Here’s my take on Melbourne’s best brunches. And by that, I mean the bottomless kind.

Is there a better way to spend your day than a long, leisurely brunch? Not if it’s also bottomless. Melbourne is a city that does bottomless brunches right. Sure, Sydney puts up a good fight with its extensive bottomless brunch offering, but Melbourne might just have them beat.

Find eight new additions to my pick of Melbourne’s best bottomless brunch spots, starting with seriously fresh oysters inside a former prison at North & Common, then there’s the Indian-inspired street food at Horn Please, or the Mexican fries and corn ribs go down a treat with spicy margaritas at Hotel Nacionale. As we prepare to say goodbye to winter and hello to spring, now is the time to start doing your own brunching – for research purposes, of course.

Hotel Nacionale

Hotel Nacionale is one of the most stunning rooftop bars in Melbourne. The Hardware Lane hang has a house party in Coyoacan vibe with a heavy focus on Mexican bar snacks such as corn ribs, Mexican fries, guacamole and potato croquetas. Head here with your gluten-free girlfriend for a few spicy margaritas, prosecco, house wines and beer. If, like us, you’re devoted to the taco, we recommend the pulled jackfruit or marinated pork. Hotel Nacionale is 100 per cent gluten-free.

Cost: $80 per person for a selection of bar snacks and 90 minutes of bottomless booze.
Available: Friday to Sunday, at noon and 2.30pm.
Address: 23-25 Hardware Lane, Melbourne

North & Common

You’ll find North & Common within the brooding bluestone walls of the former Pentridge Prison in Melbourne’s Coburg. The key thing to remember here is that a bottomless brunch experience hosted at North & Common doubles as a history lesson. Did you know, for instance, that the venue was previously used as a cafeteria for those detained inside? Melburnians take their brunch seriously especially in such an elegant space, which includes 10-metre-high ceilings, a sun-drenched courtyard and a palette drawn from the Australian bush. The fab bottomless brunch at North & Common includes options such as freshly shucked oysters, silky burrata or cured Spencer Gulf kingfish.

Cost: From $89 per person.
Available: Every Saturday from noon
Address: 1 Pentridge Boulevard, Coburg

Studio Amaro Piatti

If my love of Italian cuisine is anything to go by, you’ll want to take my word for it that Studio Amaro Piatti is the place to go for a brunch to suit a special occasion, You can eat your weight in focaccia, which is bottomless, and used to great effect when dredged through eggplant caponata, whipped ricotta with lemon oil or rigatoni arrabbiata. The two-hour package includes house wines, prosecco, bellinis or Aperol spritz. Relax. You can return to your Melbourne hotel room to sleep it off.

Cost: From $76 per person.
Available: Every Saturday and Sunday from noon.
Address: 168 Chapel St, Windsor

Bottomless gnocchi at Mamma’s Boy Trattoria

It seems every neighbourhood in Melbourne has a bottomless brunch offering. But bottomless all-day gnocchi?  Prepare to fast before your feast of soft pillowy gnocchi paired with refreshing cocktails at Mamma’s Boy Trattoria. This rustic Italian eatery makes a trifecta of sauces just like Mamma used to make: pasta with a slow-cooked lamb ragu, classic Napoli sauce or a decadent mix of mushrooms and cream. Choose from refreshing spritzes, daiquiris and negronis.

Cost: $75 per person plus a booking fee
Available: Last Sunday of every month
Address: 6.10 Tripovich St, Brunswick

Bodega Underground

If you’re looking for one of the best bottomless brunches in Melbourne then proceed immediately to Little Bourke St. Mexican street food and a bottomless brunch is one helluva happy marriage. Bodega Underground’s bottomless brunch menu features tacos and an extensive list of Mexican-inspired cocktails. No gusta carne? There is an alternate vegan food menu on offer too and all the food is gluten-free.

Cost: $75 per person
Available: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am, 1pm and 3pm
Address: 55 Little Bourke St

Le Bon Ton

New Orleans-inspired bar and restaurant Le Bon Ton is in Collingwood, one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Melbourne. Indulge in endless cocktails and choose an item from the New Orleans-inspired Big Easy Bottomless brunch feast. There’s Southern fried chicken with Creole spice, cheesy jalapeno and mac poppers, and smoked brisket ‘burnt ends’ to choose from. The cocktail carafes include options like Mai Mimosas (passionfruit, orange, guava and sparkling wine) Big Easy Lageritas (tequila, triple sec, margarita mix and Carlton Draught) Bloody Marys, Hurricanes (based on Bacardi rum) and a Hugo Spritz.

Cost: $69 per person
Available: The two-hour package is available on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am, 1pm and 3pm
Address: 51 Gipps St, Collingwood

Magic Mountain Saloon

Dining out for a long lunch at Magic Mountain Saloon is a social occasion. Be it a romantic affair or feast with friends, the stylish saloon is so close to the city centre you will feel part of the action. But the colourful venue is also a cosy respite after a long day of shopping.  The new ‘boozy brunch’ menu at Magic Mountain Saloon changes with the seasons but includes stellar options such as vegetarian cigars, garlic chive dumplings and Massaman curry. Add free-flowing drinks and it’s a guaranteed good time.

Cost: From $55 per person.
Available: From 11.30am to 1pm, every Saturday.
Address: 62 Little Collins St, Melbourne

Bang Bang

The boozy brunch offering at Bang Bang has a strong French-Indochine influence. The down-to-earth restaurant has a rustic aesthetic, with exposed brick walls and vintage shophouse doors and a menu that nods to the best of French and Asian cuisine. Proceedings get off to a good start with bottomless mimosas, spritzes, boozy Marys, wine, bubbles and beer paired with dishes such as tuna ceviche, charred edamame, and Thai BBQ chicken with a cucumber salad. Chuck in a caviar bump for an extra $12.

Cost: From $59 per person for a two-hour session with an epic Asian ‘feed me’ menu and bottomless bevvies.  Pay $79 to pimp your brunch with non-stop espresso martinis and margaritas.
Available: Saturdays and Sundays noon-2pm or 2.30-4pm
Address: 294 Glenhuntly Rd, Elsternwick

Blacksmith Bar & Grill

Blacksmith Bar & Grill, on level 7 of voco Melbourne Central, is acclaimed for its bottomless brunch. And for that it owes a lot to its indulgent menu, which features a tantalising array of grazing and antipasto dishes. Expect twists on classics at the weekly bottomless brunch by Dal Zotto, which includes standouts such as beetroot-cured Atlantic king salmon, a rooftop tapas board, Korean fried chicken and a decadent waffle dessert. Bottoms up.

Cost: $75 per person for 90 minutes of free-flowing Dal Zotto spritzes, local wines, bubbles and beer.
Available: Every Saturday from 12.30pm.
Address: 30 Timothy Lane, Melbourne CBD

Tokyo Tina, Windsor

There’s some big-time sophistication happening in Chapel Street with Tokyo Tina’s take on a bottomless brunch. The attractive restaurant in the heart of the vibrant Windsor community would be equally at ease in Tokyo. Expect modern Japanese cuisine in a fun and energetic space where good times, good vibes, and good food collide. Get your bingo wings ready for Tina’s Bingo Academy which includes bingo alongside four dishes such as crispy chicken or corn fritters along with complimentary kimchi rice and edamame.

Cost: Bottomless drinks (Aperol spritzes, sparkling and tap beer) plus a food menu priced at $79pp or $55pp for food only.
Available: Every Saturday at noon and 2.15pm
Address: 66A, Chapel St, Windsor

Horn Please

Honk if you want to go to Horn Please. This much-loved modern Indian eatery in the fashionable Fitzroy North Village is named in honour of the chaos, noise and clatter of India’s big cities. But the bottomless brunch is about as far from the disconcerted honking of Mumbai as can be. Stave off any hangsiety by merging breakfast and lunch over Indian-inspired street food and ‘proudly unauthentic’ curries that might just represent the best-value brunch in Melbourne.

Cost: $69 per person
Available: Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 3pm.
Address: 167 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy

Pincho Disco

Dig out your disco get-up but make it athleisure. Dress to impress in platform shoes with vintage Adidas in this cool bar with the soft-pink surrounds that recall disco culture from the 80s. Pincho Disco is all pops of pink neon, patterned upholstery, textured walls and a kind of disco while you dine energy. While the semi-circular banquette can accommodate your entire entourage of woo girls, there are also tables for two that will suit a more intimate date night. Signature bites include chipa bread with goat’s curd and juicy lamb tacos.

Cost: From 75 per person.
Available: Saturdays from noon for 1.5 hours.
Address: 59 Cambridge St, Collingwood

Firebird, Prahran

The main attraction for chilli lovers at Firebird is the fiery theme that permeates this popular Prahran eatery. Head chef Nabil Ansari wields his tongs to great effect to ramp up traditional Vietnamese flavours over the custom-built chargrill and wood-fired oven. The 70s-inspired deco also says to hell with tradition. The venue was awarded one hat by The Age Good Food Guide Awards 2023. Brunch here is called The Endless Lunch and includes options such as charcoal chicken and papaya salad with peanuts.

Cost: Firebird offers a set menu for $69pp with endless oysters and frites and endless booze for $42pp; house wine and beers, Sometimes Always Prosecco and Davo Plum Spritz.
Available: Every Saturday & Sunday
Address: 223 High St, Prahran

Moonhouse

The menu at Moonhouse, a temple to yum cha on the corner of Carlisle and Nelson streets embraces the more subtle flavours of contemporary Chinese cuisine. Allow the staff at Moonhouse to guide you through the Endless Yum Cha Lunch menu, which offers comfort food on repeat such as seared scallops with XO butter and char sui pork buns and crystal prawn dumplings.

Cost: Yum cha Unlimited includes 12 dishes on repeat for $64pp; There is also a bottomless drinks package at $45pp for beers and wine.
Available: Every Saturday and Sunday at lunch
Address: 282 Carlisle St, Balaclava

400 Gradi

Johnny di Francesco’s 400 Gradi has taken out the World’s Best Pizza prize for his authentic margherita. And the award-winning pizzaolo has upped the ante on indulgence by bringing back the Bottomless ‘All you can spritza’ 400 Gradi offering. Indulge in (literally) one of the world’s best pizzas, along with pasta and bottomless drinks. After eating your weight in Italian fare, get your friends together for free-flowing jugs of Aperol spritz, house red and white wines, beer and soft drinks.

Cost: $59 per person
Available: At 400 Gradi venues in Brunswick, Eastland, Essendon, Mornington and Norwood. All venues offer a 3pm sitting and the Mornington venue also offers 11.30am and 1.30pm sittings.
Address: 25 Main St, Mornington

Half Acre

Feast and Flow is a fancy term for a bottomless brunch, which is fitting given the elevated take on the tradition at Half Acre. Make no mistake, this is a very refined affair. Dress for the occasion (in loose-fitting pants) to enjoy an indulgent buffet with favourites such as lamb kofta and mushrooms, falafel with tahini or hot smoked trout with fennel and radish. You’re welcome to go back for seconds, as the food and drinks are included. On top of this, guests can choose one made-to-order dish. And groups of 10 can arrange for a selection of chef’s picks to be served at the table.

Cost:  From $69 per person for the bottomless buffet; and an extra $29 for the free-flow package.
Available: For two hours every Saturday from 10am to 3.30pm or on Sundays from 11am to 2.30pm.
Address: 112 Munro St, South Melbourne.

Baby

Baby has never been content to rest on its doughy laurels. A point of pride for the Richmond pizzeria is its Free-Flowing Fiesta, which skips along from starters such as focaccia with cherry tomato and whipped ricotta and cacio e pepe arancini and onto its much-loved pizzas. Like going to an AFL game, and sipping on lattes, going out for a bottomless brunch is a quintessential Melbourne experience. Oh baby, Baby … this fun fiesta is the place to get in your (free-) flow state.

Cost: $66 per person for 90 minutes of free-flowing sips from a selection of wine, beer and prosecco plus cocktails
Available: Every weekend, from noon till 3pm.
Address: 631-633 Church St, Richmond

Hecho en Mexico

All 15 Hecho En Mexico venues have hard-launched their bottomless brunch 2.0 with everything from margaritas and burritos to tacos and tequila. The brand, which began in Fitzroy a decade ago, now has 11 in Melbourne and four in regional Victoria. Hecho in Mexico translates to Made in Mexico: expect unlimited tacos stuffed with poultry, pescado, prawn and pork, plus free-flowing classic margaritas, sangria and pink palomas as well as house beer and wine.

Cost:  From $75 per person
Available: Every Saturday and Sunday from noon, 2pm and 4pm for 1.5 hours
Address: 299 Bay St, Brighton

Evies Disco Diner

Look the part at this 80s’-inspired diner by donning your favourite fluoro tights and painting your eyelids blue. This Fitzroy favourite is recognised in these parts for its rotation of New York diner fare. It’s comfort food as per all your fast-food faves. The Basic Bitch bottomless brunch at Evies Disco Diner includes items such as chicken waffles with maple, or a sausage and egg muffin which include plant-based versions. The Rich Bitch takes it up a notch with extra drinks included such as Aperol Spritzes and frozen margaritas.

Cost: From $69 for one brunch meal plus two hours of unlimited mimosas, bubbles, wines, beer, ciders or selzers; Plus $99 for more boozy options.
Available: Saturdays and Sundays
Address: 230-232 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

Rice Paper Scissors

If you’re in the mood for day drinking (in a responsible manner), then Rice Paper Scissors will satisfy. The vibrant Southeast Asian diner has two locations, one in Fitzroy and one on hip and happening Hardware Lane. It’s the Fitzroy venue that serves the boozy brunch aimed at those craving a spicy kick of Asian fare and bevvies to boot. Here, $79 will buy you a healthy amount of shareable plates and an endless pour of free-flowing cocktails, wine and beer. Rock off for who’s going to be the designated driver.

Cost: $79 per person.
Available: Every Saturday noon to 2pm or 2.3pm-4.30pm.
Address:  62 Little Collins St, Melbourne

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