At a glance - POW Kitchen

POW Kitchen serves authentic flavours from Southern Asia at curb-side prices and a passport-proud selection of beers on tap, cocktails and wine. The menu offers over 20 Asian inspired dishes with eats including Ya’an original ‘bang bang’ chicken, ‘crisp crisp’ school prawns or the ‘sticky sticky’ short ribs. POW Kitchen's red curry of slow cooked beef cheek was perfectly seasoned and possessed the customary punchy flavours exhibited by South East Asian curries and was a great match for the melt in your mouth texture of the beef. We loved the inclusion of textural snake beans. 

At a glance - United Kitchen

United Kitchen Dining & Tapas is the latest and greatest Latin American hot spot to hit St. Kilda’s buzzing Fitzroy Street strip. With the aim of uniting people and cultures via shared experiences, the bar and eatery is designed to allow for all occasions whether it’s an intimate dinner for two or more people, large groups & functions but also even just single people passing by. United Kitchen's Seafood Azteca Soup was stunning. We loved this flavoursome broth which featured perfectly cooked seafood including prawn, Atlantic salmon and squid. Slices of avocado were a clever addition, adding creaminess while crispy tortilla strips brought texture. 

At a glance - Fitzrovia

Fitzrovia is an all-day dining restaurant overlooking Albert Park. The owners’ Paul Jewson and Marco Pugnaloni's ethos is to create luxe comfort food, inspired by provincial Italian and British cuisine - Think big flavours with rough edges.  Fitzrovia's slow roast lamb shoulder was comfort food at its best. We loved the creamy organic sweet potato mash served alongside beautiful confit onions, spring onion, crispy candy striped beetroot, and pea and mint jus.

At a glance - St Hotel

Comprising of the downstairs Public Bar St Hotel and Dining Room, upstairs bespoke drinking with the Supper Club and Social Club, the St. Hotel has it all! St Hotel's 1kg 200 day John Dee grain fed rib eye was beautifully tender and flavoursome.  The accompaniments to the steak were each delicious – wonderfully flavoured jus and the dressed rocket provided a thoroughly enjoyable freshness.  Of course, the true highlight was the giant rib eye itself  – a light searing ensured that it was lined with a thin crisp, caramelised exterior.  The meat was intense with a deep earthy richness and sublime texture.  

At a glance: Fugazza

Go to Fugazza and order the eggplant parmigiana Fugazza. That's pretty much all you need to know.

 Tucked away on Hardware Lane, this delicious little lunchtime secret is a delight. Delicious fresh toasted focaccias are their specialty and although they come in half sizes, trust us, loosen the belt buckle and opt for the full size. Then have a nap when you get back to work.

At a glance: Bagelworks

Bagels are undergoing somewhat of a resurgence lately as Melbournians discover the delicious, affordable simplicity of fresh bagels.

With bagel shops popping up all around Melbourne, Bagelworks is a welcome addition to Little Collins Street. Of course offering fresh bagels made daily and cold pressed juices, we were most surprised by the high quality of coffee on offer - which we honestly didn't expect from a bagel shop. Worth a visit on your next lunch break.

At a glance: Krimper

In true Melbourne style, Krimper is tucked away in a little alley way.

The decor is deliberately kept simple, resulting in a rough and rustic industrial warehouse vibe which creates a very unique character. 

The menu has great options and also includes an all day breakfast. We opted for 2 items from their lunch list which set us back around $20 each. We thoroughly enjoyed our dishes of Barramundi and Purple Carrot. Both were cooked well and presented beautifully.

At a glance: Raw Trader

Raw Trader is a café specialising in, wait for it, organic, raw, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gluten free, dairy free and sugar free desserts and treats. Oh, and coffee. 

We were therefore very keen to head down and see what impact abiding by all of these "restrictions" would have on the treats on offer. The raspberry and white chocolate cake we sampled was very pleasant with a low level of sweetness and wonderfully smooth texture - it definitely tasted natural and nutritious. Although on the pricey side, worth a try. 

At a glance - Captain Baxter

Taking inspiration from Asian street food which is known to be fresh, flavourful and made from the best ingredients, Captain Baxter's menu is designed to be shared in a social environment with delicious cocktails in hand. We recommend the Pornstar Martini - A simply delectable combination of passionfruit & vanilla, served straight up with a shot of Prosecco on the side. Captain Baxter's Fried Salmon tail yellow curry with chilli oil, tapioca crisp and roasted peanuts was lovely. The deep fried salmon paired beautifully with the delectably rich and creamy yellow curry. 

At a glance - Donovans

Donovans offers modern dining with a focus on using the best of local produce amidst a relaxed vibe with fireplaces and sofas plus a terrace with ocean views. Donovans' Handmade Gnocchi was an absolute showstopper. It was a superb dish showcasing flawlessly executed “melt in your mouth" gnocchi accompanied by tender, wonderfully flavoursome braised duck leg, earthy roasted chestnuts and organic Australian Raclette cheese. A luxurious, indulgently comforting dish that left us craving more.