Looks like any other pub from the outside but as soon as I entered the vibe was great. I loved the decor. All the food we tried was delicious. Special mention for the octopus with nduja which was the most flavourful dish of the night and the duck breast which came with the fluffiest and most aerated pumpkin puree I've ever had. We tried 5 different wines and all were excellent. The service was superb too (thanks Henry).

Exceeded my expectations. Flawless execution of the menu. Friendly and attentive service. Highly recommend coming here for a good feed. It’s not fine dining, nor does it purport to be. It’s better-than gastro pub food, executed extremely well. You will not leave here disappointed. Highlights were - pretty much everything we ordered. You can tell a good restaurant by it’s bread and this was no exception. Warm, crusty, soft and great butter to accompany. The stracciatella with broadband and anchovies were fantastic, great balance of flavours. Pork ribs with pineapple glaze were extremely moreish. Cured ocean trout was served with a fantastic wasabi cream and fennel citrus salad. The cafe de Paris butter on the steak exceptional. Nduja was potentially a bit overpowering for subtle ness of a John Dory, but still no points lost for deliciousness. Creme brûlée fantastic. Run, don’t walk. The Rec is seriously good. 5 stars everyday of the week.

Really recommend The Recreation — we had a magnificent lunch there to celebrate another stage in our renovation. After a tough day cleaning and sanding and having some success, we were hungry. Thirsty, too! The meals did not disappoint. And what a dessert! Go to The Recreation — smart casual, a bit classy, and a welcoming atmosphere with a sophisticated clientele.

Very unassuming place from the outside. We had booked a large table for an end of year work dinner. Enter the restaurant and the warm ambience quickly tells a different story. Well managed restaurant; friendly, attentive and knowledgeable staff with fine attention to details, fantastic kitchen team with great menu options and plate presentations, the wine list was quite extensive too …. absolutely loved the evening and the dining experience

The Recreation is an understated delight! The food is delicious and serves are generous in size. I’ve dined here several times for both lunches and dinners and have always enjoyed each experience. The service is attentive , friendly and the wait staff are ready to advise on the extensive list of fine wines. I can’t wait to return to this local again.

Delicious food and polite service. We ordered some entrees to share and everything was delicious. Stand outs were the warm bread and butter, roasted cauliflower, zucchini flower, pork ribs but every dish was lovely. Service was attentive without being too obtrusive. Would go back again to try more dishes. Highly recommended.

Pleasantly surprised the ambiance is typical of a pub the menu has nice selection of meals. One dish that must be tried is the dry aged duck breast, crispy and tender this dish is a must the steak was cooked perfectly and the sauce was great. Had great wines with these delightful dishes

My initial impression walking past the décor and amazing looking wine bar (will definitely have to come back for that) was of a very cosy atmosphere and warm ambience. We dined on the night before lockdown and they were quite busy for a Thursday night and the staff handled it very well. The food was tasty from beginning to end. The bread and onion butter set the tone for a delightful dining experience. Every dish had a complexity to it such as the yuzu in the BBQ octopus that made everything delicious (favourite of dish of the night). Also highly recommend trying the Creme Brulee that was another highlight. Definitely will be coming again and can easily see myself inviting friends and family.

Strawberry sorbet and a pineapple turnover cake 🍓🍍🍨 The dessert wine is from Sauternes, and a deep rich muscat wine as well, also from France 🇫🇷 The cafe latte here is perfect but it’s $8! Haven’t seen a coffee that expensive anywhere ☕️

Dinner at @the_rec_fitzroy_north from 2 months ago: This is a really cool place! The food was absolutely fantastic. Good drinks selection. Service was top notch. So good 😍😍😍. . Seafood tortellini with prawn bisque: omg this was the most flavourful thing ever!! Cured ocean trout Ox tongue Bread and butter: fantastic bread 😍😍. Lamb rack Duck breast: love love love this dish! Perfection. Potato gnocchi Fries Spring greens with roasted tomato tahini sauce Tarte tatin: wow this was amazing!! Creme brulee: flavour was spot on, but the surface wasn't hard enough.

The Recreation is clearly operated by seasoned hospitality professionals because their attention to detail is first class! We enjoyed a lavish NYE lunch, which was absolutely delicious.. Menu highlights for me have to be the Octopus and the Duck, but I couldn't fault any of the other dishes we ate as well.. The service was tremendous, so there's no doubt we will be back soon!

Great food, great ambience. A very unassuming restaurant that has consistently served excellent quality of food. Another plus point is its proximity to M3 exit/entrance. Super convenient 😆 Shoutout to Chef Victoria for her dedication and creative menu!

What a fabulous find. Very warm and inviting and staff are just delightful. Food and presentation was delicious and wine list very extensive. Had a great vibe and ambience.

Dined here with 5 others and very much enjoyed the Australian Italian food. Staff were friendly and attentive. Wine was good. Well priced too.

Top notch food in an upscale pub-style setting. I had oysters with yuzu ponzu and finger lime, as well as the prawn and snapper tortellini.

Lovely food. We had kangaroo, calamari, duck, salad, chips, parfait and creme brulee. All excellent. Good service. Atmosphere okay at first -we started at 6.30 - but toward the end too noisy for us.

An outstanding dining experience. The service was faultless. Food (inc. presentation) was exquisite. Sommelier recommendations were spot on and atmosphere perfect. We particularly appreciated the attention given to the accoustics as part of the recent renovations which made the dining experience all the more enjoyable. We dined on new years eve and have no hesitation in saying it was our most memorable dining night out all year.

What a delightful place to dine. Service was so lovely and friendly (thank you Cristina!), we were made to feel so welcome. The food was just delicious, really every thing we had was suburb. Wine List was also excellent with a well thought out selection. We have found our new regular and can't wait to return!

Brilliant service been several times always full of very happy customers and i have seen reviewers enjoying it too. The recent visit had an amazing truffle risotto and truffle chicken. The wine shop is impressive

I wish I could give more stars! It’s so nice to know there a still real quality restaurants in Melbourne. All the staff are friendly, professional and attentive. Making you feel relaxed and well cared for. The food is exquisite, each meal taking you on a journey of interesting flavours and combinations. The oysters were devine. And the chef without prompt gave us a beautiful little note with our dessert for our anniversary. It’s the little attentions to details that matter and they are all over it at this place. A special place to come for a special night

We've been here a couple of times recently. Beautiful food, quality wine list, considerate and professional service, and a lovely dining space with plenty of space. Would recommend.

The Recreation is one of my favourite restaurants. The flavour of the food is exquisite! Since the menu changes regularly, I love trying new dishes on the menu. And every wine we have tried is amazing. Staff are always friendly. Nice atmosphere - quite cozy. It's always interesting to watch the chefs cook people's meals. And I really like the painting just above the kitchen. Looking forward to going back after the renovations.

We had a beautiful dinner, with a selection of entrees, mains and desserts. The duck and the lamb were both cooked to perfection. Table service was constant, warm and efficient. Probably the best meal we have eaten while visiting Melbourne, thank you!

The food and wine was incredible here!! Honestly one of the best meals I’ve ever had (I ordered the octopus and flat head). The ambience was inviting, cosy and lovely. The staff were also very kind and attentive. I’ll definitely be back.

What a gem of a place! The service was classy and food so great, plus very thoughtful with a sweet little surprise I loved 🥰 Also oh my god those are some of the most elite hand cut chips I’ve ever tasted!! Perfect place for a long lunch or date night with ample parking in the leafy green streets.

I had heard good things and was not disappointed. Service excellent and a impressively deep wine list with some thoroughly decent pricing in the sub $70 range. Food is not fine dining (for me) but rather very fine bistro. Quality and pricing in this context is not up for debate. That is, you won't be disappointed.

A friend booked us in for a Sunday lunch, we walked in knowing little about what we were in for - Melbourne dining at its best. We did the steak lunch for all of us and it was delicious, filling. . Special mention for stracciatella, anchovy, broad beans. The steak was perfection. The wine list is a great read! We settled on a nice Tassie Pinot. Great vibe, relaxed and stylish. If it’s a nice day, lunch outside would be a winner. Fantastic staff, attentive service. Ticks all the boxes. Highly recommend.

My family and I truly enjoy the dining experience here. Joe and his team constantly surprise with the menu and the professionalism and service is first class. Yesterday we dined in for my partners birthday and the pasta dish for entree was excellent. We both finished and wished we had had that for a main. Well Done Team Rec!!