All Carbed Up: The Best Restaurant Butter in Melbourne
You butter believe it.
No restaurant meal is complete without the comforting start of bread and butter. And Melbourne’s dining scene has elevated this humble duo far beyond the traditional white dinner roll and chilled rectangle of Western Star butter—likely too cold to spread, of course. Today, we’re spoilt with some truly spectacular creations that, frankly, are so good you might just skip the rest of the meal and bask in the serotonin boost with every bite of buttery, carb-filled bliss.
Yes, I’ve dedicated an entire article to the crème de la crème of restaurant butter. You’re welcome.
Lucia
Lucia is taking the most delicious food on planet earth and turning it into…a cube. But oh boy, it’s magical. The French sure know their butter, and this French-Italian hybrid restaurant is no different. Using Del Bocia butter, an Italian butter made in Melbourne, along with Blanc Bakery bread, these two are a match made in heaven. Not only is it aesthetic, but it’s super creamy and soft, melting in your mouth. This is the new quintessential butter in Melbourne experience, trust me.
11 Eastern Road, South Melbourne
Mr L’s
Alright, prepare to fall in love—just as we did—with Mr L's exceptional bread-and-butter starter. Think Irish soul meets indulgence: rich, dark Guinness Bread paired with a smoked potato butter, its creamy texture punctuated by the delightful crunch of fermented potato skins. Each bite is pure magic—a smoky, velvety sensation that elevates the humble bread and butter to new heights. The bread itself is still warm, dense yet with a decadent softness. Trust me, you’ll want to make a pilgrimage just for this.
25 Toorak Road, South Yarra
Akaiito
This unique butter is well-worth splurging on the ‘Omakase at Your Table’ menu at Akaiito. Here, you’ll find Kombu butter, a delight for your taste buds. Kombu is a type of dried sea kelp often used in Japanese cuisine, and it provides a special umami taste to the golden butter given a slightly brown tinge. Paired with miso brioche, a fluffy and salty cloud, these two are a match made in heaven.
349-351 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Neighbourhood Wine
Nowhere does a romantic lunch or dinner date vibe better than Neighbourhood Wine, one of Fitzroy North's most warm, polished, and charming wine bars. Want to know something else no one can do better than them? Whipped butter! Light and creamy, this butter spreads like a dream atop the naturally leavened sourdough bread. You best believe you’ll be wanting seconds.
1 Reid Street, Fitzroy North
Etta
Sure, butter is great and all, but what about smoked butter? Like Mr L’s, Etta is dishing up a luscious smoked butter (of the browned variety) alongside Wild Life Bakery sourdough, and we’re obsessed with it. Rich, nutty, and kissed with a hint of smokiness, it takes every bite to the next level.
60 Lygon Street, Brunswick East
Future Future
This bread-and-butter combo at Future Future is in a league of its own. The house-baked shokupan (Japanese milk bread) comes with a honey glaze, offering a soft, milky, and fluffy base that’s simply irresistible. And the pine mushroom butter? We could wax lyrical about it for days. Its earthy, umami-rich flavour melds perfectly with the sweetness of the bread, creating a mouthwatering bite you’ll want to savour forever.
191 Swan Street, Richmond
Ides
Ides is serving up an incredible combination of sesame sourdough and smoked Wagyu fat butter. The sesame sourdough boasts a perfectly crisp crust and subtle nuttiness, while the butter’s smoky, savoury richness takes indulgence to a whole new level. It’s a match made in culinary heaven that’s impossible to resist.
92 Smith Street, Collingwood
Still haven't got enough of a food fix after reading about the best butter in Melbourne? Get ready for the next course at one of these must-book restaurants in the Melbourne CBD, or stay up to date with everything going on in the foodie scene with our Melbourne food and drink news.
