Estelle by Scott Pickett

Scott Pickett is a bit of a local hero in Melbourne's inner northern suburbs. He's a no-nonsense kind of a guy, an ambitious chef who's not afraid to innovate. Estelle by Scott Pickett, or ESP, as it has become known, is the venture he opened in 2015. The restaurant boasts a gorgeous dining room—custom-designed by Pickett from the chargers to a stunning light fixture—where guests watch over the chef and his team in the open kitchen as they create a seasonal seven-course tasting menu. Offerings change regularly but might include fried Jerusalem-artichoke skin dotted with puréed vegetable and vinegar dust, or mud crab and curried cauliflower with bouillabaisse foam and raisins. Next door, you'll find the more casual Estelle Bistro.