Bistra

Gorgeous spot with nice food and service that feels both professional and relaxed. The seating is a bit tight but I do enjoy that the venue feels lively and bustling. We were drawn to the steak hut the cabbage rolls actually ended up being the highlight. The chicken live pate and spinach ricotta dumplings were great too. And the bread!

Bistra has a good vibe, friendly staff and came as a big recommendation. However, it was not a hit for me. We found everything lacklustre, each dish served looked wonderful but had very little flavour. Even the cabbage roll, which was set in (what looked like) a hearty broth gave nothing. Our steaks were not cooked as we asked, and our chips were very hard and somehow hollow? I hope that it was just a bad night as I know there were a tonne of rave reviews, and that so many people seemed to be enjoying their meals. But I personally found it to all to be unbalanced and unseasoned. Martini’s, however, were perfect.

So excited to finally have the chance to come here. The staff were super friendly, and didn’t hesitate to repeat the specials no matter how many times we asked. Pasta was superb, probably some of the best I’ve had in Melbourne. Steak had a fantastic sear, super tender, and had an extremely generous portion of chips. Only downside was the cabbage role which was unfortunately just a bit too salty but very enjoyable apart from that.

Absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. Every bite of food was phenomenal, with standout highlights across the entire meal. The lamb appetizer special was truly mind blowing and easily one of my favorite bites of all time. The aged steak was also exceptional and cooked perfectly. Service was phenomenal and elevated the entire experience. Huge shout out to Alexi for making the night unforgettable. One of our favorite dining experiences of all time.

Went to Bistra for dinner and ordered the baked scallops and agnolotti to start, followed by the hanger steak and cheeseburger with sides of green beans and fries, finishing with the cream puff for dessert. The baked scallops were buttery and garlicky - absolutely lovely. The agnolotti was interesting, though not quite to my taste and I wasn’t sure if I detected the pistachio. The hanger steak was tender and delicious, complemented nicely by my choice of spicy peppercorn sauce. The cheeseburger felt like it truly deserves to be a menu staple; simple yet perfectly executed, with a juicy patty and plenty of sauce. Dessert was a cream puff served with ice cream and a generous drizzle of chocolate ganache; light, tasty and with its berry filling reminiscent of a Black Forest cake. Bistra’s intimate setting adds to its charm - dim lighting, fabric curtains & white brick walls created a cool yet cosy ambiance.

Loved it! Impeccable service, food, wine and atmosphere. Highlights for me were the scallops, pate, and king prawns. The fries were insanely delicious too. Would definitely return and recommend.

Had come across Bistra on a local food guide as a wonderful spot in town so decided to book a special birthday lunch for my partner upon a weekend trip to Melbourne. While the menu isn’t excessive, it’s just the right amount to leave you wanting to come back for more. The window seating in the afternoon was a special treat to enjoy the warm light during the cold winter. Will undoubtedly be returning for another taste soon!

We got to Bistra early and had the whole place to ourselves. And as the night went by, it was packed for a very good reason! Zack looked after us very well and food was top notch. Everything we ordered was AMAZING. But if I have to choose a favourite, it’ll be the prawn. The crispy fries underneath the mussels were a pleasant surprise. Will not hesitate to recommend and will def be back. It can get very noisy so if you’re after a quiet place, might not be for you.