Restaurant
Flower Drum
Fine dining Cantonese restaurant in a Chinatown lane, open since 1975, known for Peking duck carved at the table and highly choreographed service.
Attica
Ben Shewry's Ripponlea restaurant, open since 2003, serving a multi-course modern Australian menu built around native ingredients, and a long-time World's 50 Best entry.
At a glance
- Type
- Modern Australian tasting menu
- Area
- Ripponlea, Melbourne, Australia
- Price
- $$$$ · Luxury
- Official site
- attica.com.au
Why we recommend it
Attica opened in 2003 in a converted suburban bank building on Glen Eira Road in Ripponlea. It was founded by Dr David Maccora and his wife Helen, and the chef Ben Shewry, who arrived as head chef in 2005 after cooking at Circa in St Kilda, took sole ownership in January 2015. Under Shewry it has consistently been the top-ranked Australian restaurant on international lists.
The cooking is modern Australian and is served as a multi-course menu. Its defining feature is the use of native ingredients, such as bunya nuts, finger limes and foraged herbs, many of them gathered from the neighbouring Rippon Lea Estate. The restaurant describes its approach as ambitious dining rather than fine dining. The restaurant does not publish a fixed list of signature dishes, so go expecting a succession of courses rather than an à la carte choice.
The awards record is substantial. Attica has appeared on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list every year since 2010, reaching 20th place in 2018, and has consistently been the highest-ranked Australian entry. It held three hats in the Good Food Guide from 2008 and was named Gourmet Traveller Restaurant of the Year in 2015 and 2019 and The Age Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year in 2022. Shewry was profiled in the first season of the Netflix series Chef's Table in 2015, and in 2024 he published a memoir, Uses for Obsession. The business became a certified B Corporation in February 2024.
Attica is open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, with guests seated between 6pm and 8pm. In November and December there is also lunch on Fridays and Saturdays from noon. Weekend tables are the hardest to secure; mid-week dates and tables for four or more are usually easier, and if your date is full you can join the waiting list through the reservations system on the website.
This is a special-occasion restaurant for couples and food-focused travellers rather than a casual dinner, and the price reflects a long multi-course menu. With the last seating at 8pm, plan your transport home in advance. Attica's office answers enquiries from Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm, on +61 3 9530 0111, and the website lists separate contact routes for the kitchen, front of house, beverage team and media.
Attica FAQs
Where is Attica?
At 74 Glen Eira Road, Ripponlea, Victoria 3185.
When is Attica open?
For dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, with seating between 6pm and 8pm. Lunch is served on Fridays and Saturdays from noon in November and December.
How hard is it to get a table?
Weekend tables are the hardest to get. Mid-week tables and tables for four or more are easier, and there is a waiting list for full dates.
Who is the chef?
Ben Shewry, who became head chef in 2005 and has owned the restaurant since 2015.
What kind of food does Attica serve?
A multi-course modern Australian menu that uses native ingredients such as bunya nuts, finger limes and foraged herbs.
Has Attica won awards?
Yes. It has been on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list every year since 2010 and has been named Restaurant of the Year by Gourmet Traveller and The Age Good Food Guide.
How do I contact Attica?
Call +61 3 9530 0111; the office is staffed Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm.
Is Attica suitable for a casual meal?
No. It serves a long multi-course menu and suits special occasions.