Audrey Payne

“We obviously face increasing challenges,” says co-owner Jerry Poon. “But I think we’ve been significantly impacted by the ongoing safety issues in the surrounding area.”

Plus, Cafe Di Stasio officially closes, Cremorne’s only pub is revived, and the Reine and La Rue team’s moody new cocktail bar opens.

Including birria burritos from Dingo, French specials from Baker Bleu, and Masses Bagels and Yang Thai’s fermented-chilli and garlic bialys.

The 38-year-old St Kilda restaurant run by Rinaldo Di Stasio and Mallory Wall held its last service earlier this month.

Including a 76-year-old Hanoi pho spot’s first location outside of Vietnam, and a Tokyo shop with Michelin-approved creamy chicken broth.

Alicia Feng, one of the most respected figures in Melbourne coffee, has opened a new Carlton spot where the the role of the barista is reimagined entirely.

“I vouch for everything which is very authentic. My culinary philosophy is to preserve and re-create the classics and the original versions.”

A Yang Thai and Masses Bagels collaboration; spanner crab doughnuts from Naga Dining at Geralds Bar; and a southern Thai feast at Bar Spontana.

The chef, whose resume includes a short stint at Noma’s sibling venue Restaurant 108, brings a new smorrebrod lunch menu to the Little Bourke Street restaurant.

Plus, Indonesian chain Sederhana opens in the CBD, 16 top chefs name their favourite Melbourne banh mi and we test supermarket miso pastes.

Tom Sarafian, Sofia Levin, Jacqui Challinor and Shannon Martinez all have the same favourite.

Carlton Wine Room hosts a one-night-only dinner featuring rigatoni with hare ragu and wallaby porterhouse tartare. Meanwhile, Omnia’s Stephen Nairn and butcher Gary McBean team up for a dinner exploring whole-animal butchery.