The Essence

4.2 (234)

$41 to $100

Modern Australian

Corner of Lonsdale & Exhibition Streets, Melbourne, AU-VIC 3000

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Romantic
Good for groups

At Essence, it’s all about the freshest, local produce in our region, hand picked by our Head Chef and complemented by native herbs & spices.

It’s about that little touch of something different to the familiar that leaves you wondering and makes you want to taste more and more.

Step into Essence and sample the local hearty, warming flavours of our Chefs’ signature recipes.

Join us on the journey of re-discovering Essences of our local produce.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$41 to $100
Cuisines
Modern Australian, Breakfast, Afternoon Tea
Hours of operation
Breakfast Mon–Fri 6:30 am–10:30 am Sat, Sun 7:00 am–11:00 am Lunch Daily 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Daily 4:30 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(03) 9660 1183
Website
https://www.essencerestaurant.com.au/
Payment options
AMEX, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Swami
Catering
Dine on contemporary cuisine from across Australia, made with locally sourced produce at The Essence, our signature hotel restaurant in Melbourne. Begin your day with our hearty breakfast, and then join us for lunch, high tea, or a pre-theatre dinner.
Private party facilities
The event spaces here at the Melbourne Marriott Hotel each boast their own individual character and design. From the elegant trimmings of the Yarra Suite to the sophisticated and intimate Moojerr boardroom, you’re sure to find a unique space for your meeting or event.

Location
Corner of Lonsdale & Exhibition Streets, Melbourne, AU-VIC 3000
Neighborhood
Melbourne CBD
Cross street
Little Lonsdale Street
Parking details
Valet
Public transit
Parliament Station is the nearest train station located 300 meters from the hotel
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Gluten-free Options, High Tea, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Victorian Free-Range Pork, Hazelnut & Apricot Terrine Slice, Pickled Cabbage, Warm Brioche Bread
Tasmanian 24 hours Cold Smoked Salmon, Lemon & Dill Cream Cheese, on Rye Bread
Victorian Pear & Fig Relish, cucumber and Gippsland Brie Cheese Sandwich
Mornington Peninsula Butternut Squash and Basil Pie, Mustard Pickle (GF, VG)

The Classic

Fresh baked Buttermilk Scones with Strawberry Preserve and Yarra Valley Clotted Cream

Sweet Bites

Vanilla Dream Macaroons
Assorted Petit Eclairs
Meyer Lemon Curd Chocolate Tart, Chocolate Feather (GF)
Kensington Pride Mango Pannacotta, Unripe Mango & Black Pepper Chutney (GF)
Seasonal Raspberry Petit Cheesecake, Caramelized Feuilletine

The Signature Teas

Ceylon green tea with lychee & ginger
Rose with French vanilla
Italian almond Tea
Refreshing pure peppermint
Bright, brisk & brilliant Breakfast Tea
Pure chamomile flowers
Freshly Brewed Coffee

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at The Essence.

4.2

(234)

4.1Food
4.3Service
4.0Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

234 Reviews

P
Peter
Melbourne6 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Really lovely staff and great service Food was excellent- beautifully presented and very generous servings We were pre theatre so everything was well timed without being rushed Great table on the window right on the corner of Exhibition and Lonsdale Streets Lovely atmosphere- quiet, modern with a nod to the heritage of Melbourne One of our favourite restaurants in the theatre district
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T
Tim
London11 reviews
4.0
Dined on May 9, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Great place to go before a show at one of the Theatres in the precinct. Quieter than most other restaurants, and the food is relatively plain and simple for the 'older' people who don't like anything spicy (read: anything spicier than salt and pepper). Don't get me wrong the food is tasty, but there are a number of nice simple choices.
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E
Emma
Melbourne2 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 12, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
My second high tea experience at the Marriott, and overall a lovely experience. The high itself is a well balanced selection of sweet and savoury treats. Everything was delicious with some particular highlights of edible chocolate oyster shells and yummy mini pies. Since my last visit they’d upgraded to very cute new tea pots which were an improved touch. The staff were lovely and extremely attentive. Our cups and glasses were continually refilled and they checked in on us regularly, without being too invasive. Compared to other high teas in Melbourne it felt a lot more relaxed and is reasonably priced. I’d recommend high tea at the Essence.
Is this helpful?
D
Del
Melbourne1 review
4.0
Dined on March 22, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
We dined on Saturday evening. The food is not too fancy. Pretty straight forward. Good servings. The entrees were basic, fried cauliflower & calamari. The broccoli with the main (chicken) was not cooked, could cut it with a knife so had to leave it. The chicken was fine and tasty, my partner had the beef cheek, on mashed potatoe, he said it was good. The dessert was white chol. metifluer (can't pronounce it) too difficult to eat with a spoon, our hands were sore after trying to cut through the pastry, but it tasted nice. This is supposed to be 5 star hotel, I don't think it is. I would say it's 4 star. The server who took our order was really lovely and pleasant. The guy bringing the water around was friendly, but smelt of bad BO, and it wafted around as he was walking around, that can put you off your meal. We weren't let hungry which is a positive.
The EssenceResponded on April 20, 2025
Dear Del, Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback, we are glad to hear you found the service friendly and appreciated the portion sizes and overall setting. However, we are genuinely sorry to learn that some elements of your meal and service did not meet your expectations. please know your comments regarding the food and staff presentation have been shared with the team for review and follow up. we appreciate your honesty and hope to have the opportunity to provide you with an improved experience in the future . warm Regards, the Marriott Melbourne team
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D
Doris
Melbourne1 review
5.0
Dined on February 28, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We were celebrating an 18th birthday and the experience was wonderful. The food was so good ,the staff couldn't do enough for us..definitely will be back
Is this helpful?
K
Kathryn
Melbourne4 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We were there for a pre Theatre lunch, staff were attentive and professional, food was delicious and the package was good value. We'll be back for sure.
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R
Ragaie
Melbourne4 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent venue and the lady waiter (from Nepal) was really sweet. She couldn’t do enough for us. The food was also first class and served right on time booked, thus ensuring we weren’t late to watch our show at the Comedy Theatre. Will definitely go there again.
Is this helpful?
J
Jennifer
Melbourne1 review
1.0
Dined on February 11, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
We ended up eating somewhere else as after 3 phone calls and 3 times being told someone from the restaurant would contact me this didn’t happen.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Victoria4 reviews
2.0
Dined on January 18, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
I took my granddaughter for high tea before we went to the theatre. There was way too much sweet food , the few savoury options were cold, stale sandwiches & just not nice
Is this helpful?
J
Julie
Melbourne2 reviews
5.0
Dined on January 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Rose & Bloom High Tea was delightful. Great service from friendly staff and beautiful presentation. Food was amazing with a great variety. We’ll be back for a return visit!
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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$41 to $100
Cuisines
Modern Australian, Breakfast, Afternoon Tea
Hours of operation
Breakfast Mon–Fri 6:30 am–10:30 am Sat, Sun 7:00 am–11:00 am Lunch Daily 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Daily 4:30 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(03) 9660 1183
Website
https://www.essencerestaurant.com.au/
Payment options
AMEX, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Swami
Catering
Dine on contemporary cuisine from across Australia, made with locally sourced produce at The Essence, our signature hotel restaurant in Melbourne. Begin your day with our hearty breakfast, and then join us for lunch, high tea, or a pre-theatre dinner.
Private party facilities
The event spaces here at the Melbourne Marriott Hotel each boast their own individual character and design. From the elegant trimmings of the Yarra Suite to the sophisticated and intimate Moojerr boardroom, you’re sure to find a unique space for your meeting or event.

Location
Corner of Lonsdale & Exhibition Streets, Melbourne, AU-VIC 3000
Neighborhood
Melbourne CBD
Cross street
Little Lonsdale Street
Parking details
Valet
Public transit
Parliament Station is the nearest train station located 300 meters from the hotel
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Gluten-free Options, High Tea, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

The Essence

About this restaurant

Not available on OpenTable

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Menu

Savoury Bites

Victorian Free-Range Pork, Hazelnut & Apricot Terrine Slice, Pickled Cabbage, Warm Brioche Bread

Tasmanian 24 hours Cold Smoked Salmon, Lemon & Dill Cream Cheese, on Rye Bread

Victorian Pear & Fig Relish, cucumber and Gippsland Brie Cheese Sandwich

Mornington Peninsula Butternut Squash and Basil Pie, Mustard Pickle (GF, VG)

The Classic

Fresh baked Buttermilk Scones with Strawberry Preserve and Yarra Valley Clotted Cream

Sweet Bites

Vanilla Dream Macaroons

Assorted Petit Eclairs

Meyer Lemon Curd Chocolate Tart, Chocolate Feather (GF)

Kensington Pride Mango Pannacotta, Unripe Mango & Black Pepper Chutney (GF)

Seasonal Raspberry Petit Cheesecake, Caramelized Feuilletine

The Signature Teas

Ceylon green tea with lychee & ginger

Rose with French vanilla

Italian almond Tea

Refreshing pure peppermint

Bright, brisk & brilliant Breakfast Tea

Pure chamomile flowers

Freshly Brewed Coffee

Reviews

Additional information

Not available on OpenTable