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Kensington

Chicken parmigiana.
14/20

The ‘Dirty Gutter’ is spruced up into a charmer with a ‘bloody good’ parma

Hitting classic pub tropes, the new-look Doutta Galla Hotel, aka The Doot, is a hoot.

  • Dani Valent
Otway pork chop at Arnold’s wine bar
13.5/20

Arnold’s

Cosy wine bar brimming with banter, creativity and heart.

Edziban serves West African snacks and stews.
13.5/20

Edziban

Lively stews and pounded carbs.

14/20

Zamzam Kitchen

Friendly, low-key setting for comforting flavours.

Guinness can be poured even quicker thanks to its double-barrelled tap.

Auntie Annie’s Hotel

Staying true to the pub’s predecessor, The Quiet Man.

  • Tomas Telegramma
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Rumble is a specialty coffee roaster in Kensington.

Rumble Coffee Roasters

This cafe is a finalist for best coffee in Good Food’s Essential Melbourne Cafes and Bakeries of 2025.

Assorted dishes at Jollof Vibe.

Inside a roller-doored garage in Kensington lies a truly great little dining gem

Ghanaian jollof, Nigerian jollof and even spaghetti jollof are on the menu at Jollof Vibe, a West African eatery operating out of a dark shared kitchen.

  • Dani Valent
Arnold’s wine bar in Kensington, complete with disco ball.
13.5/20

This local wine bar stands out from the crowd with its blue drink and Mexican-ish food

Melbourne has plenty of neighbourhood wine bars, but not many have Arnold’s creativity and heart.

  • Besha Rodell
“We’ve got open communication, respect for each other and patience”, says Le Tet.

‘To keep the dream alive, you have to be creative’: Restaurant roommates are surviving (and thriving)

Several Melbourne hospitality ventures are splitting rent and utilities to reduce costs, build community and reach out to new customers.

  • Dani Valent
Carnitas tacos with pico de gallo.

La Tortilleria

Melbourne’s undisputed king of tortillas.