Because pleasure is the highest good.
Melbourne is a city that thrives on indulgence. It’s where fine dining isn’t just about the food—it’s about the theatre, the setting, the service, and, most importantly, the unnecessary luxuries that make the experience worth every bite, sip, and late-night decision. From caviar on a rooftop to after-hours cheeseburgers in a grand dining room, these are seven of the most unnecessarily good experiences in the city.
1. Maison Bâtard’s Le Club—Where Elegance Meets Exclusivity
Tucked beneath Maison Bâtard, Le Club is Melbourne’s best-kept secret—a members-only, Parisian-inspired basement bar where excess is encouraged. Think champagne, cigars, and candlelit tables occupied by those in the know. And if you’re lucky, you might just walk in to find Drake casually performing a private set, as he did recently, turning a very French evening into an impromptu VIP concert. As far as unnecessary pleasures go, this is Melbourne at its finest.
2. France-Soir—A Timeless Parisian Escape
Melbourne institutions come and go, but France-Soir remains untouched. A place where steak frites is an art form, the wine list is longer than your regrets the next morning, and tables are filled with a mix of South Yarra socialites, industry veterans, and old-school locals who have been coming here since the ‘80s. It’s noisy, it’s fast, and it’s exactly how a true French bistro should be. Order a dozen oysters, a bottle of Burgundy, and let the night unfold.
3. Siglo—Cigars, Martinis & Rooftop Views
Few places capture Melbourne’s love of late-night decadence quite like Siglo. Overlooking Parliament House, this rooftop bar is where you come when you want to feel like a European diplomat who doesn’t have to wake up early. The move? A martini, a Cuban cigar, and a plate of gougères (because everything is better with cheese). If it’s a warm night, you’ll probably find half the city’s who’s who lingering over negronis and making the kind of unnecessary plans that lead to very necessary stories.
4. Vue de Monde’s Chef’s Table—Culinary Theatre at Its Finest
Dining at Vue de Monde is an event, but if you really want to go all in, book the Chef’s Table. Set inside the kitchen, this is where you get a front-row seat to Melbourne’s most refined food experience—complete with the kind of unnecessary flourishes that make the difference between a good meal and a life-altering one. Think: native ingredients, liquid nitrogen, and a waitstaff who move like they’re conducting a symphony. By the end of it, you’ll wonder if anything else in life will taste as good.
5. Gimlet’s Supper Club—Where Late-Night Cheeseburgers Become High Art
Most restaurants wind down after 10pm, but at Gimlet, things are just getting started. Their Supper Club menu is a midnight masterpiece, featuring a cheeseburger that rivals anything served during daylight hours. Think soft bun, perfectly smashed patty, and just the right amount of grease to keep the night going. Pair it with a Gimlet Royale, a crisp martini variation spiked with citrus, and suddenly, heading home before 2am seems entirely unnecessary.
6. Bar Margaux’s Late-Night Oyster and Champagne Specials—Midnight Indulgence
The late-night theme continues at Bar Margaux, Melbourne’s underground brasserie dedicated to the art of the post-midnight indulgence. If you’ve ever found yourself craving fresh oysters and cold champagne at 1am, this is the place for you. Dimly lit, effortlessly cool, and serving some of the best steak tartare and pomme frites in the city, this is where you come to finish (or start) your evening in true unnecessary style.
7. Attica’s Experimental Tasting Menu—A Journey Through Australian Flavours
No list of Melbourne’s most indulgent experiences would be complete without Attica. Ben Shewry’s multi-course tasting menu is a lesson in extreme creativity, featuring native ingredients most of us haven’t even heard of, let alone tasted. This is where you’ll find wallaby tartare, emu eggs, and desserts made with ants, all served in a space where dining feels less like a meal and more like an expedition into the unknown. Is it necessary? Absolutely not. Is it the best dining experience in Australia? Probably.
Melbourne doesn’t do indulgence lightly, and these seven experiences prove that unnecessary pleasures are often the most memorable. Because in the world of ASK Y•, necessity is overrated—and the unnecessary is always the best part.