Toko - Melbourne

The mandate at Toko’s premises along Greville Street, just a few minutes from Prahran station, is informal izakaya dining and drinking. It combines salads and tempura dishes, sashimi, sushi rolls and nigiri from a dedicated sushi counter, meat and seafood prepared on the traditional Japanese robata grill into a totally authentic Japanese restaurant experience that’s already making waves in Sydney and has now arrived – to much acclaim – in Melbourne.

With dishes designed to be shared in proper Japanese izakaya style, Toko’s Greville Street address in Prahran is best approached with a group of friends. Book in for Toko’s banquet menu and enjoy a spread that has had the utmost attention lavished upon it – really big parties can take advantage of the chef’s willingness to tailor a bespoke menu for up to 300 people for a stand-up event. Enjoy this exquisite feast alongside a tasty concoction from the bar like a Shimamoto Sour, a spectacular Far Eastern reinterpretation of the whisky sour classic, or kick back in Toko’s whisky lounge, featuring Melbourne’s (and Australia’s) largest collection of Japanese whiskies.

On fair weather days, book a table on Toko’s terrace, a Zen-like space inspired by the courtyards and gardens of old Tokyo and Kyoto right in the heart of Prahran’s bustling drinking, dining and entertainment precinct. Otherwise, the main dining area of this effortlessly chic restaurant and bar remains a memorable place to be immersed in premium Japanese izakaya restaurant culture. Choose traditional and contemporary Japanese dishes from the kitchen, from the sushi bar, and from the robata grill, but don’t forget that sweet-toothed diners are catered to here as well. Feats of fusion mastery like the coffee sundae no yamazaki whiskey gake, coffee mousse, milk ice cream, honeycomb, whiskey foam, offer an impressive finish to one of Melbourne’s best Japanese dining experiences.