The room is a sea of warm, earthy tones that evoke the Aussie outback: terracotta brick floors, spotted gum woodwork, and banquettes the color of desert sand. Park yourself at the bar for the best view of the fire-fuelled open kitchen, where a team of white-jacketed chefs expedite polished plates with Chinese and Indonesian influence. Everyone’s ordering the pate en croute “with flavours of bánh mì”, but an order of claypot rice is equally necessary—maybe studded with fall-apart pork cheek, or hunks of Moreton Bay bug and bottarga—as is a tricked-up take on prawn toast made with wasabi-spiked spanner crab.

Fantastic in its own right, this sibling restaurant to Sunda is dishing up incredible Asian-inspired recipes with a modern Australian twist. Named after the group of islands which ancient seafarers frequented as part of the Sino-Indonesian-Australian route, Aru draws on the cuisine of the three regions. Why we love it: This venue heroes pre-colonial techniques of cookery across Southeast Asia – “cooking over fire, preserving, fermenting, dry-aging, curing and all those kinds of treatments,” says the chef.

From the minds behind Sunda, this top Melbourne CBD restaurant draws culinary inspiration from those early days of trade between Indonesian seafarers and northern Australia, championing the flavours of Southeast Asia, Japan and China, alongside native Australian ingredients. The kitchen is guided by ancient techniques like curing and smoking, with a woodfired hearth and an on-site dry-ageing room that turns out the likes of cured pork and Viet-style duck sausage. A creatively-charged menu pushes familiar flavours into innovative new directions — an Aussie barbecue staple might be reborn as a duck snag sanga with leatherwood honey and peanut hoi sin.

One of the city's most anticipated openings was Khanh Nguyen’s ARU, and in 2025, it's still considered one of the best restaurants in Melbourne CBD. You’ll find plenty of flamed-licked meats, seafood and fish on the menu where the team employs foundational processes like fermentation, smoking, curing and preserving to create one of Melbourne’s most unique menus. Urban List Melbourne editor Navarone Farrell says, "For a top-tier dining experience with out a hefty price tag ARU is the spot. It's super innovative (hopefully they have the duck on when you go), the wine is incredible and so is the vibe.

When it comes to winter restaurants, the roaring wood-fired hearth at Aru on Little Collins Street in the heart of Melbourne seals its reputation as a perfect choice. As a sibling to Chinatown’s renowned Sunda, Aru showcases the same innovative and bold combinations and promises an exceptional dining adventure that brings the best of native Australian ingredients and modern Asian flavours together. From your cosy banquette seating, warm up with the carefully created dishes, ranging from aromatic noodle bowls to sizzling grilled meats.

ARU is the sister restaurant to much-loved Sunda, integrating modern Australian and Asian flavours into an elevated dining experience. Named after the islands in which seafarers passed through as part of the Sino-Indonesian-Australian route, Aru focuses on and follows tradiitonal techniques of fermenting, smoking, curing, preserving and fire-licking their dishes, resulting in an incredible symphony of flavours that are designed for sharing with your loved ones,. 268 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

From the team behind Melbourne’s beloved Sunda comes Aru, where a wood-fired fusion of native Australian ingredients and Asian flavours combine to create seriously mouthwatering dishes. If you’re partial to a Bunnings snag, you’ll be salivating over Aru’s signature duck sausage sanga. Their deliciously modern, Vietnamese-inspired take on the Aussie classic features a charcoal-grilled duck sausage topped with caramelised onion, Kewpie mayo and peanut hoisin sauce (we’re not drooling, you are).

Chef Khanh Nguyen has a knack for zany, clever takes on Melbourne’s cult snack bar. Following his Southeast Asian take on Vegemite, served alongside flaky roti at Sunda, and the burrata standing in for the rice in nasi lemak at his summer pop-up Sunda EXP, the Bunnings snag and banh mi get a go at Nguyen’s fire-powered city restaurant Aru. Here he wraps pillowy bao disguised as white bread around a duck sausage, topped with onions (of course) and peanut hoisin sauce.

Aru embraces the big flavours and relaxed approach of South-East Asian family feasting. But that’s not all — this refined eatery also serves a significant curve ball in the use of native Australian ingredients and a palpable sense of fun to proceedings, as witnessed in the pâté en croûte, an impeccable mash-up with the flavours of a Vietnamese banh mi that includes jelly made from Maggi seasoning. 268 Little Collins Street, Melbourne; (03) 9939 8113

It’s stylish, energetic and moody with a refreshing menu that proves Asian fusion hasn’t run its course in Melbourne. This modern Vietnamese/Australian restaurant has an open kitchen with plenty of fire and theatre on display. The cooking is both playful and polished – pâté en croûte with flavours of banh mi, duck sausage ‘sanga’ (Australian slang for sandwich) with peanut hoisin, sourdough ‘Lamington’ with Vietnamese coffee.

Nestled in the heart of the city centre, Aru exudes romance with its chic, intimate atmosphere and innovative fusion cuisine. The dimly lit, elegant interiors create a cosy yet sophisticated vibe, perfect for whispered conversations and lingering glances. The open kitchen adds a touch of theatrical flair, as chefs craft delectable dishes that blend modern Australian flavours with Southeast Asian influences.

My favourite entree was definitely the scallop on toast, the seafood was so fresh and melt in your mouth. For the mains, you can’t go past the duck, it is dry aged for 14 days and you can really tell based upon the crispness of the skin, so satisfying to slice and even more enjoyable to eat. The flavours were oozing with fatty goodness and the tartness of the salad perfectly balanced the dish!

Best for: A sophisticated Modern Asian feast with unique cocktails and a classy atmosphere.Cuisine: Modern Asian. Bouncing off the heavy acclaim they built with Sunda, the Windsor Melbourne hospitality group has turned sister restaurant Aru into one of the city’s finest hubs of modern Asian flavours. Settle into the elegant fine dining space at Aru Restaurant.

Aru is an award-wining modern Australian restaurant, where native Australian ingredients meet modern Asian cooking, finished on a woodfired hearth. Come for dishes including the spanner crab toast with pickled fennel & wasabi, pate en croute with flavours of banh mi, and 14-day dry-aged duck. RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR, THE AGE GOOD FOOD GUIDE 2023

ARU features a menu influenced by the flavours of South East Asia and Australian native ingredients. It’s one of the city’s most innovative restaurants, with fire and fermentation playing a big part. Reserve a table in the quiet, low lit rear part of the restaurant, or perch up on the bar with your date for a view of the kitchen in action.

Star chef Khanh Nguygen's second restaurant was built with solo diners in mind. Not only is there a substantial bar running to 16 metres in the main dining room, but these seats offer the best view of the flames and charcoal that drive Aru's dishes. From charred cabbage to the signature dry-aged duck, you'll see it all come to life.

The food at ARU is inspired by both flavours of Southeast Asia and traditional Australian fare. It's one of the most creative eateries in town, with an emphasis on using fermentation and fire. To impress your date, book a table in the dimly lit back of the restaurant or grab a seat at the bar.

From the legends behind Sunda comes Aru - Melbourne's latest Little Collins hideaway. The menu of hearty feeds ranges from turmeric mayo scallops to torched salmon and dry aged duck. There's also fusion delights like black garlic egg noodles, spanner crab fried rice and kaya jam waffles.

Location: Gopals, 268 Little Collins St, Melbourne, VIC 3000 Ph: (03) 9939 8113. The core of One-Hat Melbourne stunner, ARU Restaurant, is a clever marriage of Asian and Australian influences. But then what else do you expect from a sister establishment of Sunda Dining?

If it’s milimetre-perfect Japanese knifework, try Kisume or Ishizuka. If it’s dependable pho in a vibey room, go Mekong. If it’s fancy French-Vietnamese, head to Coda.