Yiaga

Where to begin with reviewing this world class fabulous new Melbourne restaurant set in the Fitzroy Gardens. My husband and I had lunch there Nov1st for my birthday. It was faultless,and a dining experience we won’t forget. Everything was perfect starting with our walk down the garden path on a sunny day to this beautifully built space. We were greeted by friendly staff as we stepped into what seemed like walking into a beautiful gum tree. This restaurant showcases everything Australian. The outlook is into the gardens and the space is beautiful and almost peaceful ( unusual in most restaurants now). The staff were so friendly and professional and didn’t miss a beat. I can’t do justice to describing the food other than to say it was superb. This restaurant showcases Melbourne and everything great about our beautiful country. Definitely a restaurant to take interstate and international visitors. We highly recommend Yiagi for that special dining experience.

A great addition to Melbourne fine dining scene. Featuring Australian ingredients but with great infusion of international flavours. A cold gelato to start off is a great approach to palette cleansing. The warm snacks combined a great mix of textures, flavours, and traditional ingredients (including green ants of course!). The squid noodle have great Thai and Viet flavours. The coconut caviar was silky smooth with a touch of salt from the caviar, topped with a layer of macadamia oil, reminding us of the macadamia dish at Vue. Five spice raw prawn was good. The apple foam as a cleanser demonstrated superb cooking techniques. Fish had great chilli oil addition. The kangaroo rib main dish was an interesting cut of meat not usually offered elsewhere. Blanched wakame added exciting texture to strawberry and cream dessert. The highlight was the banksia moulded chocolate pop was a deceptive blend with Aus flora, and a chocolate gum nut to cap things off. The non alcoholic pairing was a great addition with creative blends of tea and koji. The venue tour what's a great addition to the overall experience. The restaurant has great stories on its architecture. Overall, it was exceptionally well done! Highly recommended all around. We can't wait to be back as the seasonal menu changes!

It was a wonderful experience at the soft opening of Yiaga, situated at the heart of Fitzroy Gardens, led by Hugh Allen and his team. The restaurant was beautifully designed by John Wardle and every piece of material and utensil was designed and tailored made to create a unique feel. Hugh's menu was full of his character and creativity and the wine pairing was excellent bringing the food experience to another level!

We were so impressed by the creativity in the food! Every detail at Yiaga from the handmade furniture to the beautifully presented dishes were exceptional. The chefs thoroughly explained each dish, and finally meeting Hugh in person made the experience even more special. After missing him at my wedding at Vue de monde, this visit was truly amazed. Can’t wait to come back next year!

What a memorable dining experience at Yiaga. Every dish was so creative and beautifully plated. Not only was the food amazing, but the overall service from the staff was outstanding. The tour through the restaurant added an extra special touch to the experience as well. I highly recommend visiting this newly opened restaurant. Thanks to everyone at Yiaga!

A new fine-dining just opened in Fitzroy Gardens, and it’s genuinely impressive. The ambiance is beautiful, the service is good, the highlight is the food — incredibly fresh, flavourful ingredients with stunning presentation. Wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes Melbourne’s next hat-winning restaurant in 2026.

Do yourself a favour and try and get a table. Beautiful food, creatively and thoughtfully presented in exquisite surroundings. A set menu without being pretentious or stuffy. We had a booth which was really lovely and felt very private. The tables are well spaced so that the noise level is very low despite the full house.

This is a restaurant I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. The large floor-to-ceiling windows let you soak in the tranquil atmosphere of the Fitzroy garden. Chef Hugh uses fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced locally in Australia, and the tableware is custom-made in collaboration with Australian artists. That said, the dishes overall felt a bit cold for my taste—perhaps it's due to the spring-summer season