Serai

Gave Serai a go after hearing Gordon Ramsay called it his favourite spot in Melbourne — had to see what the hype was about. Overall, a solid 4/5 stars from me. Started with the Karekare hashbrowns — crispy, golden, and topped with salted duck egg. Simple but elite. The Sisig tacos (Ramsay’s pick) were packed with flavour and texture, definitely a highlight. The McScallop burger (2 for $24) was like a refined seafood slider — tasty, but not mind-blowing. The crispy chicken skin flatbread delivered exactly as expected: crunchy skin on toasted bread, rich and satisfying. The charred cabbage ($26) was surprisingly good, but hard to justify the price. For mains, we had: Pork Belly ($58) – great balance of flavours, not too sweet Chicken ($58) – cooked perfectly, juicy and tender, but definitely expensive King Whiting ($50) – very strong smoked/gamey flavour, lots of bones; not for everyone Wagyu ($62) – enjoyable but not particularly standout We finished with two claypot rices ($28 each), which worked well to balance out the richness of the mains. Service was great and the food was well-executed overall. The flavours were bold, the plating was clean, and the vibe had a modern Filipino-Australian fusion feel. I’d just come back from Bali (where the fine dining scene is strong), so expectations were high — and Serai held up well. ✅ Worth a visit if you're after something different in Melbourne CBD, just expect to pay a bit for the experience. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We spontaneously dropped in for a few drinks and ended up staying for dinner. We had the most unique and delicious dishes, everything was truly incredible! We were very impressed with the service from Nick and the wine recommendations too. Highly recommend Serai for your next dinner with friend or date night!

I had the chefs table set menu with matching wines and I can't fault a single thing. The head chef/owner was serving me the dishes and is very personable with random stories and also trying to get to know me. The atmosphere is very relaxed and all the staff seem very happy and get along well. The sommelier was also very nice and a funny guy. The food is seriously amazing. Right now it is my favourite restaurant that I have eaten at, I couldn't fault a single dish. Its value is a combination of the food, price, and friendliness while not being pretentious. Highly recommend the set menu!

I finally made it for lunch and wow—the hype was absolutely real! The food was nothing short of impressive, with each dish delivering that signature Filipino flavor in such a refined and creative way. You could really taste the thought and care put into every bite. The service was warm and personal, adding to the overall charm of the experience. I can’t fault a thing. If you’re in Melbourne, this place is an absolute must for a memorable foodie treat.

From time to time we find a hidden gem of a unique restaurant serving flavourful and sumptuous dishes . This time the restaurant is run by two Filipino Chefs and their great team serving delicious food. We were quite surprised by their creativity leveraging on Filipino popular dishes and their ingredients and using it to create a whole different kind of dish that is so flavourful. We opted for their Feed Me option so we can sample several dishes and we were not disappointed. Great place to have a dinner date or with friends

Oh me oh my… we had the chefs tasting menu.. added some Waygu fat oysters, tacos and the clay pot.. this is hands down one of my favourite places so far.. every meal was perfectly paired with a sophisticated wine. The whole experience from start to finish was impeccable.. my tummy bursting! Also we finished with the cassava cake.. utter delight.. we will be back again and again! Thank you Ross!! The service was also excellent!

Such a great spot which I don’t if it counts as a hidden gem anymore? Went there spontaneously for lunch and the vibe of the place is great, the kitchen is visible and the service was fantastic. We started with the kangaroo Kilawin and I was impressed that the flavours were familiar and yet slightly elevated. The other dishes followed the same theme but the standout has got to be the sisig tacos. Gordon Ramsay himself liked these and I definitely agree. It brought the familiar sisig flavours and textures in a taco format and the unique combination of the egg butter just elevated the dish significantly. We liked it so much we ordered it twice!

Friendly and accommodating service. Their set menu was amazing! I was in awe how well they made the Cabbage Tocino - tasted fantastic. The best one that others loved was the Mindanao Bagoong Rainbow Trout. It tasted so good, a friend of ours who is not a fish person ate so much of it with the rice. We had a 7-meal course but would come back for more 🇵🇭✨️