At a glance - Abbey Road Café

Influenced by the owners Greek Cypriot heritage, Abbey Road Café delivers fresh home-style food, fantastic drinks, soul moving music, friendly efficient service and a crackling good time. Abbey Road Café's  served up a winter must - traditional cottage pie, beef mince and Australian garden peas topped with a cheesy mash, served with a garden salad. It was good ol' hearty food, perfect for winter.

At a glance - Big Mouth

Big Mouth is a relaxed watering hole with vintage chandeliers, dishing up breakfasts, share plates and burgers. Big Mouth's whole baby snapper was as pretty as a picture and tasted even better. We loved the crisp fried baby snapper served with mussels, prawns and calamari in a luxurious seafood sauce.

At a glance -Claypots Seafood Bar

Claypots Seafood Bar is a bayside restaurant in St Kilda serving up delicious, varied fresh seafood. Claypots is ideal on any night - the outdoor courtyard is romantic where tiny boats swing from the trees. Claypots Seafood Bar's whole baked Red Emperor was flavoursome and boasted a wonderful charring. Eaten together with steamed Bok Choy and Sticky Rice it was a very comforting dish.

At a glance - Il Fornaio

Il Fornaio serves breakfast, hearty lunches and snacks from their extensive selection of baked goods. We absolutely adored their soufflé matcha pancakes. Served with wonderfully tart dehydrated berries, these pancakes are to die for.

At a glance - Blu Nite

Forever on the lookout for new cafes, we popped in briefly for a coffee at Blu Nite while passing through the area. The venue is a bit of a confused space with dated furniture and bright blue neon light which radiates from the coffee machine. Unfortunately the coffee served to us was burnt and, as a result, was extremely bitter. It's a shame but we will be looking elsewhere for our future caffeine fixes.

At a glance - Saint and Rogue

Tucked away on Little Collins St, St Rogue is an old school pub which takes you right back - think wood panelled walls, booths and a long dark wood bar. Having stumbled across Saint and Rogue, we ventured in briefly for a drink. The staff were lovely, warm and friendly and keen to help, on this occasion offering numerous beer tastings to an indecisive friend. With plenty of little private corners, this is a great place to catch up. Will definitely have to go back to try the food. 

At a glance - Five Plus Smoothie

Yum. Just yum. And no guilt either. That's our  summary of Five Plus Smoothie, which serves up some of the most wholesomely delicious drinks in Melbourne. How can you resist the peanut butter cup, made from homemade peanut butter, banana, oats, dates and almond milk. Or muscle matcha, made from spinach, matcha, green tea, silken tofu, dates and almond milk. Those are our favourites but there are plenty more worth your time. The only issue? The cost. At $7.50 for a regular and $9 for a large, these fall within "meal replacement" territory. But once in a while, spoil yourself. Your body will thank you. 

At a glance - Oli & Levi

It's 10 am and a constant stream of people flow in to Oli & Levi's tiny location on Collins St looking for their caffeine fix. Bearing Oli & Levi's signature bright yellow accents, the space melds industrial chique with a warm relaxed vibe. It's standing room only inside, but there is now a large amount of seating on the pavement outside. The coffee is Allpress and is pleasant, but not exceptional. Unfortunately coffee can be inconsistent at times. Whilst hardcore coffee snobs may look elsewhere, Oli & Levi is obviously hitting the right notes with a critical Melbourne mass. 

At a glance - Toby's Estate

Located in the space that used to house Glicks Bagels on Flinders Lane, Toby's Estate seems to have struck a balance between a the niche, hipster laneway cafes that Melbourne has become accustomed to and a more mainstream offering. The space is modern with plenty of seating and a the wall of glass provides a great view. And the verdict on the coffee? The coffee is very good and, importantly, consistent. Toby's Estate is popular for a reason and is definitely worth checking out. 

At a glance - KONG

A Melbourne favourite, Kong draws on age-old Asian barbeque and smoking techniques with Dan Briggs at the helm.

The menu comprises a variety of old and new favourites. Everything we sampled was delicious. 

KONG offers a winning casual dining experience with a delicious and approachable Asian-focused menu and great drinks in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.

At a glance - Chin Chin

Chin Chin Restaurant needs no introduction. Its increasing popularity is clear for all to see. With their no booking policy (all groups of less than 10 people are on a walk in basis), avid fans are willing to wait for up to 2 hours to indulge in their delicious South-East Asian fare. 

The menu encourages sharing and features a variety of South East Asian hawker food. As expected, the food was a delight to indulge in. 

Everything tasted fresh and had beautiful flavours. Despite the menu items having been tweaked and modernised in comparison to their original counterparts, the dishes retained authentic South East Asian characteristics. 

Leading the way for Modern South East Asian cuisine, Chin Chin Restaurant satisfies Melbourne’s lust for spicy and flavoursome street food. 

At a glance - ASC

A sexy, gritty space devoted to the worship of Mexican food and drinks, combined with tunes, means Acland Street Cantina (ASC) presents a seductive dining proposition. Acland St Cantina's red mole of slow braised lamb shoulder was delicious. Beautifully slow braised lamb drizzled with decadent red mole sauce and topped with aromatic green rice - all encased within fluffy masa tortillas.

At a glance - Milk The Cow

Milk the Cow is all about cheese. With over 70 cheeses (and counting!) you can experience some of the greatest artisan delights from all around the world. Milk the Cow's Sweetened Baked Brie was absolutely moreish. Soaked in Fernand Freres Cidre Brut with truffle honey, fig, almond, walnut and cardamom pistachio sugar it was a cheese lover's dream.

At a glance - Miss Jackson

Miss Jackson is one of the best St Kilda coffee haunts, perfect for when you just want to kick back with an espresso or beer in hand while watching the sunset. Make sure you try their Banoffee doughnut which is simply sublime. You can thank us later!

At a glance - Luxembourg

Luxembourg is a new addition to Melbourne dining - named after the Jardin Du Luxembourg in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, Luxembourg is a European bar and bistro, combining classic flare with a contemporary twist. Luxembourg's 1/2 roast corn-feed chicken served with brussels sprouts and chestnuts took the humble chicken roast to a new level. The chicken was sensational - beautifully tender and wonderfully flavoursome with generous the shavings of black truffle a very, very welcome addition.