Jose Silva at his Petersham venue.

This laid-back inner west spot is like a vine-clad European backyard

Shared meals and outdoor dining give customers a taste of Portugal at Lunas in Petersham.

  • Lenny Ann Low
MoVida’s signature anchovy with smoked tomato sorbet.
Good Food hat15/20

MoVida

The spot that started a dining revolution.

Corn tamale is a corn triple play,the ground nixtamalised corn dough steamed in corn husks blanketed by corn sauce.
14/20

Farewell,fusion tacos. This sunny CBD bar may be the start of Melbourne’s Latino age

The Mexican,Central and South American food scene here is stronger than ever. And this Little Collins Street newcomer delivers some of the best versions around.

  • Besha Rodell
Mondeghini meatballs come with lemony mayo.
Good Food hat15/20

Roll up to this newly hatted Summer Hill osteria for nostalgic Italian with a high chance of meatballs

Ormeggio chef Alessandro Pavoni’s new inner west osteria channels a mostly Northern Italian nonna’s repertoire.

  • Terry Durack
Comedor is a good-looking space set in a century-old warehouse.
Good Food hat15/20

New modern Mexican brings the fiesta to the inner west,and gets a hat straight off the bat

Comedor nails warehouse party vibes,with a buzzy open kitchen,park views and plenty of salsa.

  • Callan Boys
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Spanish queen and manzanilla olives.
14/20

Storied chef brings Spanish polish to inner-city precinct

Drop in for croquettas,chorizo and other tapas and pintxos classics or make a night of it with bold,modern Spanish cooking prepared by a chef’s chef.

  • Max Veenhuyzen
Casa Esquina’s sprawling indoor-outdoor vibe has a special sense of freedom.
14/20

This indoor-outdoor Argentinian-inspired grillfest boasts Balmain-to-Buenos Aires vibes

Casa Esquina’s menu includes 10 different dishes from the parrilla,from Gundagai lamb tomahawk chops to a one-kilo dry-aged Ranger’s Valley Black Market rib-eye.

  • Terry Durack
Melburnians took some convincing to sit at the restaurant’s tapas bar (right).
Good Food hat15/20

20 years ago this iconic restaurant made eating at the counter cool. It’s still setting the bar high

MoVida convinced Melburnians that sitting at a bar counter was a proper night out. And the Spanish stalwart is stronger than ever.

  • Dani Valent
The counter at Deux Freres.

Circular Quay’s bar boom continues with opening of new Basque-style pintxos bar

It’s serving the classic regional snack,gildas,alongside tortilla de patatas,canned fish and vermouth.

  • Scott Bolles
Good Food hat15/20

MoVida Aqui returns after renovation,older,wiser and better than ever

Thirteen years after opening,owners Frank Camorra and Andy McMahon have packed up their light installation and brought in the designers to their Bourke Street restaurant.

  • Larissa Dubecki