embla

staff super knowledgable and attentive. i'd suggest letting them choose for you. venue is so different to what used to be there. a very chic and almost 'clicky' joint. great wine selection and cheese - the cheese was so palatable. we couldn't fault it and although a tad pricey, we will be back. no bookings here.

i'm going to be controversial and upfront! i'm not a fan of the townmouse which is embla's sister restaurant. i haven't enjoyed the food the two times i've been there and i don't find it a comfortable place to eat. i almost gave up on the little stool i had at the bar to eat standing up. but many people have urged me to give embla a go and we found ourselves there for a pre theatre feed on saturday. it was just after 6pm and there were a few seats left. we chose to sit at the kitchen bar, just to the side of the wood fired oven to try and stay a little cooler and it was a great seat. i'm so pleased to say that the stool was comfy and there was a little ledge to support my short legs. great start embla and i like you already!

lil miss piggy pigged out and rolled all the way home

simple, tasty and generous serves. i was in the mood for small plates of delicious rustic food and embla delivered.

the starter of anchovy toast whetted my appetite, the sour cucumbers nice and refreshing, the snapper carpaccio delightfully piquant, the veal tartare a playful twist to a french classic and finished off with buttery garlic pippies.

loved the small bar vibe and open kitchen. great spot for a lazy lunch.

a friend and i chose this recommendation from the good food guide and it delivered the goods. all dishes are to be shared and this would be great for a date night as mood lighting is dim but with a warm atmosphere. wait staff was very friendly and knew there stuff with great recommendations. would highly recommend ordering 4-5 dishes for a light yet satisfying meal. personal favourite was the flathead fish and the pipes (soup was amazing).

we came here for dinner. we ordered a few things to try - cucumbers, golden beetroots, zucchini , pipis, some cheeses and dessert. the serving were reasonable, not as tasty as i would expect. the music was a bit too loud for my liking. staff was friendly and efficient. 

it's a place for snacks, light dinners and small chats.

one of the best places i've dined at in a long time.
the ambience of the place is amazing, and it ushers in a sense of anticipation of something special - and it was.
the food is just out of this world good. we asked them to surprise us with a custom degustation share menu, and what was to follow was mind numbingly good.
veal tartare, soured cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes and sardines, duck, beef, flathead, oysters.. the list goes on and it was all great.
and the sommelier was absolutely fantastic - we had some australian and new zealand wines that seriously were world class.

awesome venue with a great vibe and unique menu. we ordered the snapper carpaccio, the veal tartare, the pipis, the calamari and the zucchini. everything was very tasty but the calamari stood out in particular. definitely a must order. the wine list was also impressive.

super cool venue with a fantastic aroma on arrival. great tapas choices with a slide of wine. melbourne's second best 'old fashioned'…commitment has to be shown by having more than one!

went here because this restaurant is number 1 on the time out 50 best restaurants in melbourne list (attica sits at number 2).
this restaurant truly deserves that position on the list, and it doesn't come with the expensive bill.
worth going to experience for yourself.

faultless. the staff are exceptional with a wonderful gift of imparting product knowledge as if they made ( and sourced) the food and beverage themselves.
the wine list is extremely interesting. the tapas bites are fantastic.
if nothing else, you've got to try the anchovy toast. a morsel of deliciousness.
the space is smart and simple
i loved engaging with the chef as we sat at the bar, telling us little stories behind each dish we had.
i love that it feels so casual and yet it hits every point spot on.
definitely a favourite

sat at the kitchen bench and saw all dishes being prepared. ordered a couple of different wines with the anchovy toast,sour cucumbers, whiting with burnt butter, snapper carpaccio and the aged flounder. especially liked the snapper carpaccio and the presentation, the anchovy toast and the whiting. toasty with the wood fired grill going and service good. would go back soon to try rest of menu.

embla, the newest venture from the team that brought you town mouse (which y’all know i simply adore), was somewhere i had dropped by for a drink when they first opened, but just never made it around for dinner. until your friend chris from brisbane randomly drops in on a monday night and it’s simply perfect timing.

do: the stracciatella, pipis, the john dory and the roast chicken.

don't: drive there, since the wine selection is too notch. it is a wine bar after all.

tip: since there are no dinner bookings, go for lunch when they do take bookings.

almost perfect.

great ambience, attentive and knowledgeable service, comprehensive wine list and an en pointe menu that delivers great food.

the only criticism is that they don't have gluten free crackers or bread to accompany their tantalizing cheese selection!

emblematic excellence. finally made it to embla - not for want of trying! but being here after word has got out, including a recent city of melbourne billboard campaign, means you're looking at a 20-40min wait for dinner. and it's totally worth it.

a pescatarian friend in the party meant we didn't try the charcuterie or meat dishes but no biggie - everything we tried was great. fantastic fish - an aged flounder cooked to delicate perfection. a range of unusual vegetable dishes like the castel franco salad, the hasselback celeriac with a quenelle of creme fraiche and a dusting of dehydrated capers, and chargrilled broccoli - different and great. plus absolutely awesome cheese - we behaved ourselves and just had one, served with a mustard pickle and shards of crispy flatbread. add in a glass of excellent wine - mine a minerally italian variety i've never had before - and it was a perfect food night. and about $100 all up before tip - another big tick.

service is a blend of understated achievement with unfaked friendliness. the maitre d' was a charismatic, hospitable lady who welcomed us on arrival even though she didn't have a table available immediately. true to her word, she called within the expected time frame, and made us feel like guests rather than super-privileged people "allowed" into an elite event as some pretentious places do. our two waitresses were smart, smiling and so helpful, walking us through the unfamiliar items with chilled charm. i can't wait till the restaurant proper opens!!!