There’s plenty of news to digest in Melbourne’s food and drink scene; so much so that keeping up with the goings on might sometimes feel overwhelming. But we’ve got the cure for what ails you – or at least your attention span – with Melbourne and Victoria’s latest served up hot, fresh and fast.
Maha’s $15 bowls of goodness make a very affordable encore
Maha is bringing the cost of living down one $15 bowl of goodness at a time, and because Melbourne simply can’t get enough of a good thing, Shane Delia and the team are extending the season until the end of October. On the menu? A new bowl each week along with several returning favourites we’ve come to know and love – including the veal shin tagine with candied carrots, lamb barbacoa and a grilled Balinese-style chicken. And throughout spring, you’ve got the added bonus of taking in or taking out at the beloved Bond Street locale. It’s maximum Maha, and you’d be mad to miss it.
Maha’s bowls of goodness are going for a wallet-friendly $15 from 12 noon until 3pm, Monday to Friday. Bookings are recommended and you can do so right here.
Say goodbye to Gerald’s Bar as you know it – in the next 30 days
You’d be hard-pressed to find a Melburnian who hasn’t made memories at Gerald’s Bar over the past two decades, and those wanting to make a few more have a month to do so before the Carlton North bar calls last drinks on Rathdowne Street Sunday 26 October. The next chapter promises more Gerald’s Bar magic just around the way in the ex- Enoteca Sileno site – with owners Mario Di Ienno and Gerald Diffey set to share opening details in the coming months.
“It’s an occasion for both gladness and sadness,” says co-owner Mario Di Ienno. “Sad, because this neighbourhood landmark is leaving its first home, but glad because it’s leaving to spread its wings and open in a brand-new location, bigger and bolder, but still right here in that same neighbourhood, a five minute walk away at 920 Lygon Street, Carlton North.”
Find Gerald’s Bar at 386 Rathdowne St, Carlton North before they wrap up on Sunday 26 October.
If you’ve ever wanted to try burrata s’mores or burrata-filled lasagne sandwiches, then this is it
Well burst my burrata and call it a day, burrata reached critical mass in Melbourne. The mildly contentious and mildly flavoured knotted cheese is hitting new heights at South Melbourne Market’s burrata festival, hosted by the That’s Amore crew.
Your favourite burrata and burrata-adjacent names will all be in attendance – including UGO Burrata Bar, La Manna and Farmer’s Daughters – crusading for the curd with classic takes and rule-breaking riffs on the burrata on Thursday 30 October.
South Melbourne Market burrata festival, 5pm-9pm Thursday 30 October. Tickets from $15, head to That’s Amore for more.
Shannon Bennett is back on the pans for a good time, not a long time
After an eight year hiatus, Shannon Bennett is cooking in Melbourne again – and this time, he’s setting up shop in Fitzroy’s hottest hotel, the StandardX. It’s a French-forward, hyper-seasonal affair at what they’re calling BistroX: think French onion soup in a Gruyère puff pastry, herb-crusted tuna loin with celeriac remoulade, and a Gundagai lamb hot pot with plenty of salted tongue. If Oscietra caviar tickles your fancy, throw in a bump alongside an optional but encouraged shot of vodka.
Bennett’s calling on several heavy hitters from the Vue de Monde orbit along with him: cuisine chef of the year Cory Campbell, head chef of Christchurch’s Pescatore Ryan Henley, and master sommelier Carlos Simoes Santos.
BistroX runs until Wednesday 15 October for a dinner service on Tuesdays to Saturdays from 5 –10pm. Bookings are recommended via their website or phone (03) 9124 4814.
Westgarth’s Ophelia extends its all-day dining model late into the evening
It’s Yolk Group’s first foray into after-dark dining, and the trottole with prawns, bisque and espelette is just one reason to book a table. A year in the making, Ophelia’s evening service launches with a new chef packing Cumulus and Marion credentials, alongside new venue manager Heidi Modra, fresh from a successful 14-year stint at her neighbourhood bistro Pinotta.
The hot ticket at the High Street diner is Tuesday nights, with a pasta menu at $20 a bowl. On Fridays and Saturdays, meanwhile, the offering expands beyond Italy and across Europe: think smashable snacks like pickled mussels on toast and charcuterie, and a generous pork schnitzel to finish.
Ophelia’s evening service runs on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Book here.
Import to in-house: introducing Morning Market’s viennoiserie
After 12 months of research and development, the team at Morning Market are taking their baking in-house. They’re doing everything you’d expect to see in the pastry cabinet – classic croissants, almond croissants, and a morning bun soaked in spiced syrup that you’ll definitely want to take with a napkin – but if you’re getting in line for one thing, make sure it’s the apple and caramel chausson, their grown-up spin on the hot apple pie.
Morning Market’s viennoiserie offering is available at their Fitzroy and Prahran stores. Head this way for more.
All pizzas are now $20 at Magma, all the time
John-Paul Aziz, owner of Pizzeria Magma, thinks “pizza should be an essential service, not a luxury,” and that’s why they’re dropping the price of their pies to $20. From the Margherita to the marinara, there’s no catches, and no changes to the quality of their pizza. All that’s left to do is book yourself a seat at the table – or roll the dice and try your luck with a walk-in.
Pizzeria Magma in Fitzroy North is open from 5pm – 10pm, Tuesday to Saturday. Bookings are recommended.
An express experience at Marmelo
Do you like your yellowfin tuna with a dollop of bottarga cream? Your eye fillet with anchovy butter? And do you like it served fast? Melbourne’s Iberian fine diner Marmelo is getting down to business with preço fixo, a fixed-price two-course menu at $65 per person that takes flavour as seriously as your time.
Marmelo’s preço fixo menu is available for lunch, Tuesday to Friday, with limited early dinner sittings at 5.30pm and 5.45pm. Book here.
By Lauren Liao and Rick Stephens