New Melbourne hot spots
The French Brasserie, 2 Malthouse Lane, Melbourne Ph: (03) 9662 1632
Located down a laneway off Flinders Street, newly opened The French Brasserie has already attracted considerable attention from both punters and the more nuanced palettes of those in Melbourne’s ‘fine dining’ industry. Established by two French expats – experienced restaurateur Hadj Sadki and chef Frederic Naud (formerly of La Cirque, New York) - The French Brasserie serves classic, unpretentious French cuisine, that is skilfully made and attractively presented. Complimenting the menu is the distinctive Australian and French wine list compiled by the in-house sommelier.
Reasonably priced and well located, this restaurant is sure to be a hit with both the lunchtime business and pre-theatre crowd (a special pre-show dinner menu with 6pm start is soon to be announced)
Bosisto’s Liquor Bar, 318 Bridge Road, Richmond, Ph: (03) 9428 6888
The gang of four gents behind iconic Melbourne cocktail bars Double Happiness and New Gold Mountain have ventured from Chinatown to Little Italy with their latest project, Bosisto’s Liquor Bar. Set in a heritage Bridge Road shop front, Bosisto’s is an intimate, contemporary interpretation of a classic Italian enoteca.
Bosisto’s cater for all times of the day: the locals who linger over breakfast of scrambled eggs, prosciutto, fior di latte (fresh mozzarella) and roasted tomato on ciabatta toast; those inner city venturers who nip in for a panino lunch and superb espresso at the deli-style counter, to the nocturnal creatures who sip European and local wine as evening settles over Richmond.
Don’t miss sampling the house vino, Goon, an Italian wine – at $5 a glass it’s a choice that bears repeating.
Little Creatures Dining Hall, 222 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Ph (03) 94175500
Fitzroy’s imbibing capacity has exploded exponentially with the opening of the new Little Creatures Dining Hall on Brunswick Street. Located in an enormous warehouse space, the Little Creatures Dining Hall is the new venue for WA-based Little Creatures Brewing, and features large wooden tables, oversize upholstered booths and a warm friendly vibe.
All of the Little Creatures’ beers (Pale Ale, Rogers Amber, Pilsener, Bright Ale) and Pipsqueak Cider are available on tap here, as well as selection of mostly Victorian wines with a good menu of beer-friendly food to match.
Portello Rosso, 15 Warburton Lane, Melbourne Ph: (03) 9602 2273
Concealed behind a red doorway in a covert laneway off Little Bourke Street resides Portello Rosso, a gourmet pizzeria and jamón bar, which only opened its doors three weeks ago. The menu offers unpretentious regional Mediterranean cooking, with a focus on pizza, tapas and antipasto, utilising the very best quality ingredients sourced from around the world. Jamón, freshly sliced by a vintage meat slicer, is a feature of the Portello Rosso menu, as is a tight yet diverse range of Italian and Spanish wines and beers.