Gumnuts tangled in an eucalyptus wreath turn out to be wattleseed choccies, and that outback “roo-shi” isn’t from Japan. And when things start as slam-the-table-good as the macadamia and smoked eel tofu, you know you’re in serious danger of falling head over heels for Melbourne’s bucketlist diner in the clouds. Wunderchef Hugh Allen is making his mark on a restaurant almost as old as he is, taking your experience to lofty heights beyond Vue’s 55 floors with vision, sophisticated techniques and respect for ingredients – while having a lot of fun in the process. Maybe Vue’s tableside theatrics will have you weak at the knees, with wattleseed damper flung over coals before your eyes and the cheese trolley which rolls out post dinner. Or perhaps that 6000-plus bottle list is your kryptonite, with $49,000 bottles of Romanee-Conti Burgundy, $28,000 bottles of Bordeaux, or 1906 Seppelt tawny port. 55 Rialto Towers, 525 Collins St, Melbourne; vuedemonde.com.au.

When news broke that Melbourne super chef Andrew McConnell was opening a new CBD venue, it was easy to assume another textbook Trader House venue was on the way. Classic Euro fare inside the grand 1920s-era Cavendish House? Tick. World-class pours and old-world hospo charm? Double tick. But when you think you’ve figured Gimlet out, it goes off script. Wine by the glass? Try a splash of Mexican or Japanese vino. Beef tartare? It’s prepared tableside with all the drama. Not that hungry? Here’s a half serve. The expansive dining room has a handsome timber bar anchoring it all. Perch here for a cocktail and quick bite (go the one-bite gnocco fritto, loaded with parmesan custard and draped in melting wagyu bresaola) or settle in for serious long lunching, which may include half a southern rock lobster or grass-fed T-bone thrown over coals. Head chef Colin Mainds plays to the seasons, perhaps with a tangle of frizzy lettuce, torched figs, salty jamon Iberico with sweet muscat grapes, or a plate of supple King George whiting, plump mussels and sweet baby leeks. Meringue for dessert? That’s different too, made with brown sugar and served with berries and Jersey milk sorbet that’ll make you see the world a little differently. 33 Russell St, Melbourne; gimlet.melbourne.

Attica’s star chef Ben Shewry has worn many hats recently but does what he does best at his Ripponlea restaurant that started it all. In the still dialled-down and relaxed space, you’ll forget you’re paying an eye-watering $360 for dinner. Shewry’s playful take on bush tucker hasn’t changed either; it’s still approachable, delicious and quirky as ever. But his dish-inspo has. That peppery desert oak wattleseed dahl is inspired by a wholesome staff dinner by Attica’s longest-serving team members, subbing in Indigenous mardanggich (Kakadu plum) spice. That burnt Basque cheesecake, warmed over campfire, enjoyed on a surprise mid-meal excursion, is an ode to those punishing lockdown months. And the roo frites? Oh that’s the France-Soir classic remixed, complete with skewered Skippy-meat, salad, crisp fries and DIY spray bottle of saltbush and vinegar to spritz as you wish. Shewry is the humble, quiet achiever making a lot of noise with his cooking and dinky-di, tongue-in-cheek attitude. Team that with rockstar service, out-of-this-world wines and street cred to boot, and Attica is silver service without the stuffiness. 74 Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea; attica.com.au.

Former Attica sous chef Peter Gunn recreates the world-class Ripponlea eatery’s penchant for theatre, artistry and exciting Aussie flavours at his first permanent restaurant. The result is spectacular fine dining without pretension: Ides’ pared-back dining room, and charming wait staff all set the tone for this. It’s hard to fault any of the 12 dishes on the set menu, with each showcasing vibrant colours and careful consideration of every visual element, right down to crockery. The Australia dessert, a concoction of coconut, mandarin, chocolate and lime shaped like the nation just pips the fried scallop salad served in a seashell for the prettiest plate. The tastiest is a three-way tie between the juicy mustard and finger lime-marinated barramundi, delicate caviar tart and sweet and salty sea bream and persimmon with nori crisp. But even the simplest dish, sourdough slathered in Collingwood-made wagyu fat butter, is a winner. Don’t think you’re getting dessert without working for it: diners must solve a puzzle box to enjoy the final course, a sesame snap, which is no mean feat after many pleasant hours eating and drinking. 92 Smith St, Collingwood; idesmelbourne.com.au.

Executive chef Luke Headon serves his own spin on first-class fare. Society is where you can try things that may otherwise be out of reach – sip Pol Roger or Montrachet by the glass, try $55 caviar martinis made with nori butter washed vodka or take your pick from an impressive cellar boasting back vintages of Romanee-Conti and 1945 Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes that’ll have you remortgaging the house. That wow factor extends to the food, namely the silky bluefin tuna lapping in a brilliant egg yolk emulsion with immense depth of flavour and that mind-bending textural celeriac and nashi pear dish. Some larger plates are hohum on the yum, while technically correct, but desserts are more delightfully dramatic, especially the chocolate-moulded Metropolis that mirrors 80 Collins’s architecture. Society packs plenty of style and substance for those keen to be seen. 80 Collins St, Melbourne; 80collins.com.au.

Caramel made from leftover sourdough scraps. Freeze-dried sheep’s milk soil that looks dry but eats yoghurty. A perfect coral trout fillet that’s actually made like “salami from the sea’’. Nothing at Armadale’s small neighbourhood diner, Amaru, is an afterthought. If anything, executive chef Clinton McIver does the opposite for a meaningful, memorable and marvellously delicious experience for all. Pretty-plated creations seamlessly marry seasonal produce with bush flavours that range across five or seven courses. Things may begin with artichoke three ways – in leaf-shaped cracker form, butter-roasted cubes and a sweet and salty chip. Chill out with a brain-tingling pineapple and melon granita hiding cured scallops and a lemon aspen curd beneath, or a Scrabble-tile-sized soft chew of white chocolate and shiitake mushroom to end. A deliberately different wine list heroes homegrown hits as much as obscure overseas drops, such as South African cinsault or Californian pinot noir by the glass, poured by expert waiters with wine smarts and warm hearts. 1121 High St, Armadale; amarumelbourne.com.au.

Chef Khanh Nguyen has a knack for zany, clever takes on Melbourne’s cult snack bar. Following his Southeast Asian take on Vegemite, served alongside flaky roti at Sunda, and the burrata standing in for the rice in nasi lemak at his summer pop-up Sunda EXP, the Bunnings snag and banh mi get a go at Nguyen’s fire-powered city restaurant Aru. Here he wraps pillowy bao disguised as white bread around a duck sausage, topped with onions (of course) and peanut hoisin sauce. Pate en croute (shortcrust pastry encasing meat) mimics the flavours of the Vietnamese banh mi sandwich. Gimickery aside, Nguyen is responsible for some seriously smart cooking – just look to his torched salmon and duck ham strands, deserving of their own deli line. Aru is a choose-your-own adventure feast, in a multi-tiered, casual dining room anchored by a kitchen with a heaving woodfire oven. Well-drilled waiters keep the wheels in motion, offering modern cocktails and smashable wines from here and abroad. 268 Little Collins St, Melbourne; aru.net.au.

Minamashima is tricked-up omakase-style dining where you let the chef choose the best seafood across 16 or so courses of nigiri and eye-catching desserts. The Richmond space is minimalistic with paper placemats, light-wood benches and dark walls. Counter seating provides a front-row view of the sushi masters’ melodic moves. Pair the experience with sake, wine, cocktails or whisky from a bumper list. Everything about Minamishima is meticulous – wait staff move effortlessly between guests adjusting settings as courses seamlessly evolve. The nigiri is shaped, torched, brushed with soy or wasabi, and placed into your hand to eat, while cooked courses honour traditional techniques. A showstopping gold-leaf maguro maki (tuna sushi roll) is optional – if you have $100 to spare for four pieces. Indulge in rare ingredients flown in from across Australia and Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market, including a poisonous puffer fish made safe by expert chefs for the fugu chawanmushi (egg custard). End on a high note with a trio of Japanese green tea chocolate squares that evolve from bitter to sweet. 4 Lord St, Richmond; minamashima.com.au.

Four years after opening in true Melbourne fashion down an unassuming laneway, Khanh Nguyen’s Southeast Asian stalwart still goes strong. Take a journey across Vietnam via Indonesia, Malaysia and outback Australia while tasting Nguyen’s refined four-course menu, packing extra snackage at your choosing. His clever mash-ups include the signature oysters bobbing in curry oil and coconut milk as well as the Indo-classic otak otak remixed as a spanner crab curry pate coated over puffy rice cakes. Flame-kissed hiramasa kingfish tiles come to life in a native celebration of vibrant green apple, river mint and starfruit, while texture is taken to a new level in the winter-warmer koshihikari congee comforted by glossy egg yolk, enoki mushrooms and wild rice puffs. Pretty as an Insta-pic Northern Territory barramundi, lapping in a sweet and sour asam laksa broth, is another flavour-loaded plate, as is that insatiable pandan creaminess of the pav spin-off. Smart service and food without whitewashing or gimmicks. This is how you Sunda. 18 Punch Ln, Melbourne; sunda.com.au.

Omnia head chef Stephen Nairn’s menu is full of exciting, seasonal dishes, such as smoked ocean trout cigars in wafer-crisp pastry; salmon roe-hatted scallops from Abrolhos Island; and a umami-loaded mushroom tart decorated with a ripple of finely sliced pines. The grand 100-seater basks in natural light with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Chapel St. Cosy into a leather booth out back or pull up a front-row seat and watch the chefs work their magic in the open kitchen. You may indulge in the succulently spiced lamb rack resting on yoghurt and sorrel or a pork chop on a bed of sauerkraut, white beans, apple and chorizo dressed in a tangy orange sauce. Drinks are plentiful, with a roaming cocktail trolley to tempt you tableside, while switched-on staff are ready to answer any questions. A “liquid-centre cheesecake” sticks the landing with a caramelised top, ooey-gooey centre and contrasting passionfruit sorbet. A first-class experience without a ridiculous price tag, making it somewhere you’ll return sooner rather than later. 625 Chapel St, South Yarra; omniabistro.com.au.

When Stokehouse burnt to the ground in 2014 it made headlines around the country. Now, not only is Stokehouse the first Australian restaurant to achieve a five-star Green Star rating for its design, but such policies as hiring staff who can walk, ride or catch public transport to work show a commitment to sustainability. Seafood is a renewed focus under executive chef Jason Staudt and the $55-a-head seafood platter is worth the splurge, a showcase of Australia’s best with Queensland prawns, delicate WA marron and smoked Murray cod belly. But it’s in other dishes where new ideas are artfully executed – such as the beef tartare. Served like a carpaccio, it teams Gippsland beef with confit onion, its caramelised sweetness countering the funky crunch of fermented brussels sprouts. The velvety meat, the beef fat mayo, the cured yolk to finish – it’s extraordinarily good. Ash Smith’s equally clever desserts, whether a fluffy whisky baba with sorbet or a cheesecake with pepitas, honey jelly and sherry vinegar ice cream, are the stuff of dreams. Stokehouse has never been better. 30 Jacka Blvd, St Kilda; stokehouse.com.au.