The year has already opened with excellent news for people who love steak, and it just got better with the announcement that Victor Churchill is opening a second Melbourne restaurant. The hit eatery at the Armadale branch of the luxe butchery will open a new spot at Crown in mid-2027, and Churchill founder Anthony Puharich has pulled off a coup on the talent front, luring chef Monty Koludrovic to head the culinary side of his operation.
While Victor Churchill originated in Sydney – the first store opened in leafy Woollahra in 2009 – Melbourne was where its restaurant story began. The Armadale store on High Street, which opened in 2021 inside the historic State Savings Bank of Victoria building, has dining spaces alongside the retail butchery, and they’ve been a smash hit from day one. Victorian beef and lamb producers such as O’Connor and Stone Axe have long enjoyed pride of place on its menus. The Crown project takes that model further, operating as a standalone bar and grill rather than a hybrid space.
Koludrovic is a great get for the project. He and his wife, chef Jaci Koludrovic, have lived in California the last several years, having left Icebergs Dining Room & Bar in Bondi after a well-received run from 2014 to 2019. He’s originally from Byron Bay, trained in Europe (including stints at The Dorchester and La Trompette), and has been close friends with Anthony Puharich for nearly two decades. At Victor Churchill, he’ll be working directly with Victorian producers to develop the menu – a role that should play to his strengths in ingredient-led cooking. Jaci is bringing the heat with dessert.
Speaking of talent from the US, Puharich and his wife Rebecca have recruited celebrated New York firm AvroKO to design the restaurant, and it will number among their first big projects in Australia.
“This is more than an expansion,” Anthony says, “it’s an opportunity to share our craft with locals and tourists in a setting that celebrates world-class experiences. The Victor Churchill brand is ready for this moment, and we couldn’t be more motivated to deliver something exceptional.”
Given that the opening is a full year away, the menu is still work in progress, but Monty has some thoughts. “The steak list will be extensive to the say the least,” he says. “This is really Anthony’s opportunity to dive even deeper into what he has worked on his whole life, through his network and super-tight relationships with producers.” Expect a full spectrum of cuts and presentations, growers, regions, “even a monopole style project like never before”.
He’s been workshopping a smoked bone-marrow broth, too. “Fragrant, clear broth, ever so slightly sticky, with a persillade of smoky bone marrow. Something powerful about a simple cup of broth.” Elsewhere on the mood board: a raw seafood bar, “oysters done right”, a Yarra Valley caviar service, trout Grenobloise, a fish pie, and a carefully considered range of charcuterie. “The cheeseburger will make appearances in the bar.”
And dessert? “We’ve got Jaci on the sweet section, with a wood-fired delicious pudding, a crazy chocolate mousse cake with a portion of cooked mousse and a portion set mousse, insane gelato and a goddamn cheese board.” Amen.
The restaurant is scheduled to open winter of 2027 with more details on bookings and the full concept to come. For Victor Churchill, it’s another step in the brand’s evolution from butcher shop to dining destination – a trajectory that started with the Woollahra store’s theatrical retail experience and has gradually expanded into full restaurant operations. We’ll be there.
Victor Churchill opens at 8 Whiteman St, Southbank, winter 2027. Follow along for more at @victorchurchill.melbourne or head to victorchurchill.com.