description: “18 March 2026 | Food Editor”
Updated 18 March 2026 | Food Editor
New Openings in Southbank: Your 2026 Culinary Compass
The Southbank promenade has always hummed with a certain energy—a mix of theatre-goers, tourists, and after-work crowds spilling out from the towers. But lately, that hum has crescendoed. A new wave of venues is redefining the riverbank, moving beyond the reliable stalwarts to offer something more nuanced, more personal, and frankly, more delicious. I’ve spent the last month weaving through construction hoardings and tasting menus to bring you the openings that matter. Forget the chains; this is the new Southbank.
Venue Addresses & Details
- The River Terrace Kitchen — 1 Southbank Promenade, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$$). Open: Daily 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM. Tip: Book a table on the terrace 30 minutes before sunset for the best city skyline views.
- Komorebi Izakaya — 25-27 Power Street, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$). Open: Tue-Sun 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM. Tip: Try the chef’s selection omakase menu which changes daily based on market availability.
- Southbank Social Club — 88 Queensbridge Street, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$). Open: Daily 4:00 PM - 2:00 AM. Tip: The secret entrance is located through the back alleyway near the parking garage.
- Olea Mediterranean — 12 Freshwater Place, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$$). Open: Daily 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM. Tip: Order the house-made sourdough with whipped feta—it is not on the printed menu.
- The Foundry Brewpub — 40 City Road, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$). Open: Daily 11:00 AM - 1:00 AM. Tip: Visit during the ‘Golden Hour’ on weekdays for discounted tasting paddles.
The Must-Visit New Table
1. Kuro
Where charcoal meets sophistication
Tucked into the base of a new residential tower just behind the Arts Centre, Kuro is a revelation. It’s an intimate, 30-seat robatayaki (fireside cooking) restaurant where the centrepiece is a long, gleaming grill. Chef Aiko Tanaka, formerly of a celebrated CBD izakaya, is working magic with Australian produce over ironbark charcoal.
- Address: 35 Coventry Street, Southbank (enter via the laneway)
- Price: Tasting menu from $145pp. À la carte skewers from $9.
- Insider Tip: The counter seats facing the grill are the only seats worth having. Book at least two weeks out and request them. The dry-aged duck heart skewer, finished with a dust of native pepperberry, is a non-negotiable order.
2. Lucia’s Pasta Fresca
Nonna’s kitchen, reimagined
A joyful, colourful antidote to stuffy Italian dining. Lucia’s is all about theatre and freshness. Pasta is rolled, cut, and shaped in a glass-walled kitchen right at the front. The vibe is always crowded, loud, and utterly welcoming. They mill their own flour from heritage Victorian grains, and you can taste the difference.
- Address: 1 Southbank Boulevard (ground floor, near the pedestrian bridge)
- Price: Pastas $24-$32. Mains $36-$44.
- Insider Tip: Don’t miss the “Pasta of the Moment”—a daily special based on what’s best at the market that morning. Go for lunch on a weekday; the evening wait can be brutal. The cacio e pepe made with fermented pepper is a quiet masterpiece.
3. The Gilded Lily
Not just a bar
Is it a bar? A gallery? A living room for the creatively inclined? The Gilded Lily defies easy categorization. Housed in a converted warehouse space with soaring ceilings and rotating art installations, it serves some of the most inventive cocktails in the city alongside a tight menu of “substantial snacks.”
- Address: 8 Whiteman Street (look for the unmarked brass door)
- Price: Cocktails $24-$28. Snacks $18-$26.
- Insider Tip: The “Smoke & Velvet” (mezcal, roasted pineapple, activated charcoal, egg white) is their signature, but ask for the off-menu “Bartender’s Choice” based on your mood. The wagyu bresaola with truffle honey is the perfect salty companion.
4. Greenhouse
The rooftop farm-to-fork
This is the sustainability story Southbank needed. Greenhouse is a sprawling rooftop restaurant and urban farm atop the new Meridian complex. About 30% of the herbs, greens, and edible flowers on your plate are grown in their own aeroponic towers. The space is bright, airy, and filled with greenery—literally.
- Address: Level 10, 180 City Road
- Price: Mains $38-$52. Cocktails $22.
- Insider Tip: Book for a late Sunday lunch. The sun hits the terrace perfectly, and the “Harvest Plate”—a daily changing showcase of their rooftop produce—is a packed, healthy revelation. Their non-alcoholic pairing menu is also one of the best in the city.
5. Nomad Bakehouse
The early bird gets the cruffin
From the team behind a beloved Middle Eastern restaurant in Fitzroy, Nomad Bakehouse is their first foray south of the river. It’s a sleek, minimalist bakery-café opening at dawn to serve pastries that are worth setting an alarm for. Think flaky, cardamom-scented croissants and a legendary “cruffin” (a croissant-muffin hybrid) filled with Persian lime curd.
- Address: 28 Clarendon Street
- Price: Pastries $7-$12. Coffee $5.
- Insider Tip: They open at 6:30am. By 9am on a weekend, the cruffins are gone. Go early, grab your pastry and a coffee, and take a stroll along the quieter, upstream end of the promenade. It’s the perfect Melbourne morning.
Venue Addresses & Details
- The River Terrace Kitchen — 1 Southbank Promenade, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$$). Open: Daily 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM. Tip: Book a table on the terrace 30 minutes before sunset for the best city skyline views.
- Komorebi Izakaya — 25-27 Power Street, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$). Open: Tue-Sun 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM. Tip: Try the chef’s selection omakase menu which changes daily based on market availability.
- Southbank Social Club — 88 Queensbridge Street, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$). Open: Daily 4:00 PM - 2:00 AM. Tip: The secret entrance is located through the back alleyway near the parking garage.
- Olea Mediterranean — 12 Freshwater Place, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$$). Open: Daily 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM. Tip: Order the house-made sourdough with whipped feta—it is not on the printed menu.
- The Foundry Brewpub — 40 City Road, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$). Open: Daily 11:00 AM - 1:00 AM. Tip: Visit during the ‘Golden Hour’ on weekdays for discounted tasting paddles.
Priya’s Practical Playbook
- Transport: Take the tram. Route 1, 3/3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, and 72 all service Southbank. Driving and parking remain a costly headache.
- Timing: For the sit-down restaurants (Kuro, Lucia’s, Gilded Lily), book. For Greenhouse and Nomad, walk-ins are easier, but avoid the 12:30-1:30pm weekend crush.
- The Local Move: Do a progressive evening. Start with a cocktail at The Gilded Lily, walk to Lucia’s for pasta, then finish with a skewer or two at Kuro. It’s a 10-minute stroll between all three.
Southbank’s new chapter is less about grand spectacle and more about curated, quality experiences. It’s growing up, offering not just a view of the city, but a genuine taste of it. Get amongst it.
Got a hot tip on a new Southbank spot? I’m always listening. Find me at @priya.eats on Instagram.
Venue Addresses & Details
- The River Terrace Kitchen — 1 Southbank Promenade, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$$). Open: Daily 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM. Tip: Book a table on the terrace 30 minutes before sunset for the best city skyline views.
- Komorebi Izakaya — 25-27 Power Street, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$). Open: Tue-Sun 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM. Tip: Try the chef’s selection omakase menu which changes daily based on market availability.
- Southbank Social Club — 88 Queensbridge Street, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$). Open: Daily 4:00 PM - 2:00 AM. Tip: The secret entrance is located through the back alleyway near the parking garage.
- Olea Mediterranean — 12 Freshwater Place, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$$). Open: Daily 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM. Tip: Order the house-made sourdough with whipped feta—it is not on the printed menu.
- The Foundry Brewpub — 40 City Road, Southbank, VIC 3006 ($$). Open: Daily 11:00 AM - 1:00 AM. Tip: Visit during the ‘Golden Hour’ on weekdays for discounted tasting paddles.
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