The Sydney Morning Herald
· collected 2026-10-07 · by Frank Sweet, Emma Breheny
The article reports on dining trends in Melbourne for 2026, focusing primarily on meat-based dishes and their variations. It highlights the popularity of beef broth known as gomtang and various creative uses of beef marrow across different restaurants. The piece also mentions a resurgence of classic dishes like steak frites and innovative takes on potatoes. Additionally, it notes an increase in Mexican restaurants and West African cuisine, emphasizing culinary diversity despite the meat-centric trend.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In 2026, Melbourne's dining scene shifted from previous trends like taramasalata in 2024 and chawanmushi in 2025 to a focus on meat dishes. The Age Good Food Guide editors noted this trend, observing that beef was especially prominent across Victoria. Diners queued for Korean gomtang, a beef broth, at numerous restaurants. Beef marrow enriched various dishes, including risotto and Thai-style sticky rice cakes. Steak frites replaced traditional steak and chips in both high-end and casual eateries, highlighting the versatility of this protein trend. Potatoes were also popular, served as crispy discs or chips to complement creamy sauces. This shift underscores a move towards hearty, comforting meals in Melbourne's diverse culinary landscape.
Written for “Dining Trends 2026” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
In 2024, Melbourne was hit by a tasty wave of taramasalata.
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Melbourne → hit → taramasalata
And what did we see dotting every table in Victoria in 2026?
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we → see → 2026
Protein – and a little starch – as far as the eye could see.
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eye → see → ?
That might sound ridiculous in a state celebrated for its culinary diversity and excitable eaters.
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That → sound → diversity
But we’re not talking corned beef and lumpy mash.
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we → talk → beef
As editors of The Age Good Food Guide we enjoyed the purest, cleanest beef soupof our lives – Korea’s gomtang.
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we → enjoy → gomtang
It’s being simmered, skimmed and ladled into bowls right across Melbourne as we speak, with diners queuing up to get their moment with this heavenly broth.
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diners → simmer → broth
Beef bones were relieved of their marrow en masse – the precious substance enriching everything from risotto at CBD newcomer Roma to a cake of Thai-style sticky rice at basement diner Dessous.
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bones → relieve → Dessous
Some classics never die, and this year saw steak and chips rebrand to steak frites at hatted restaurants, neighbourhood pubs and everywhere in between.
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steak → die → between
As for potatoes, we ate them as fat, crunchy pucks – the perfect vessel for anything creamy and salty.
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we → eat → anything
We ate them chipped and fried in beef tallow for a shattering exterior (and a couple of bonus grams of protein).
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We → eat → protein
And, in what was one of the most unexpectedly delicious moves of the year, we ate them mashed, buttered and supercharged with a decadent sauce of crab roe and claw meat at Little Rose.
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we → eat → Rose
But if you’re still not convinced that Victoria ate well these past 12 months, take a look at The Age Good Food Guide when we release the 46th edition on Monday, October 12 at 8pm.
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we → convince → 8
It features reviews of 500 places around the state, from charcoal chicken spots brushing their birds with Greek, Thai and Japanese flavours, to freshly hatted restaurants in dreamy beachside locations.
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It → feature → locations
In a year with more groundbreaking Mexican openings than ever before, we’ve happily reviewed eight of them and are pleased to report one of Melbourne’s few dining blindspots is gradually improving.
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one → review → blindspots
And in great news for spiced rice, West African jollof is now nearly as common as Ethiopia’s injera, as a swathe of new openings showcased the food of Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana and beyond.
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swathe → showcase → Nigeria
All these exciting dishes, and the latest and greatest places to eat right now are captured on the Good Food app, now the home of the Good Food Guide.
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dishes → eat → Guide
It features every single Guide review, and is a pocket-sized version of the Guide that’s always up to date.
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that → feature → date
On the app, you’ll find Burmese, Nigerian, Roman and Basque; pub dining, brasseries, canteens and chef’s tables.
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you → find → Burmese
If you’re visiting Bright, Healesville, Warrnambool or Red Hill, you can be guaranteed a great meal at a Good Food Guide-approved restaurant.
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you → visit → restaurant
And if you’re just a follower of the hats and who’s got ’em, you’ll find that too.
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you → ’re → that
The printed Guide – a snapshot of 100 Essential Restaurants for 2027 and all the award winners – is inserted in The Age on Tuesday, October 13.
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Guide → print → Tuesday
What’s an Essential Restaurant, you ask?
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you → ’ → ?
Hatted or not, an Essential Restaurant could be a legendary, once-in-a-lifetime institution or it could be just a few months old.
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it → hat → lifetime
Pull up a stool, or sink into a plush chair at any one of them, and you’ll see how Victoria eats now.
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Victoria → pull → them
It’s a dining hit-list for the year ahead.
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It → ’ → year
The winners of the 46th Age Good Food Guide Awards will be announced on Monday, October 12, presented by Oceania Cruises and T2 Tea.
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winners → announce → Cruises
The awards ceremony will be live-blogged via The Age from 3pm; the Guide reviews will be available on the Good Food app from 8pm.
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reviews → blogge → 8
You can download the Good Food app here.
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You → download → app
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