Smoked by AI · Melbourne · people

Michael Harden

Critic · Journalist · Author — Melbourne restaurants, bars and food history; a thirty-year view of the city's dining.

long-standing Melbourne food writer and author, a Good Food Guide reviewer, now writing Broadsheet Melbourne's First Look pieces (Lune Lonsdale, January 2026).

Their own reviews and picks.

Their own judgment, in their own words, by the piece it appeared in.

• Gourmet Traveller ↗their review · 2026-04-16
  • Bar CarnationCarlton North

    “Add notably excellent service from a calm and personable team, and Bar Carnation becomes the kind of neighbourhood watering hole that dreams are made of. Little wonder there's a queue.”

• Gourmet Traveller, 'Review: How Jim's Greek Tavern retains its Melbourne icon status' ↗their review · 2024-02-08
  • Jim's Greek TavernCollingwood

    “Restaurants capable of serving food at this volume, with this degree of deliciousness, for this many years are rare and valuable. Add the fact that it's BYO and you have a restaurant unicorn, hiding in plain sight.”

• Gourmet Traveller (Michael Harden) ↗their review · 2015-03-04
  • Tipo 00CBD

    “Techniques are used throughout the one-page menu, sous-vide, smoking, dehydrating, freeze-drying, that come from restaurantville but they're applied sparingly and with a steady hand. Nonna's cooking is respected and acknowledged, a kind of touchstone.”

• Gourmet Traveller (Michael Harden review) ↗their review
  • GimletCBD

    “A newcomer with a veteran's style and confidence.”

Pieces they wrote about these places.

Reporting, openings and roundups. Kept for the trail, and not read as their endorsement — a writer relaying someone else's award is not recommending it.

• Broadsheet Melbourne, 'First Look: Bar Carnation Is Here' ↗opening coverage · 2026-02-09
  • Bar CarnationCarlton North

    “The transformation of the former Geralds Bar on Rathdowne Street to Bar Carnation is a masterclass in balancing the old with the new.”

• Broadsheet Melbourne, First Look (Michael Harden) ↗opening coverage · 2026-01-30
  • Lune Croissanterie (Lonsdale St)CBD

    “With a front row view of all the pastry action in the glass-walled, temperature-controlled Cube (the brand's name for its fishbowl-like raw pastry kitchens), Lonsdale's kitchen bar is the croissant equivalent of dinner and a show.”