Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. Australia
  3. Melbourne
  4. City Centre
  5. Melbourne CBD
The European, Melbourne, AU-VIC

The European

4.7
4.7
1312 Reviews
$41 to $100
European

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 37 times today
  • Great for fine wines
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
Open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner, The European offers a welcoming ambience with warm, generous and knowledgeable hospitality - a beacon of Melbourne dining at its finest. Located on Spring Street near the Princess Theatre, we offer classic bistro fare with substance and character to perfectly complement our extensive collection of wines, old and new world, available to enjoy with your meal.

We also welcome you on a walk-in basis next door at The City Wine Shop any day of the week, where you may simply pop in for a seat at the bar or grab a spot outside overlooking Parliament House.

We take the best seasonal produce available, cooking simple, classic foods. Nose-to-tail offal dishes are centred within our menu, utilising every part of the animal products in our kitchen. Drawing on our own in-house butcher and farmhouse cheeses matured by our friends at Spring Street Cheese Cellar, there is always something new to try on the menu at The European and City Wine Shop.

Additional information

  • Location
    159 Spring St, Melbourne, AU-VIC 3000
  • Phone number
    (03) 9654 0811
  • Price
    $41 to $100
  • Cuisines
    European, Contemporary European, Mediterranean
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sun 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Limited metered street parking along Spring Street and Lonsdale Street
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Peter Sheldon

Private dining

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 1,312 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

  • City Centre

    Good for business meals

  • City Centre

    Great for fine wines

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The European is a Melbourne gem, perfect for "fine-dining without pretence." Relish "excellent food and outstanding service" in a "lovely French bistro ambience." A "reliable Melbourne institution," it boasts "a fabulous wine selection" and "a great menu." Despite occasional noise, it's a must-visit with "impeccable" dining experiences.

1,312 Reviews

  1. John

    Melbourne1 review

    3.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 2
    A lovely room which unfortunately was overwhelmed by the volume of noise. We found it difficult to hear the service staff or our own guests, continually requesting all to repeat what was spoken. The menu was fine, as we're our meals...expensive, to be sure, but the meals were tasty and well presented. Remembering the old European we found the lack of consistency with which tables had or had not been covered in white table cloths seemed to denegrate the finness expected with a fine dining experience. We may have left with a headache but also left with contented stomachs.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Jamison

    South Australia3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always an absolute delight. Quintessentially Melbourne. An absolute must on your Melbourne bucket list.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Robert

    Melbourne1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    A terrific evening celebrating our son’s birthday. Service, food & wine were outstanding. Great night!

    Is this helpful?

  4. RozG

    Melbourne5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The European is one of the few top quality restaurants open for lunch and dinner on Sundays. It has a lovely French bistro ambience and the food and wine is always excellent. We had whole flathead served on a butter and caper sauce. The squeeze of lemon gave it great tang as well. We had pomme frites and a salad of radicchio, pear and pecorino. I had a sheep's milk cheese as my "dessert" and my friend had the plum and almond tart which was delicious. We love coming here before or after seeing a play or film. Close to trams and trains, this is the ideal CBD eatery.

    Is this helpful?

  5. OpenTable Diner

    Victoria1 review

    3.0

    Dined on March 1, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The meals were small and expensive for what we had. Very loud but good atmosphere. Good service.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Adinda

    Melbourne1 review

    5.0

    Dined on February 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Honestly nothing to fault for our dining experience here. Place was packed and busy but still top tier service. Our waiter was so friendly and made nice small chats, good wine recommendations. Albeit busy, food came through super quick. The tartare was beautiful, and charred octopus was tender and generous. Nice selection of non-alcoholic options as well! Absolutely loved it and looking forward to coming back here

    Is this helpful?

  7. OpenTable Diner

    Melbourne2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved it. Service was prompt, efficient, and friendly.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Brian

    Victoria2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Oysters were freshly shucked and delicious, whole Flathead, beautiful but simply prepared and also freshly delicious. A wonderful experience. Can’t wait for a return visit.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Greg

    Melbourne6 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very enjoyable evening Good food Good value Gggggg

    Is this helpful?

  10. Theresa VIP

    Chicago134 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on February 8, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 2
    This was our first visit to The European. As pescatarians, we found the menu to be limited. Lots of meat options, however. We ordered the polenta chips, fish (Dory) main dish, the gnocchi. and broccolini. The chips, fish, and broccolini were very good. The pomodoro sauce on the gnocchi was disappointing, it did not taste fresh and was applied so heavily that it overpowered the gnocchi itself. There were a number of wines by the glass, but unfortunately not too many options for Australian and New Zealand wines. It was very noisy due to the pre-theatre crowd. Our server was friendly and attentive.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The European is rated 4.7 stars by 1312 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 37 times today
Google Map for The European

159 Spring St, Melbourne, AU-VIC 3000

Additional information

  • Phone number
    (03) 9654 0811
  • Price
    $41 to $100
  • Cuisines
    European, Contemporary European, Mediterranean
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sun 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Limited metered street parking along Spring Street and Lonsdale Street
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Peter Sheldon
Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Our sites
Businesses
  • Delight more diners
  • Open for Business Blog
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo