13 Incredible Lygon Street Restaurants (That Aren't Italian)

Lygon Street is synonymous with hearty, bustling Italian restaurants. But delve beneath the surface and you'll discover a wealth of gourmet delights that stretch far beyond that grand Bel Paese.

From Queensberry Street to Elgin Street is a section of Lygon Street crammed tin of sardine-style with Italian restaurants, ice-cream shops, boutiques and bars - and as it turns out, some seriously exceptional Asian restaurants. 

Push further out towards Brunswick and Brunswick East Lygon Street, and amongst the Italian gems of Bar Idda, 400 Gradi and Bar Romantica, you'll find a sea of delicious Middle Eastern spots, a new spot for tacos and tequila and vibrant wine bars and modern pubs where food takes equal focus. 

Here are the best Lygon Street restaurants with a point of difference to book into for your next dinner date.

Lagoon Dining

Contemporary Chinese fusion magic awaits at this highly lauded Lygon Street restaurant. Lagoon Dining surprises at every turn, with its striking modern interiors incongruent with the dose of Little Italy nostalgia that lives and breathes outside its unassuming frontage, to its expertly crafted dishes brimming with both powerful and surprising flavours.

An expression of food their team love to eat and to cook, dished up heartily alongside booze they like to swill (try their interpretation of a Negroni), this is a place for friends and fun and a must-book dining destination. 

Everything one the menu is exceptionally delicious, from the long-time favourite fried chicken to their hot and sour shredded potato dish, but trust us, you don't want to miss out on the choc milo parfait for dessert, all dulce de leche, puffed rice and raspberry deliciousness. It's brain meltingly good nostalgia on a plate, and one of the best desserts in Melbourne.

263 Lygon Street, Carlton 

Kazuki's 

It might be surprising to some, but the wealth of incredible Japanese restaurant that live on Lygon Street are irrepressibly good. None more so than Kazuki’s. Expertly melding Japanese flavours, French technique and Australian ingredients, it has carved out a unique place in Melbourne’s fine dining scene. Originally located in Daylesford, owners Saori and Kazuki Tsuya made the move to Carlton in late 2018. They brought with them unforgettable cooking that uses ponzu, kombu and miso in formats that range from pastas to pithiviers. The dining room radiates zen-filled comfort, while an extensive list of sakes and special occasion wines give cause to celebrate.

121 Lygon Street, Carlton

Etta 

Etta is a small neighbourhood restaurant that has quickly built a reputation as an essential Melbourne dining experience - and under the guise of head chef Rosheen Kaul and owner Hannah Green, it's easy to see why. Combining a range of global influences from The Philippines to the Middle East, the menu is exceptional, with an order of small dishes recommended (sourdough and smoked brown butter, oysters, blistered padron peppers, green lip abalone and lardo skewer) and at least one larger dish (High Country rainbow trout with coriander salsa, whole turmeric spatchcock with calamansi lime and peanut sambal) a must. The 250-bottle wine list is an wonderful capture of the world’s best growing regions, so sharing a bottle together is also essential.

60 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Hakata Gensuke Ramen Yatai 

Ask any Melburnian where to find the city’s best ramen, and they will direct you straight to Hakata Gensuke, a local institution that draws a crowd daily. Hungry diners eagerly await bowls of their signature tonkotsu, a thick, collagen-rich pork bone soup served with springy thin noodles, tender pork chashu, wood ear mushrooms and spring onions. It’s a super hearty ramen that’ll leave you fortified (or comatose) for the day. For the seasoned slurpers, there’s a black garlic spiked-number and super spicy ‘God Fire’ version that lives up to its name.

126 Lygon Street, Carlton

Mankoushe 

Homey accents, and a warm slice of friendly service and quaint atmosphere await at Mankoushe, one of Lygon Street's best restaurants for authentic Middle Eastern dining. With a wood-fired oven at the heart of the kitchen, expect an array of delicious seasonal dishes made by hand, using locally-sourced artisan produce. The menu reflects the depth of Middle Eastern cuisine, stretching from Iran to Morocco; delight in everything from Middle Eastern style pizzas and haloumi pies, through to snackier plates of shared baba ganouj, simple but tasty loubiye (flat green beans in tomato, onion, garlic and olive oil), kafta skewers with hummus and tahini sauce, baked barramundi and cos lettuce with green tahini, sumac and onion. For $60 per person, we recommend getting the banquet. Don't forget baklava for dessert! Delicious cosiness defined. 

323 Lygon Street, Brunswick 

Rumi 

Being in business for well over a decade has done little to take the shine off Rumi, Joseph Abboud's modern Middle Eastern eatery. Rumi's responsible for introducing ingredients like za'atar, tahini, dukkah and Aleppo peppers to Melburnians long before they became regular pantry items, easily proving it as one of the best Lygon Street restaurants to have on your radar. Meanwhile, the restaurant’s pared-back aesthetic leaves all the attention for the vibrant, spiced-up flavours on your plate. Your tastebuds will salivate in anticipation for their chicken wings brushed with toum and Aleppo pepper, quail kebab with saffron marinade, verjus and grape molasses, slow roasted lamb shoulder and caramelised eggplant braised in tomatoes and green peppers. 

116 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Yakamoz

This fantastic new spot is already proving a fierce contender as one of Lygon Street best restaurants. Yakamoz's Head Chef Cagri Ergin is a born and raised Istanbul native with a passion for cooking and a love for the flavours of the Mediterranean and Anatolian regions. Cagri has honed his skills in the kitchen and gained a deep understanding of the diverse cuisines that define his home region. It shows up beautifully on the plate. With a deep respect for tradition and an innovative spirit, each dish is a masterclass of rich flavours and bold spices, whether that be a classic Turkish dish or a fusion creation blending flavours from different regions across Greece and North Africa, Morocco and Spain. 

Sitchu Tip: This is a menu made for sharing and an atmosphere bursting with convivial energy. Make merry over zucchini fritters and crispy Manti dumplings, saganaki and chargrilled octopus, and a droolworthy 6hr beef rib, served with a roasted potato mash, shallots and beef jus. 

74 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Teta Mona 

This family-owned neighbourhood restaurant straddles the line between hip and homely, kitted out to look like grandma's house but full of young Melburnians who've fallen for Teta Mona's Lebanese soul food. Expect lots of dips, breads and pickles, plus share bowls that star rich, spiced sauces and play with the textures of nuts, tahini and yoghurt. It's a long-standing, forever popular Lygon Street restaurant that has devoted locals coming back time and time again. 

100A Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Bluebonnet Barbecue 

Bluebonnet has lived many lives – first as a pop-up, then a food truck and finally a rustic restaurant. In each iteration it’s kept true to its mission of sharing authentic Texas barbecue with Melbourne diners, cooking up to half a tonne of meat per day over their 100% woodfired Ole Hickory Pit smoker. They use only free range meat in their wagyu brisket, pastrami beef cheek, pulled lamb, smoked pork belly and house made sausages, which you can mix and match into the BBQ plate of your dreams. Cap it off with a pecan bourbon pie for the full American experience.

124-126 Lygon Street, Brunswick East 

CDMX 

This vibin' Mexico City style taqueria pays homage to the artisanal tacos being served up in Mexico City. It's nice to see CDMX pop up along Lygon Street, for Northsider's in want of the perfect combination of tacos, ceviche tostadas and Mezcal. Even if you're simply after a post-work margarita or two with a side of delectable guacamole and totopos, this is the place to do it. 

Sitchu Tip: The birria tacos are to die for. 

315 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Old Palm Liquor 

The team behind beloved retro-Euro spot Neighbourhood Wine have backed it up with another winner in Old Palm Liquor. This Lygon Street bar boasts a comfortable, lived-in feel via panelled timber walls and vintage bar stools, while the open fireplace is sure to be competitive real estate next winter. There are 12 taps pouring a host of interesting local brewers, but the wine list is the  star – a powerhouse list covering every region and price point, with plenty of minimal intervention picks among them.

Not only that, this is one of our all time favourite spots to tuck into some delicious eats. The likes of Pacific oysters in a rhubarb kosho dressing, raw bluefin tuna in kumquat, fennel and sorrel, shared rib-eye, pan-fried potato gnocchi with gai lan, walnuts, pickled shallots and crème fraiche await. Plus, don't miss out on their magical woodfired flatbread - it's an essential Melbourne eat in our humble opinion. 

133B Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Teller 

One of Lygon Street's favourite locals, Teller is where to go to enjoy an icy cold beer in one of the best beer gardens in the city, or have an intimate dinner in the cosy front bar. The food is exemplary modern pub fare; wine and dine over fresh oysters and smoked ham and pea croquettes, whipped feta and lamb meatballs with smoked eggplant and chermoula. Classic dishes like their bacon cheeseburger, chicken schnitzel and battered flathead and chips are also crafted beautifully here - and don't skimp on dessert; the mango and passionfruit crème brulee kicks. 

81 Lygon Street, Brunswick East 

Green Man's Arms 

Who says pub grub needs to be heavy? Not the folks at Green Man's Arms, an entirely meat free pub nestled on leafy Carlton. Featuring an Israeli inspired menu, with most ingredients plucked from the owners’ Yarra Valley farm, dishes such as polenta cakes, golden beets, eggplant parmigiana and their famous flat bread tacos feature unexpected flavours that offer a truly delicious take on veggie fare. 

418 Lygon Street, Carlton

Loved our guide to the best Lygon Street restaurants that aren't Italian? Set out for more food venturing around Melbourne with these French dining destinations and Mexican hot spots.