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wining and dining hotspots
Whilst Melbourne hosts a range of world-class events the hottest seat in town is often at a table of one of Melbourne’s highly sought after restaurants. Below is the latest news on Melbourne’s dining scene.
The Merchant, Rialto, 495 Collins Street, Melbourne, Ph: (03) 9614 7688
Merchant, an Osteria from acclaimed chef Guy Grossi, opened in December at Rialto, 495 Collins Street in the heart of Melbourne’s financial district. Inspired by the rich culture Grossi experienced during a recent trip to his mother’s homeland of Venice in Italy, Merchant draws on the region’s Gothic buildings, abundance of water and boats, and food and wine being consumed with gusto.
Styled as a typical Venetian osteria, it’s a venue designed for relaxing and informal enjoyment of the food, wine and company of others; a casual space that allows for all types of dining experiences.
Vue de Monde 430 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Ph: (03) 9691 3888
Located in the historic Normanby Chambers building in the heart of CBD Melbourne, Vue de monde pays homage to classical fine dining, encompassing this philosophy through food, service and ambience. The open kitchen has been extended to maximise the view for the dining room complete with cooking class style mirrors. For those intent on having the full ‘vue’ a Chef’s Table for six is located (literally!) in the kitchen. And what better place to watch the dynamic Shannon Bennett in action, one of Australia’s truly world class chefs.
The Press Club 72 Flinders Street Melbourne, Ph: (03) 9677 9677
The Press Club is the flagship venue for chef George Calombaris, most recently known a one of the “Master Chef” judges.The restaurants cuisine is best described as modern Greek. It takes the best of centuries of Hellenic gastronomy and melds modern techniques, contemporary style and the finest ingredients. The a la carte menu features a combination of wonderful dishes; and the Symposium degustation menu with matched wines is recommended by the team as the best way to enjoy a Press Club experience.
Millswyn, 131–133 Domain Road, South Yarra, Ph: (03) 9866 5627
An elegant neo-brasserie recently opened the former site of South Yarra dining institution Lynch’s, the Millswyn serves classic French lunch and dinner menu utilising Australia’s best and freshest local produce. To create the Millswyn’s stylish interior, 21 year old entrepreneur Davis Yu – brains behind the restaurant concept - collaborated with Melbourne design studio Hecker Phelan & Guthrie to conceptualise a unique and different design exuding Scandinavian chic, whilst still maintaining the Lynch’s heritage. Head Chef Nathan Johnson, who joined the restaurant after nine years working with Gordon Ramsay (most recently as head chef at Crown’s maze Grill), has created a simple, produce-driven menu designed to encourage informal dining with a focus on French brasserie favourites.
De Clieu, 187 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy Ph: (03) 9416 4661
The latest venture of coffee gurus Mark Dundon (Seven Seeds and Brother Baba Budan) and Bridget Amor, De Clieu is a small café with a big buzz, located in Fitzroy’s chic Gertrude Street.
The Botanical reopens
One of the most keenly anticipated new openings is The Botanical (Domain Road, South Yarra) which reopened its door in November 2010 after a major renovation and with star chef Cheong Liew (The Grange) at the helm.
PM24 opens on Russell
Phillipe Mouchel’s new French bistro and rôtissoire opened in December on Russell Street in the Melbourne CBD. Expect exquisite flavours, smart elegant surrounds and a stunning wine list designed to both savour and educate populated with boutique French and Australian vintages. PM24 is the latest in George Calom,baris’ expanding Press Club group which includes The Press Club restaurant, Little Press Cellar and Bar and Hellenic Republic.
Transformation and relaunch for Newmarket Hotel in St Kilda
Chef Paul Wilson, entrepreneur Julian Gerner and Six Degrees Architects, the group has masterminded the reinvention of Albert Park hotel, the Royal Saxon and the Middle Park hotel are set to work their magic on the once notorious Newmarket hotel in St Kilda. The hotel, in its new incarnation, reopened in December. With the runaway success of their other venues, expect it to be packed from the get go.
Owners of Cicciolina open Ilona Staller
Due to open in early December, Ilona Staller is the new venture from the owners of iconic St Kilda restaurant Cicciolina. The new eatery joins an eclectic mix of venues on Carlisle Street (a short five minute walk from the heart of St Kilda) including Middle Eastern bar Pause, the Carlisle wine bar, specialist beer bar the Local Taphouse and Six Degrees-designed Hole in the Wall café.
Church Street Enoteca chef Ron O’Bryan launches NorthSouth
NorthSouth is the newly opened venture from Roger Fowler (former General Manager of the Stokehouse) and chef Ron O’Bryan (SlowDown!, Church Street Enoteca). Open seven days for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it features a compact menu of Italian influenced dishes with a focus on seasonal local produce and a wine list of predominantly Victoria wines.
Salvatore Malatesta opens Mopho Noodle in South Yarra
Salvatore Malatesta, the prolific entrepreneur behind specialist coffee operations St Ali and Sensory Lab and upmarket eateries Outpost and Il Fornaio, is expanding his empire again. Malatesta opened a new noodle bar, Mopho, adjacent to Outpost in Yarra Lane, South Yarra in mid December, with a new sushi bar due to follow this year.
Byblos, WTC Wharf, Melbourne
Award-winning Brisbane bar, Byblos, has just opened a new Melbourne outpost in WTC Wharf. The Melbourne Byblos will be more food focused with a Mediterranean-meets-Lebanese menu prepared by chef Nino Kanaan, while still retaining the glamorous and exotic cocktail list the original venue has become known for.
The Woolshed Pub announces new menu by Donovan Cooke
The Woolshed Pub, which opened in Docklands at the beginning of 2010, amped up its dining offer with a restyled dining room and a new menu created by Donovan Cooke, the chef at the soon-to-open Atlantic Restaurant. Cooke, who has returned to Melbourne after a seven-year stint at the prestigious Hong Kong Jockey Club, has ingeniously created a delicious menu aimed for pure pleasure, with a focus on seasonality, carefully orchestrated flavour and premier produce.
New owners and relaunch the Rainbow Hotel
Lambs Go bar, a beer bar much beloved by Fitzroy locals, is closing but owners Jason and Adam King are not standing still. The Crafty Pint recently reported the brothers have taken a 15-year lease on the Rainbow Hotel (just five minutes walk away) and are currently renovating the premises and will reopen the hotel in mid December. The focus will continue to be on quality brews adding in live music and great food to the mix.
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