Scampi alla Veneziana, American Grill

In past years, we’ve restricted this best-of list to new dishes from new venues. But we’ve decided to throw out our own rule book in 2022, opening it up to any and all Melbourne dishes (and drinks). These are all the ones the Broadsheet team couldn’t get enough of this year – from Melbourne institutions, spectacular newcomers and everywhere in between. Tensoge Chopsticks

Zeppole, Tedesca Osteria All my tenderest childhood memories have one thing in common: my Nonna. And her heart-filled home cooking. If she made it, I’d eat it. Unless it was the anchovy-filled zeppole, or fried dough balls, of every single Christmas Eve ever. I hated those furry fish. Thankfully, I’ve come around (in a big way), and fallen in love with the version at Tedesca. They arrive at your table almost as quickly as you do, directly from the fryer. And while they’re a peerless meal-starter, they also make me miss her a little bit less. - Tomas Telegramma, Melbourne editor

All the snacks, Etta While Etta itself isn’t new, the arrival of chef Rosheen Kaul in late 2020 signalled a new chapter in this Lygon Street wine bar’s story. Big up Etta owner Hannah Green for convincing a reluctant Kaul to take on the head chef gig at Etta. If it wasn’t for Green’s persistence, how else would we be able to enjoy skewers of greenlip abalone and lardo, tempura-fried enoki mushrooms with a creamy tarator sauce, a kind-of fried rice with red curry sausages, et al? A neighbourhood address to be reckoned with. - Max Veenhuyzen, Perth editor-at-large

Crab and zucchini linguine, Public Wine Shop I was obsessed with Public Wine Shop this year (there was a time when I was visiting so frequently, I had to cut myself off). I love how often the menu changes, but I’m hoping for a return of this glistening, lemony pasta, tossed with fresh crab and shredded zucchini, and mopped up with a bit of crusty baguette. It was one of the first dishes I had there, seated outside on a hot February afternoon with a glass of orange – total bliss. - Sasha Murray, content marketing manager

Scampi alla Veneziana, Grill Americano The menu calls this dish “saffron pilaf”, but in my mind it’s a paella. The rice is savoury, aromatic and cooked in the pan until it forms a gorgeous scorched crust (this bit is so prized in Spain there’s a specific term for it: socarrat). Between that and the tender, smoky scampi butterflied on top, this is a masterclass in contrasting textures. - Nick Connellan, publications director

Turkish eggs, Sani Two perfectly poached eggs practically float in a paddling pool of velvety za’atar labneh, puddled with fermented chilli butter and flecks of soft herbs. The Turkish-style yoghurt is made to be mopped up with a flaky spinach-and-ricotta borek. The creamy dish might seem like a weird Saturday-morning flex for a girl who’s almost definitely had a large Friday night – not to mention an eternally unsettled tummy – but the buttery borek provides all the absorption you need when you’re feeling a little worse for wear. A more flawless Melbourne breakfast? It doesn’t exist. - Stephanie Vigilante, social media editor

Meyer lemon sorbetto, Pidapipo Laboratoria Can’t remember the last time – if ever – a cold dessert has topped the list of my favourite eats of the year. But this (fleetingly available) sorbetto at Pidapipo Laboratoria, Pidapipo’s new Fitzroy HQ and experimental arena, was a knock-out: a chilled facsimile of the fruit itself, precisely matching its balance of sweet, tarty lemony-mandariness. Summer bliss. (Honourable mention: the fig leaf gelato). – Katya Wachtel, editorial director

American barbeque, Houston’s Barbecue Hand on heart, this is the best American barbeque in Australia. And it’s certainly the most similar to what I’ve eaten in Texas. Houston’s is what the Michelin Guide might refer to as “worth a detour”, though in Keilor East it’s only a 12-minute drive from Melbourne Airport. Houston’s is cafeteria-style, serving peppery brisket and smoky pulled pork by weight or on Martin’s potato rolls. Pick your sides, (creamed corn, mac’n’cheese, potato salad and slaw), slide your tray over and dig in. If you want to deep dive, book ahead for one of owner Kit Houston’s day-long barbeque masterclass intensives, which run monthly. - Sofia Levin, writer

XO pippies with Chinese doughnuts, Supper Inn Every night of lockdown, I’d dream about the day I’d be able to walk up the stairway to heaven again, with my nearest and dearest, to the no-bullshit, iconic Melbourne staple Supper Inn. Why? For the XO pippies with Chinese doughnuts. When the dish hits your table, a sword (chopstick) fight instantly begins between punters. It’s a race to the best looking pippy, to the next, to the next, until everyone involved strikes the golden-coloured Chinese doughnuts floating in XO sauce. - Rory McKenna, marketing

Detroit pan pizza, Deep End For a while there, Capitano was the only place in town to get a decent grandma pie. (Imagine a focaccia with crisp cheese baked into the crust, like when molten cheddar escapes a jaffle and sticks to the outside.) More recently Connie’s and Deep End joined the party. I’m not satisfied – I wish every pizzeria in town would let me choose thicc crusts whenever I’m in the mood, which is very often. - Nick Connellan, publications director

Massaman curry, BKK Honestly, I could talk about the entire menu at this small but mighty diner. All of it takes me back to Thailand, sitting in humid, open-air restaurants joyously sweating through fiery serves of larb and papaya salad with countless cooling Singhas. But as someone who’s still striving to perfect from-scratch massaman, rendang and similar braised curries at home, this one’s tenderness and depth of flavour blew me away. - Nick Connellan, publications director

Montanara (baby pizza cloud), Di Stasio Pizzeria Fried dough – so, what? Let me stop you right there. We know, fried dough is delicious in every form – doughnuts, gnocchi, roti – but even growing up with Italian grandparents, I’ve never had it like this before. If a pillowy calzone and a chewy mochi ball shook hands, this dough cloud would be the result. And the simple topping of sugo and cheese? Chef’s kiss. - Stephanie Vigilante, social media editor

Curry for one, Many Little In the “Everything’s designed to be shared!” era, anything that’s “for one” is for me. (Does anyone else live in fear of getting short-changed as a tableful of their mates dive into dishes haphazardly, with no regard for reasonable ratios? Just me?) There’s something seriously satisfying about a solitary, all-encompassing plate of food that needs no accompaniment – like the Good Days chicken rice, the Tiba’s chicken shawarma and, of course, this transcendent bowl of curry at Sri Lankan-inspired Red Hill wine bar Many Little. It’s your choice of the day’s curries with coconut dal, aged saffron rice, chutneys and pappadams. Chef Gayan Pieris nails it all. - Tomas Telegramma, Melbourne editor

Duck-sausage sanga, Aru I’d heard a lot about chef Khanh Nguyen’s cooking before dining here at the close of December last year. But nothing could prepare me for this meal: a procession of banger after banger (including an actual banger) that riffs on familiar foods with smarts and joyful play that never borders on gratuitous. The much talked about snag – a duck-sausage sanga – still plays on my mind a year later. Nguyen pulls inspo from both Vietnamese nem nuong (grilled pork sausage) and Bunnings snags for this one, then finishes it over red-gum wood for char and smokiness before glazing it with leatherwood honey and plonking it onto sticky, spongy bao-style bread. Thank goodness for our prescient editor Tomas Telegramma, who advised us to order one each when we were foolishly considering sharing two between four. We could have gone another round. - Daniela Frangos, Adelaide editor-at-large

Konjac, mugwort, bean sprouts and cured salmon with perilla dressing, Chae Snagging a spot at the six-seat bench at Jung Eun Chae’s Cockatoo home is one my greatest accomplishments of 2022. But the experience was made even sweeter thanks to Chae’s banger-after-banger line-up of dishes (they change monthly, sorry). While I could probably write about every plate that October night, the cured salmon has been on my mind ever since. Ribbons of salmon and konjac – and a dusting of sesame – make for a symphony of texture and flavour. - Stephanie Vigilante, social media editor

Chicken sandwich, Morning Market I don’t believe in fancy chicken sandwiches because the classic rotisserie chook and coleslaw combo need not be messed with. But Morning Market’s take, with apple, pickled celery and walnut, is a deserving exception. It’s my go-to lunch option and I’m not sure it’s ever survived the walk back to the office untouched. - James Williams, creative solutions executive

Soy poussin, Benyue Kitchen Make sure you call ahead to order the poussin at Benyue Kitchen, brought to Aberfeldie by three of the kitchen team from much-missed St Kilda icon Lau’s Family Kitchen. Poussin is a young chook that’s larger than a quail and smaller than a hen. The soy poaching liquid is spiked with mei kuei lu chiew, Chinese rose wine, which adds the subtlest fragrance and causes the tender bird to glisten alluringly. - Sofia Levin, writer

Dry-aged O’Connor rib eye, Victoria Victorious. - Tomas Telegramma, Melbourne editor, and Katya Wachtel, editorial director

Umami e pepe, Parcs Okay, so I’m a sucker for a play on a classic. This one riffs on cacio e pepe and has fast become a Parcs signature. It uses miso (made from fermented leftover bread – Parcs is “scrap” backwards, get it?) in place of cheese, and chewy egg noodles in place of spaghetti. To masterful effect. Equally memorable is chef Dennis Yong’s deeply delicious golden fried rice (that utilises previously limp cos lettuce and dried salmon) and Chinese doughnuts swiped through mustard-brassica dip (made from cabbage scraps and mustard) and a so-called “add on” crocodile bacalao that I’m calling a must-order. - Daniela Frangos, Adelaide editor-at-large

Osakana bento, Hareruya Pantry The fish varies daily in the osakana bento, but my love for it will never waiver. It’s full to the brim with catch of the day (often salmon), various osouzai (side dishes) like pickled cabbage and lotus root, and some fluffy rice served in a perfectly lap-sized bamboo box. It sells out early, but I’ll happily bring my lunch forward to 10.30am to fit it into my day. - James Williams, creative solutions executive

Duck-liver parfait, Dessous I tend to swear when food delightfully takes me by surprise – like, “Well this can just fuck right off, it’s so yum!” Chef Dan Sawansak at Dessous is kind of a master at creating dishes that induce profanity. On the specials menu was a dish of duck-liver parfait, sablet and rhubarb compote. It was savoury and rich with a dessert-like mousse texture and a smack of sugary tartness. The parfait was cold, I think, so it was this strange combo of feeling refreshed yet indulgent at the same time. - Kate Shanasy, photographer

Pretty much everything, Galok I can’t stop thinking about this little trio from Galok in Windsor. Tenderly caramelised and falling off the bone, the twice-cooked lamb riblets channel owner Carlo Tran’s love of the salt-chilli-cumin combo of Xinjiang-style barbeque. Pacific prawn toast is succulent on the inside and crispy on the sesame-seed-crumbed-sourdough outside, with a creamy yuzu mayo for dipping. And paired with the surprisingly savoury Tom Yum Daquiri, this really is a threesome you want to get on board with. - Jo Rittey, writer

Chicken-schnitzel sandwich and neenish tart, Hawthorn Road Bakery I’m not sure if writing about dream sandwiches is clichéd or overplayed now, but I’m going to keep banging on about my – the – dream sandwich, and accompanying custard/neenish tart, at Hawthorn Road Bakery. It’s substantial, it all comes together perfectly and it’s rarely not the highlight of my week. Do what you want, but also don’t stray from the chicken-schnitzel sandwich with avocado, spinach leaves, carrot, cucumber and Dijon mustard on rye bread. It’s what I get, and it always makes me happier than I was pre-sandwich. - Aron Lewin, writer

Stracciatella, pickled mushrooms, chive oil, potato focaccia, Carlton Wine Room The crème de la crème of focaccia, this dish is insanely moreish and decadent. The cheesy, oily goodness of the stracciatella with chive oil, mixed with house-made focaccia is so satisfying. I would visit Carlton Wine room solely for this dish. - Evie Baker, photo editor

Colibaba falafel, Half Moon Cafe A year without a five-kilometre radius limit meant many weekend trips to Coburg for the Colibaba falafel from Half Moon Cafe. It’s not unusual for the Egyptian-owned cafe to have a lengthy queue, but it’s well worth the wait. The falafel is best enjoyed with a side of chips, but I’d also recommend adding some haloumi to the pita. - Ruby Harris, junior branded content producer

Broccoli sandwich, Greensleeves Broccoli sandwich on shokupan. Sooooo yum. Broccoli, chilli, onions, garlic. I don’t know what else is in it, but I have at least two a week. - Ben Moynihan, photographer

Kuri No Pavlova, Leonie Upstairs Japanese restaurant Leonie Upstairs is centred around temaki (handrolls) and sake, but it’s the dessert I can’t shake from my brain. Its take on the Mont Blanc, traditionally an Italian treat, is dubbed Kuri No Pavlova. It sees staff press chestnut cream in spaghetti-like strands on top of a Japanese-rum-infused sponge cake, layered with chestnut paste, mochi and meringue. Cameras definitely eat first, but it’s what’s on the inside that counts. - Sofia Levin, writer

Cantina Giardino wines I have no idea when this Campanian winery’s light, drinkable styles became widely available in Australia. Years ago, probably. But once I began to notice them around, I didn’t want to drink anything else. Just ask the staff at Figlia and Old Palm Liquor. Or, better yet, Carlton Wine Room, where I saw some fetching tangerine-hued liquid being poured at another table and asked for a glass, price and label unseen. - Nick Connellan, publications director

Biere de Coupage and Rouge, Black Arts Brewers and Blenders Since going full-time around a year ago, Josh Murnane and Chelsea Mew – the husband-and-wife duo behind Black Arts, a tiny warehouse brewery opposite the Altona refinery in Williamstown North – have dramatically expanded their range. They’re now producing mead from their own honey (Murnane is an apiarist as well as a brewer) and dry ciders alongside their seasonal, experimental collaborations with local orchards and wineries. But for me, nothing tops their range of wild ales, aged and blended in the tradition of the great Belgian breweries like Cantillon, Rodenbach and 3 Fonteinen. This year’s limited-edition Rouge sees Black Arts’ three-year-old Red Wild re-fermented for six months on cherries, raspberries and cranberries to create a complex, mouth-puckeringly tart summer ale. For the uninitiated, the couple’s old-faithful BDC – a blend of the funky, oak-aged Golden Wild and a younger dry-hopped saison – is a subtle, easygoing entry point to their sipping-style beers. - Annie Toller, chief subeditor

Waterproof Bamboo Flooring Umami e pepe, Parcs Finally! After two years of stop-start lockdowns and border closures, a window of opportunity to travel from Perth (where I am) to Melbourne (where you, and plenty of delicious things to eat, are) opened in late March – just in time for the return of Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. In some ways, the Victorian capital was the same as it ever was. The CBD was filled with footy fans and colours over the weekend. The weather was as unpredictable as ever. A constant, seemingly never-ending queue snaked out of the Lune shopfront on Collins Street. But in other ways, Melbourne had, was and is changing. Exhibit A: the arrival of a new wave of chefs who have stormed the city’s dining scene, bringing new flavours and ideas to the table. That many of these newcomers are working with and cooking from their (southern) Asian heritage is especially exciting – at least for someone like me, who was born to a Chinese-Indonesian mother. While I wasn’t able to tick Helly Raichura’s Enter Via Laundry, Jung Eun Chae’s Chae or Khanh Nguyen’s Aru – among other new openings – off my hit list, I did get to Parcs, where Dennis Yong and co are doing their utmost to make leftovers great again. And like many, I fell headfirst for Yong’s delicious and resourceful umami e pepe, a very Melbourne interpretation of Rome’s famous cacio e pepe pasta dish retold with egg noodles and a sauce made from fermented leftover bread. - Max Veenhuyzen, Perth editor-at-large