Melbourne has so many fabulous restaurants, this is a handful I visited in January 2020 with my twins, which we all enjoyed.
Best bit for kids: Diverse menu with gorgeous pastas.
Best bit for grown ups: The gorgeous waiters and doormen who know how to treat customers with respect and style.
Best Age For Kids To Be To Enjoy It: Above 4
The best thing about this outstanding Italian Restaurant is the staff and the way they treat kids – we were able to sit at the bar and have snacks and drinks, whilst watching the barmen and the waiters hustle and bustle about.
The restaurant is divided into 3 sections, a restaurant, large bar and bar/restaurant area at the other end, so you can be casual or more formal depending on your mood.
This classy restaurant just celebrated 25 years in business, so this is a Melbourne institution, and definitely my favourite Italian spot in the trendy European-style city. What a relief to be able to bring the kids.
Everything on the menu is delicious, and high-end Italian, from simple but perfectly flash-fried calamari to lobster pasta and perfectly cooked duck, but it is the service that pushes it to the next level.
Best bit for Kids: The quality of the steak, the vibe and friendly staff. Some of the best dessert we have ever had included a deconstructed these cake with dry ice smoke.
Best for grown ups: Superb food, amazing wines by the glass and cocktails.
Best Age For Kids To Be To Enjoy It: Above 8
QT is a pretty sexy, dark and sophisticated place to have dinner, so wasn’t my first thought when I was with my kids, but they rated it one their favourites during a recent Melbourne trip.
The food is out of this world, and so well presented. There is an amazing grill with melt in the mouth steaks, fish dishes, duck, and a large list of creative, fresh, entrees.
The waiters were helpful and insisted we didn’t over-order, and thankfully we saved room for dessert, which was the highlight.
Just a gorgeous place to hang out, a win/win for all of us.
Pretty Boy Italian Restaurant and Steakhouse
Best bit for kids: The huge menu which included so many great entrees, and we loved the desserts.
Best bit for grown ups: Very high-quality wines by the glass, and Kobi steak, a real treat.
Best Age For Kids To Be To Enjoy It: Any age
I freaked out when I realised this was in the Novotel hotel and almost cancelled as I thought it would be down-market, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Dark floorboards, couches and tables, a large bar to eat at as well as natural light make this a fun but elegant restaurant to relax and enjoy some amazing Italian food.
The kids tried fried zucchini flowers for the first time as well as figs wrapped in prosciutto with gorgonzola which they loved Our waiter was genuinely Italian and passivate about everything we ordered.
Desserts were not amazing, but everything else was, so we would go back.
Best Bit For Kids: Sitting at the bar watching the action like grown ups
Best bit for grown ups: The cocktail list and experimental but still seemingly healthy Pan Asian food
Best Age For Kids To Be To Enjoy It: Above 8
This modern, light bright, white restaurant has both bar seating and tables. Located in Flinders Lane, the menu is a mix go the best of the latest in Japanese, Chinese and even Vietnamese.
There are some recognisable dishes on the menu such as Kimchi, lots of raw choices, dumplings and heir classic lobster roll and lots which you really don’t know what to expect from like kingfish buttermilk, pickled onion and slow-cooked Szechuan lamb, sesame bread and coriander paste.
The menu goes all day, which again is great with kids as sometimes they want to eat at odd times.
Best bit for kids: Seeing other kids there
Best bit for grown ups: The experimental Spanish Tapas
Best Age for Kids to be to enjoy it: Above 6
We were told to go here because it is family-friendly, and there were lots of kids there the night we went, but the food is pretty rich, and the scene is pretty grown up.
Located in a typical Melbourne laneway full of graffiti, the restaurant is a bit industrial in feel with open kitchens, towering ceilings and brick floors.
The menu changes daily and is seriously sophisticated with individual tapas dishes, larger tapas and mains to share. Given it is all intended for sharing, if you’re with your family, many choices are far too rich for kids.
Even the desserts, were churros and after so much rich food, the kids couldn’t even get through it.
Very disappointing wines by the glass.
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