lygon street)