Restaurant
Serai
Racing Club Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Find Serai
Racing Club Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Directions ↗*Opening hours may differ during holidays.
Book NowAbout Serai
Tucked down Racing Club Lane, Serai fires modern Filipino dishes over an open wood grill with smoky, unapologetic energy. Diners pack the narrow laneway room for share plates that rewrite the rulebook—starting with wood-roasted pig's head sisig tacos balanced by rich egg butter and calamansi. Seared kangaroo kilawin lands alongside wood-roasted bone marrow, while Shark Bay scallops arrive bathed in smoked palapa butter. The inasal delivers tender meat and charred skin, served with a punchy sawsawan that acts as an outright rice thief. Behind the bar, staff shake up patis martinis and pour chilled gamay, matching the table-side banter that carries the night.
- Wood-Fired Filipino Fare: Dishes like kangaroo kilawin and pork shoulder get roasted over open flames, infusing native ingredients with deep smoke.
- Inventive Signature Dishes: Standouts include wood-roasted pig's head sisig tacos with egg butter and Kalo Kalo lamb shoulder claypot rice.
- Laneway Energy & Pinoy Cocktails: A buzzy, intimate laneway dining room backed by warm hospitality and drinks like patis martinis.
What's On at Serai
Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.
Reasons to Dine at Serai
Why Melbourne diners choose Serai for modern wood-fired Filipino dining and milestone celebrations
Wood-Fired Filipino Flavors
Diners experience bold, smoky interpretations of traditional Filipino recipes cooked over open flames, featuring inventive pairings like sisig tacos and kangaroo kilawin.
The restaurant is Filipino-inspired, with many of the dishes cooked over a wood-fired grill, creating flavours that feel bold, smoky and unlike anything you’d usually find around the city.
Clare D Inventive Cultural Mixology
Serai’s inventive bar program features unique Filipino-inspired cocktails and native spirits like lambanog, balancing complex notes such as pandan and savory patis.
The team was lovely (and their bartender has the coolest ideas for pinoy cocktails…patis martini anyone?) and even let me try the lambanog.
Rachel Benitez Memorable Milestone Celebrations
Serai provides a celebratory setting for birthdays, anniversaries, and dates with curated tasting menus and personalized touches like sparklers and bespoke attention.
Celebrated my birthday here at Serai and had high expectations because we’d heard such great things. Thankfully, it did not disappoint.
Mary Borjal Charismatic and Engaging Hospitality
Charismatic staff and mixologists elevate social dinners through educational storytelling about the ingredients, thoughtful recommendations, and engaging table banter.
Rene is a master at his craft in mixology, charisma, banter and just all around great service. He guided our whole experience for the night and we felt we were in great hands.
Sam Reg Approachable Cultural Introductions
Modernized share plates such as sisig tacos and claypot rice serve as an accessible, high-technique entry point to Filipino cuisine for newcomers and visitors.
the spin on traditional Filipino flavours/dishes is such a great way to introduce the culture to people that haven't tried Filipino food before.
Kathleen O'Sullivan Attentive Dietary Accommodation
The kitchen seamlessly accommodates complex dietary restrictions across multi-course tasting menus, ensuring stress-free dining for multi-generational families.
Huge shout out to Jacob for taking care of my parents and I when visiting tonight. My father has a lot of dietary restrictions. He was patient, kind, answered all the questions they had about the food and the restaurants history.
Yen
Most popular items
Signature wood-fired Filipino fusion favorites
Sisig Tacos
But their sisig tacos is probably one of the best, if not the best you’ll have.
Aaron Pardillo Claypot Rice
Get the sisig tacos and the clay pot so worth it so amazing!
Thalia Poly Inasal
Lastly, the inasal. Just thinking about it makes me so hungry! It was juicy and tender on the inside, and crispy and soooooo so savory on the outside.
Ria Alfajora Kangaroo Kilawin
We started with the Seared Kangaroo ‘Kilawin’ with wood-roast bone marrow and toast
Clare D
Other favorites
Desserts, indigenous spirits, and signature cocktails
Cassava Cake
that cassava cake tastes like the best pamonha you'll ever have in your life. It's a must.
Jade Araujo Leche Flan
Our leche flan also unexpectedly came out with a sparkler for our friend's birthday which was such a thoughtful touch from the kitchen
Kathleen O'Sullivan Patis Martini
their bartender has the coolest ideas for pinoy cocktails…patis martini anyone?
Rachel Benitez Lambanog
and even let me try the lambanog. Def glad I took some time to check this place out, I left with a big smile on my face.
Rachel Benitez
Beyond the menu
Thoughtful details and personalized hospitality that make an impression
Surprise Birthday Sparklers
Diners note spontaneous sparkler presentations arriving alongside celebratory desserts like leche flan for birthdays, delivered unexpectedly by the kitchen team.
Direct Hospitality from Chef Ross
Head chef and owner Ross regularly steps out to connect personally with tables, sharing laughs, posing for selfies, and discussing the menu's concepts.
Educational Mixology & Spirit Tastings
Solo diners and cocktail enthusiasts seated at the bar receive tailored bartending guidance, detailed ingredient origin explanations, and impromptu tastes of traditional spirits like lambanog.
Patient Dietary Care & Cultural Walkthroughs
Floor staff patiently walk visiting family members through complex menu histories and navigate detailed dietary restrictions with attentive care.
Before you head over
Practical tips on reservations, menu pacing, and bold dining styles
Book in advance
Serai fills quickly due to high demand, so booking ahead is strongly recommended to secure an indoor table or spot at the chef's counter.
Embrace bold flavours
Dishes pack rich, smoky, and assertive flavours cooked over wood fire, making it ideal for adventurous palates rather than overly picky eaters.
Arrive hungry for tasting menus
The tasting and feed-me menus offer generous portions of signature wood-fired items and claypot rice, so come with a hearty appetite.
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