Lucia

Lucia isn’t exactly easy to find. Hiding behind filmy curtains on the ground floor of a new office block in South Melbourne’s meaner streets, it might have you interrogating the Uber driver over the accuracy of their GPS. But once you’ve located the silently swishing automatic doors (gotta love that touch) it reveals a self-sustaining universe of luxe. The pale-on-pale room with its broad curving booths feels a bit like a very expensive cruise ship, in the best possible way. And the crowd responds accordingly, traipsing in dressed in their designer finery. 

Choice awaits. You can settle in for a multi-course meal with matched wines, but our advice is to head left to the bar. That’s where you’ll find a glass-fronted seafood bar setting the tone for a glamorous ode to the good life.