A heritage corner transformed into a neon-lit ode to modern Chinese dining.

Moonhouse: Old Soul, New Glow

Inside a 1930s art deco building on Balaclava’s Carlisle Street, Moonhouse feels like a film set come to life. Curved windows, polished brass, deep green booths — it’s mood and nostalgia in perfect balance. The team behind Hanoi Hannah and Firebird have created something distinctly Melbourne: part retro diner, part cosmopolitan supper club. It’s the kind of place where locals linger over cocktails and shared plates until the lights dim and the chatter takes over.

Moonhouse is as much about atmosphere as it is about appetite. It’s comfort with an edge, a love letter to heritage with a modern beat.

The Menu: Cantonese Roots, Melbourne Finish

The kitchen reimagines classic Chinese flavours through a sharp, contemporary lens. Think duck and plum moon buns, crisp salt-and-pepper tofu, and prawn toast redefined with yuzu mayo and sesame crunch. The XO pipis and wagyu chow fun bridge the old and new, each bite layered with heat, smoke and balance. Everything is familiar, but nothing is predictable.

Even the fried ice cream — a dessert drenched in nostalgia — arrives with caramel miso sauce and restraint that lets flavour, not sugar, take the lead.

The Drinks and the Details

The bar leans playful yet polished. Signature cocktails feature Asian spirits, jasmine and lychee notes that echo the kitchen’s energy. Wines are bright, aromatic and food-first, with staff who match pairings to your pace rather than protocol.

Moonhouse doesn’t just feed you, it surrounds you. It’s a confident evolution of Melbourne’s dining DNA — stylish but human, familiar but new, always glowing softly in that corner of Balaclava where everyone ends up eventually.