Seven hot new Melbourne restaurant openings to look forward to

• Australia's top 12 hot and new restaurants for 2018
• The Good Food Guide 2019: all of the hat winners

If you somehow haven't heard, the year is almost over. It's acceptable-drinking-on-Monday season, and yet, some of the biggest restaurant openings of 2018 are still to drop. Here's what's landing in your lunch agenda, just in time for summer.

Sebastian

If you thought this new beachside venue from San Telmo and Pastuso restaurateur Dave Parker was named for the crab in the Little Mermaid, you're wrong, but not by a lot. Sebastian Beach Bar and Grill, opening mid-November on the Williamstown foreshore will tip its hat to San Sebastian in Spain's Basque region, serving dishes with a seafood and snacky skew.

26 Esplanade, Williamstown, sebastianbeachgrill.com

Prince Dining Room

Also in St Kilda, the restaurant formerly known as Circa reopens mid-November as Prince Dining Room following a two year hiatus, a redesign by architect Iva Foschia and a redirect of the menu by executive chef Dan Hawkins (ex-Stokehouse) and head chef Dan Cooper (ex-Garden State Hotel). The pair have put together a Mediterranean-leaning menu which focuses (though not exclusively) on vegetables and side dishes. Early next year the Prince Pub downstairs will replace Acland Street Cantina with a meat-centric gastropub.

2 Acland Street, St Kilda 03 9536 1111, theprince.com.au

Hotel Esplanade

More full frontal beach action is expected when the Sand Hill Road group's $15 million restoration and reno of iconic live music venue the Espy (St Kilda's Hotel Esplanade) drops late November. The high stakes project will reveal five floors encompassing 10 bars, a low-key Canto restaurant (Mya Tiger) serving prawn dumplings and roasted ducks, and a fire-driven restaurant captained by ex-Circa chef Ashly Hicks. And that's just the icing on the entertainment cake, with big gigs, theatre productions and podcast studios due to open alongside.

11 The Esplanade, St Kilda, hotelesplanade.com.au

Di Stasio Citta

From St Kilda to the city, Ronnie Di Stasio is about to open his first CBD venue in two decades. Rosati was Di Stasio's last city venture before opening Cafe Di Stasio then Bar Di Stasio on Fitzroy Street down South. The art fiend, provocateur, and vigneron's new site, Di Stasio Citta is in the Cbus building on the lower end of Spring Street opposite the gardens. The restaurant in St Kilda will continue to operate.

35 Spring Street, Melbourne

Ten Minutes by Tractor

The Mornington Peninsula's two-hatted winery restaurant was tragically forced to close following a fire in February, just as chef Adam Sanderson was starting to make some serious noise. Delays and council hurdles have stood in the way of the re-opening, but general manager Chris Hamilton is hoping to be back in action over the summer. At some point. (They don't want to jinx it). Sanderson will still be in charge, the focus firmly on Peninsula produce. His partner, Marie Sanderson, will be steering a very strong pastry game if her work at Petit Tracteur in any indication.

1333 Mornington-Flinders Road, Main Ridge, tenminutesbytractor.com.au

Leonardo's Pizza Palace

Vale, pizza by the metre. Hello Carlton pizza wars. Joining new-style pizza party Capitano, chef Nick Stanton of Ramblr and the team behind Leonard's House of Love will be dropping their own Italo-American joint in the old Da Salvatore Pizza By the Metre at 29 Grattan Street. Whose meatballs and slices of pepperoni will rule the region? Find out before Christmas (or just after - Stanton says it could go either way.)

29 Grattan Street, Carlton

King and Godfree

The massive transformation of Carlton's 135-year-old Italian grocer into a multifaceted eat and drinkery with multiple access points is almost complete after close to a year of delays. First section to swing open will be 200 capacity rooftop bar Johnny's Green Room, opening late November. The name references a 1960s Carlton nightclub hang and will serve cocktails, brews, burgers and cheese platters and gelato from adjoining Pidapipo. The refined wine bar, Agostino, cellar section and licensed deli doing take home meals will follow in its wake, as will the restaurant. Watch out, Carlton.

93-297 Lygon Street, Carlton, kingandgodfree.com