The Best New Openings in Northcote
Northcote doesn’t do trends — it does evolution. While Brunswick is busy opening its third natural wine bar of the month and Fitzroy North is trying to decide if it’s the new Fitzroy, Northcote just quietly adds to its already stacked lineup. The result? A suburb that’s been doing interesting things for so long that new openings here aren’t gimmicks — they’re genuine additions to a community that knows what it wants.
Here’s what’s landed, what’s coming, and what you need to know about Northcote’s latest arrivals in 2026.
Last updated: 16 March 2026 | Northcote Vibe Score: 81/100 🟢
🔥 Vex Dining — The Veg-Forward Wine Bar Everyone’s Talking About
Vex Dining is the kind of opening that reminds you why Northcote exists. Created by two former head chefs — one from Neighbourhood Wine, one from Bar Romantica — Vex is a veg-forward wine bar that treats vegetables as the main event, not a side dish afterthought.
The space itself is split between a sunlight-filled dining room and a fairy light-studded lemon tree courtyard out back. The menu changes with the seasons (obviously, but here it means it actually changes — not just the garnish). Standout dishes include smoky-sweet turnips with a brown butter glaze, a brown butter fish that’s technically a “pescatarian” dish but leads with the veg, and an amaro sorbet for dessert that’s boozy enough to count as a nightcap.
Why it matters: Northcote’s already got strong veg options (Brother Bon, Wazzup Falafel) but Vex fills a gap between casual vegan and fine dining. It’s neither — it’s somewhere in between, and Melbourne hasn’t had enough of that.
Where: High Street, Northcote (check Broadsheet for exact address) Budget: $60–$90 for two with wine Go now if: You care about what you eat and you’re bored of the same veg options everywhere else
🍽️ Zsa’s — European Bistro, Bar and Deli
Zsa’s landed in Northcote like it was always meant to be here. A light-filled European bistro, bar, and deli all in one — think of it as the Melbourne answer to those Copenhagen neighbourhood spots where everything is simple, seasonal, and quietly perfect.
The bistro menu does all-day European classics — think tartines, seasonal plates, and dishes that let the produce do the talking. The bar section is a natural wine paradise. But the real draw is the deli counter: fresh pasta, fancy tinned fish, charcuterie, and other staples you can take home. It’s the kind of place where you come for lunch and leave with dinner sorted too.
Why it matters: Northcote has always had great restaurants, but it’s been missing a proper European-style deli-bistro hybrid. Zsa’s fills that gap with something that feels simultaneously neighbourhood and special.
Where: High Street, Northcote Budget: $40–$70 for two at the bistro, or grab deli items for $20–$30 Go now if: You want a place that’s as good for a Tuesday arvo cheese plate as it is for a Saturday night dinner
🎵 High Note Bar — Heritage Theatre turned Wine Cave
High Note isn’t technically brand new — it’s had a few iterations — but its current form as a heritage-listed theatre-turned-wine-bar is one of Northcote’s most exciting spaces. Tucked inside the old Theatre of the Electric Shadow, the space feels like a hidden cave: low ceilings, atmospheric lighting, and DJs spinning vinyl on a vintage Altec Lansing sound system that once graced the Sydney Opera House. Yes, really.
The wine list leans lo-fi and natural, with a emphasis on Victorian producers you haven’t heard of (yet). The vibe is “cool friend’s basement party but with better speakers and actual wine knowledge.” It’s small — maybe 40 people max — which means every night feels packed without being crushing.
Why it matters: Northcote has solid bar options (Oh Loretta!, Goodwater, Wesley Anne) but nothing quite this atmospheric. The heritage theatre setting gives it a sense of occasion that the other bars don’t have, without the pretension that usually comes with “occasion.”
Where: 238 High Street, Northcote Budget: $30–$50 for two (wine by the glass + snacks) Go now if: You want a date spot that makes you look like you discovered it yourself
🥟 Ophelia — The Retro Cafe-Wine Bar Hybrid
Ophelia sits in a sweet spot that Northcote does better than anywhere else in Melbourne: the space between cafe and restaurant. A European-ish menu, retro aesthetic, and a floor-to-ceiling record wall with vinyl spinning all day. It’s the kind of place where the music is as carefully considered as the food — and both are excellent.
The menu changes seasonally but always leans European — think tarts, seasonal salads, dishes that work equally well with a coffee at 10am or a glass of wine at 7pm. The retro interior — think mid-century meets your nan’s best dinner set — is deliberately nostalgic without being kitsch.
Why it matters: Northcote’s cafe scene is already strong (Field Black, Akimbo Bread, Shoku Iku), but Ophelia occupies a different niche — it’s the place you go when you want cafe food but don’t want a cafe vibe. It’s the evening cafe that every suburb wishes it had.
Where: Westgarth, Northcote (near Palace Westgarth) Budget: $30–$50 for two Go now if: You’re the type who picks a cafe based on its record collection
🥖 Akimbo Bread — Micro-Bakery That Top Restaurants Rely On
Akimbo Bread isn’t new-new — it’s been quietly supplying sourdough to some of Melbourne’s top restaurants (Aru, Bar Bellamy) — but it’s still worth highlighting because plenty of Northcote locals haven’t actually walked into the shopfront. And they should.
The suburban shopfront sells the same sourdough that ends up on the tables of Melbourne’s finest, plus fruit bread, fougasse, and fluffy focaccia that’ll ruin you for supermarket bread forever. The sourdough in particular — crusty outside, tangy inside, perfect structure — is worth the trip alone.
Why it matters: When Aru and Bar Bellamy are buying their bread from a suburban bakery in Northcote, you know something special is happening. And at $8–$12 for a loaf, it’s cheaper than most Melbourne cafe coffees.
Where: High Street, Northcote Budget: $8–$15 per loaf/pastry Go now if: You care about bread the way some people care about wine — deeply and personally
🏠 Brother Bon — Pan-Asian Vegan in a Converted Space
Brother Bon continues to grow its reputation as the vegan restaurant that even committed meat-eaters recommend. The pan-Asian menu covers brunch through dinner, with fragrant noodle soups, dumplings, stir-fries, and gua bao that competes head-to-head with meat versions. Vietnamese-style cocktails add an unexpected dimension — the condensed milk espresso martini is genuinely dessert and drink in one.
Since opening, Brother Bon has been steadily building a following among Northcote’s vegan and vegan-curious crowd. The brunch menu in particular — available Wednesday through Sunday — has become a local favourite for weekend mornings without the 45-minute Fitzroy brunch queue.
Why it matters: Brother Bon proves that vegan food doesn’t need a manifesto. It just needs to taste good, be reasonably priced, and not lecture you. Northcote’s got the demographic for this, and Brother Bon delivers.
Where: 448 High Street, Northcote Budget: $25–$45 for two Go now if: You want a vegan brunch that doesn’t feel like a compromise
🌮 Welcome to Thornbury — Still Going Strong
Welcome to Thornbury isn’t new, but it’s worth including because it keeps evolving. Melbourne’s first permanent food truck park — set in a former Morris Minor factory — has been running for nearly a decade and still manages to feel fresh. The rotating food truck lineup means there’s always something new to try, and the 35+ beer taps ensure nobody goes thirsty.
Recent additions include an expanded arcade section, improved outdoor heating (because Melbourne), and a Friday trivia night that’s become genuinely competitive. The venue’s 10th birthday carnival is coming up in August 2026 — expect $10 everything, carnival games, roaming performers, and DJ sets across a massive weekend celebration.
Why it matters: Most food truck parks last two years. Welcome to Thornbury has been going for a decade because it treats the concept seriously — proper infrastructure, rotating vendors, and an events calendar that keeps locals coming back.
Address: 520 High Street, Thornbury (right on the Northcote border) Budget: $25–$45 for two (drinks + food truck meals) Go now if: You’ve somehow never been, or it’s been a while — it’s evolved more than you’d expect
📅 Coming Soon: What’s on the Radar
Northcote’s High Street strip is always evolving. While we can’t confirm specific openings yet (Northcote operators tend to announce with approximately 48 hours’ notice — which is part of the charm), here’s what we’re watching:
- New wine bar activity around the Westgarth end of High Street — the area between the cinema and Merri Creek is seeing increased interest from hospitality operators, particularly natural wine and small-plate concepts
- Expanded outdoor dining — several High Street venues are adding or improving courtyard and street-facing seating ahead of autumn and winter, following the trend from Thornbury and Brunswick
- Merri Creek precinct — the area around the creek and bike trail is always good for a surprise opening. Keep your eyes on the gap between the trail and High Street for anything that looks like a cafe or bar with a river view
What’s Changed: Updates to Existing Venues
Not every opening is a brand-new venue. Sometimes the news is that an existing spot has evolved:
- Northcote Social Club continues to book strong lineups for 2026, with gigs Thursday through Sunday and free live music on Mondays. The parma-and-pot specials remain one of the best weekday deals on High Street
- Palace Westgarth has installed a courtyard bar — adding pre-movie drinks to an already excellent cinema experience
- Mesob Ethiopian maintains its live jazz program on weekends, which has become as much a draw as the food
- Pizza Meine Liebe continues to refine its seasonal menu — the woodfired specials change weekly and are worth following on Instagram
Getting Around the New Openings
The beauty of Northcote’s new openings is that they’re almost all on or near High Street. You can walk the entire strip from Palace Westgarth in the south to Welcome to Thornbury in the north in about 20 minutes — though you’ll stop four times along the way.
The 86 tram is your best friend. It runs the full length of High Street from the CBD through Northcote and into Thornbury. Hop off at Clarendon Street for the southern end of the strip, or at the High Street / Station Street intersection for the northern end.
Bike: The Main Yarra Trail connects to the Merri Creek Trail, which runs right past the High Street strip. Lock up and walk in.
Parking: Free on side streets off High Street. Avoid the main strip itself on weekends.
The Bottom Line
Northcote’s new openings in 2026 reinforce what this suburb has always been about: quality over quantity, substance over style, and venues that feel like they belong rather than venues that feel like they’re trying. Vex Dining, Zsa’s, High Note, and Ophelia are all genuinely good additions to a strip that was already excellent. And the fact that you can visit four of them in a single evening for under $100 is peak Northcote.
Your Northcote Vibe Score this week: 81/100 — New openings are landing with impact. The High Street strip between Westgarth and the Social Club is one of the most dynamic food-and-drink corridors in Melbourne right now.
More From the Neighbourhood
- → Cheap Eats in Northcote Under $20
- → Date Night Guide: Northcote
- → Things To Do This Weekend in Northcote
- → New Openings in Thornbury
- → What’s New in Fitzroy North
- → Brunswick’s Latest Openings
Spotted something new we haven’t listed? Let us know — we’re always scouting. MELBZ — We Know Your Suburb Better Than You Do.
