The true crab obsessive wants the full experience: cracking, pulling and excavating; the sense of accomplishment from finding sweet lumps of meat. Ministry of Crab delivers on all fronts. Founded by two famous Sri Lankan cricketers and a chef-restaurateur, the international chain is serious about its governmental name, going to great lengths to source excellent (and sustainable) seafood.

The main decision you need to make is which size of Australian mud crab you want and in what kind of sauce. The best are the Sri Lankan-accented black pepper, and the buttery garlic-chilli. Before you get hands dirty, you might try crab liver pâté served with tiny toast squares.

In a riff on the Thai dish pad krapow, tender shredded crab is stir-fried with garlic, chilli and Thai basil. The decor, soundtrack and cocktails all feel positively out of place in 2025 Melbourne. But the food and service? Faultless.

Good to know: Crabs start at “medium” (700-799 grams) and go up to “Crabzilla” (more than two kilograms). An “extra-large” crab, split between two people, is more than generous.

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