Reine & La Rue

The highly ambitious project from Nomad Group has transformed Melbourne’s hallowed old Stock Exchange building into a European-inspired restaurant as ritzy as it is regal, with a speakeasy bar (the Rue part) accessible through an adjoining courtyard. The group’s executive chef Jacqui Challinor and head chef Brendan Katich (from Nomad Melbourne) have collaborated closely with Victorian producers to curate a menu that pays homage to the French classics with fresh Aussie flair.

Dramatic high ceilings and stained glass windows give an appropriately grand look to Nomad Group’s latest opening and one of Melbourne CBD’s best new restaurants. Reine, a generous 140-seater in the former Melbourne Stock Exchange, is the city’s most impressive new restaurant, transforming this heritage space into a kinetic, big-ticket diner complemented by a small eight-seat wine bar called La Rue. Nomad Sydney’s Jacqui Challinor leads the kitchen through a world-class menu, weaving together flavours from Australia, France and America.

Arguably the number one opening of last year and already being touted as one of the best restaurants Melbourne CBD has to offer, Reine & La Rue is the grand French diner housed inside the heritage-listed stock exchange building along Collins Street. It’s from the team behind NOMAD, so it goes without saying the menu is elite. Opt for the unapologetically rich bone marrow with mash to kick things off, swing by the seafood bar for a plate of queen scallops, and of course, don’t skip out on the premium steak selection.

Since opening its doors in August 2023, Reine and La Rue (commonly referred to as Reine) has set the foodie scene in Melbourne alight. The two-hatted restaurant – sister venue to Nomad – is set in the beautiful old stock exchange on Collins St, with the menu (headed by Chef Jacqui Challinor) offering a creative mix of Australian, French, and American cuisine. Its signature feature is the dual bars – one for cocktails, the other for fresh seafood – complemented by an impressive grill serving up premium steaks.

For an unforgettable steak experience in Melbourne, look no further than the city's stunning Reine and La Rue. This exquisite venue offers an unparalleled selection of steaks, each sourced from the finest local producers in Victoria. The menu features six exceptional cuts, including the 200g Southern Ranges eye fillet MB4 from pasture-fed cattle in Gippsland, the 250g Pure Black MB5 striploin from grain-fed cattle in Goulburn Valley, and the 250g Sher wagyu 9+ scotch from Ballan.

With a dining room as beautiful as this, Reine and La Rue may dazzle so much that you might have a hard time maintaining date-appropriate eye contact. The magnificence of the vast 1890s neo-gothic Cathedral Room, once home to Melbourne’s stock exchange, ensures unavoidable gawking. With clued-in waiters in white jackets, a dedicated oyster bar, two cocktail bars, a bespoke cheese trolley and Krug by the glass, romance is definitely on the menu here.

Set in Melbourne's former stock exchange building, Reine & La Rue creates a feeling of luxury with its towering ceilings and stunning architecture. The French-inspired menu boasts a delicate curation of exceptional fresh produce, from freshly shucked oysters to caviar, woodfired meats and indulgent cheese plates. After savouring your meal, move to a table in the venue's intimate wine bar – La Rue – for a quiet evening tipple.

Reine & La Rue is one of the most beautiful restaurants in Melbourne, housed in a neo-gothic former bank that feels like a cathedral. The spectacular setting is matched by the elegant yet inventive menu (leans French) and attentive service. I love Reine & La Rue, and have dined there twice – for a girls night, and for a long lunch with visiting relatives, but it would also make an excellent special occasion or date spot.

A highly sought after spot on the Melbourne dining scene, Reine & La Rue offers a refined French restaurant experience in the heart of the city. Housed within the former Melbourne Stock Exchange, this grand space sets the scene for fabulous fine dining. The carefully curated menu features exquisite dishes ranging from a show-stopping seafood tower to locally sourced cuts of meat cooked over a wood-fired grill.

The NOMAD team has taken French fine-dining to the next level in Melbourne. When entering Reine & La Rue, it’s hard not to be enamoured by the interiors — which won the top gong at Australia’s Interior Design Awards in 2024. The 150-seat restaurant (Reine) boasts tall granite columns, lofty ceilings, ornate neo-gothic details and a showstopping stained glass window right behind one of the bars.

Housed in the original stock exchange in Melbourne, Reine & La Rue is a sophisticated dining destination, blending classic French cuisine with contemporary flair. The gothic cathedral interiors provide a dramatic ambience alongside an exquisite menu crafted from the finest local ingredients, for a memorable dining experience.

Best for: Grand dinners in a cathedral-esque space.Cuisine: French. Nomad Group’s Jacqui Challinor and ex-Nomad chef Brendan Katich are the masterminds behind the transformation of the cathedral-esque Melbourne Stock Exchange building into Reine and La Rue. The Reine and La Rue delivers delectable dishes.

Creating a restaurant worthy of one of the grandest rooms in Melbourne was the brief. And the Nomad Group delivered with Reine & La Rue, inside the former Melbourne Stock Exchange. It’s not a restaurant trying to shake up your idea of French food or what a glamorous night out looks like.

The stunning 138-year-old Gothic Bank building is home to one of Melbourne's most luxe dining experiences. Find Reine & La Rue in the former stock exchange and dine under the grand arches. The French-inspired menu is brimming with fine-dining favourites.

Gothic vaulted ceilings, stained windows and solid granite columns define this grand brasserie, in the former Melbourne Stock Exchange. Order freshly-shucked oysters from the raw bar, top-grade beef and cheese from the roving trolley.

Location: The Gothic Bank, 380 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC 3000 Ph: (02) 9280 3395. This upmarket French restaurant is the new must-try place in Melbourne,. Not least because of the truly stunning building housing it.

Plan your proposal night at one of the most beautiful fine dining restaurants in Melbourne. Enjoy good wine and delicious french cuisine with your special person - an intimate setting for the perfect proposal.

Reine & La Rue, another French-inspired restaurant in the stock exchange building, focuses on freshly shucked oysters and woodfired meats for a sophisticated dining experience.