Acland St Cantina

South-of-the-border breakfasts and bright Cal-Mex flavours help this day-and-nighter float above Melbourne’s Mexican mania. A colourful, light-filled front diner leads to a restaurant almost as dark and moody as the nightclub that previously occupied the space. The food is more vibrant: things like Baja fried fish tacos served on corn tortillas with fresh slaw and sticky chipotle mayo, and an indulgent Mexican ‘cheese fondue’ dotted with chunks of chorizo swimming in unctuous dark beer sauce. Occasionally underwhelming dishes, such as salted caramel ice-cream sitting on a churros ‘taco’, quickly become bygones thanks to cheerful service and decent margaritas.