In the lead-up to the 2023 Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, Vic, we asked local Rotarians and Rotaractors to give us some ‘insider intel’ on their much-loved city. Universally known as the country’s culinary capital (and its original actual capital), it is no surprise their recommendations came back with distinct foodie feels. In part one of our three-part series on this city of secrets, our local guides take us through some of their favourite haunts, from sub-sub-basement dining to lofty rooftop bars.
Words: Meagan Martin | Photos: @rhysmartinphotographer
Discounted registration fees for the 2023 Melbourne RI Convention end on December 15, so book now so you don’t miss out! Visit convention.rotary.org/en/melbourne
A Subtle Soul
So, here’s the thing about Melbourne – if you know you know, you know?
We are standing at 252 Swanston Street in the heart of the CBD, having diligently Google Mapped our way to the acclaimed Cookie – a favourite Thai eating house, beer hall and cocktail bar of District Rotaract Representative Elliot Silcock and his crew.
The problem is, Cookie is nowhere to be seen. We pace up a few shopfronts, down a few shopfronts, fruitlessly search across the street in case we are on the wrong side, then repeat. Nothing. It isn’t until we gaze up, scratching our heads in confusion, that we spot a sign – a funky designed, partially obscured ‘Cookie’ in plain sight, yet somehow not.
It’s not the first time we’ve been left dazed and confused. We have come to expect a little treasure hunting in this city of secret laneways, underground restaurants, and lofty rooftop bars. For Melbourne is a subtle soul; unassuming and refined. It doesn’t need bright lights and flashing signs to extol its virtues. It sits quietly and confidently in its title as Australia’s culinary capital.
A small, pared back logo discretely etched into a red brick wall is enough. No shouty name required.
If you know you know.
Having eventually located Cookie, housed on level one of the iconic six-storey, Palazzo-style Curtin House, we are greeted with a punchy wall mural, a bustling bar (the building’s original), hipster bartenders with obligatory beards and pompadour haircuts, dark timber floors and soft light filtering in from large arched windows.
The uncompromising menu by Karen Batson lives up to the accolades, effortlessly blending both Thai and Australian ethos to delivery plate after plate of informal, share-style flavour bombs.
Curtin House itself has long been associated with clubs of leisure and trades. The ‘vertical laneway’ was constructed in 1923 and originally stood as the Tattersalls Club, housing a lounge and bar, a ‘strangers room’ for entertaining club members, games rooms for billiards and cards, and a number of offices on the upper levels. Years later it became the headquarters of the Communist Party, but in 1940, minutes after the federal cabinet’s decision to outlaw the Communist Party, the building was raided by police. It soon fell into disrepair, before being resurrected in 2003, nine decades after its original conception. It now houses world class restaurants, swanky bars, design studios, retail outlets, a martial arts academy and Melbourne’s original Rooftop Cinema and Bar.
Chow Down in Chinatown
A two-minute walk around the corner and up Little Bourke Street will bring you to Chinatown – the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the western world dating back to the gold rush days of the 1850s.
From cheap and cheery dumplings at HuTong Dumpling Bar, Shandong Mama, Juicy Bao, Shanghai Street and China Red, to Cantonese fine dining powerhouse Flower Drum, the streets and laneways offer an endless bounty of authentic Asian fare.
For an elegant but welcoming Cantonese dining experiencing, famed for its daily Yum Cha and sumptuous banquets, seek out the glowing neon sign of Red Emperor. Originally opened in the city’s Southgate shopping complex in 1992, the restaurant has become a staple on the Melbourne dining scene. After a four-year stint at Flower Drum when he first emigrated to Australia from Hong Kong, General Manager Raymond Chan has been with Red Emperor since it’s early years and continues to welcome his loyal diners with a warm smile and jovial laugh.
“We have a lot of regular customers and that’s why I am always happy to go to work because I see them as a friend,” Raymond says. “They like to see me. I have become a symbol of Red Emperor and part of the furniture.”
With a heavy focus on seafood, the kitchen is turning out Flower Drum quality Cantonese, without the hefty price tag and in a more casual setting.
“When wealthy people and celebrities come to Melbourne and want to entertain important guests, they take them to Flower Drum,” Raymond says. “When they want to eat with their families they come here.”
Appetite sated, seek out some more city secrets for post-dinner drinks.
Adjacent Chinatown on Bourke Street, you will find Nitro Lab ice cream shop. But you’re not here for dessert! Locate the elevator within to be transported to Heroes – a five-level vertical laneway of cocktails, dumplings, karaoke, and rooftop tipples.
On Liverpool Steet, keep your eyes peeled for a pushbike suspended on the wall above the number 21. Step through the golden doors and into the opium-den-esque opulence of New Gold Mountain. Inspired by old-world Shanghai and harking back to the heydays of the great Victorian gold rush, the intimate two-level bar is serving up some of the city’s best cocktails using 100 per cent Australian ingredients.
An Italian Love Affair
With more than 41,000 cafes and restaurants across the city, there is no doubt that Melbourne’s culinary landscape is a kaleidoscope of cultures. And Italian may well reign supremo!
Having eventually found Cookie by looking to the heavens, Cecconi’s Flinders Lane – a long-time favourite of Past District Governor Philip Archer – is hidden below street level, nestled in a New York style basement on Melbourne’s most famous laneway.
A true family affair, Cecconi’s is the life work of Italian matriarch Olimpia Bortolotto, now in the capable hands of daughters Maria Bortolotto and Anna Parolin.
Featuring the theatre of an exposed kitchen and a sleek yet warm dining space, Executive Chef Sebastiano Pezzoli dishes up some of Melbourne’s finest Italian cuisine with a focus on simply prepared, Venetian inspired food.
Il Solito Posto, another subterranean treasure, entered via the small backstreet of George Parade (a vintage Vespa marks the spot), is a true local gem and on the must-dine menu of Area Governor John Wall, of the Rotary Club of Port Phillip. Its name literally translates to ‘the usual place’, and it’s buzzing, welcoming vibe sees Melburnians return again and again. While the warm and inviting cafeteria offers a relaxed and casual space with an ever-changing menu, the sub-sub-basement trattoria, lined with racks of fine wine, provides a more formal dining experience for those special occasions.
A short 10-minute tram ride from the CBD will find you in the inner suburb of Albert Park, home to charming Italian trattoria Ricardo’s, another go-to favourite of PDG Philip Archer, where he says you are guaranteed a warm welcome and a hearty feed akin to a meal at Nonna’s place.
“It’s a real family atmosphere,” says Philip. “Whenever we come here, we have a crazy good time. It’s where you network. It’s where you say g’day to each other. Whoever comes here gets treated like family, not like a tourist. That’s their way.”
Owner operator Philip Madrigale has been holding the perpetually packed floor since 1992 and is on a first name basis with his loyal diners – and they are all loyal diners. With roots in the small Italian village of Sulmona, Philip trained all his also loyal chefs, who dish up generous plates of traditional Italian fare handmade in house.
The menu has hardly changed in its 30 years of operation, so locals know exactly what they are getting before they walk through the door – and more often than not it will be the same thing they ordered the last time they walked through the door.
“Most people who come here eat the one dish and have done so for 20 to 30 years,” Philip says. “They’ll come just for the scaloppine or the marinara or the Agnello Milanese.”
‘Boss’ Nino runs front of house and has been part of the family for nearly 30 years.
“It’s my home,” Nino says in his thick Italian accent. And that sums up Ricardo’s in just three words.
A Date on the Lake
Albert Park Rotarian Matthew Proctor also extols the virtues of the area, in particular Albert Park Lake, which is home to a wide range of events, including park runs, cycling events, boating, sailing and the famous Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix, which will run from March 30 to April 2 in 2023, with the addition of F2® and F3® as support categories.
“Surrounding the lake are a number of picnic spots, restaurants and cafes, as well as the Albert Park Golf Course,” Matthew says. “It’s a popular location for a relaxing walk or cycle, taking in amazing views of the city and surrounding gardens. It also has a number of boating activities and is just a short tram ride or walk on to St Kilda Beach and the St Kilda Marina.”
Seaside Vibes
Famed for its iconic Luna Park, historic sea baths and pumping live music scene, St Kilda is one of Melbourne’s favourite beachside playgrounds and a must-visit destination. Fitzroy and Acland streets are teeming with hip cafes, outstanding restaurants, funky bars, fashion boutiques and independent music and bookstores, while a myriad of European languages can be heard from the well-heeled crowd along Carlisle Street.
“St Kilda Beach is one of Melbourne’s most vibrant and eclectic spots,” says Aviv Palti, of the Rotary Passport Club of Melbourne. “Whether it’s strolling along The Esplanade, fish and chips on the shore, or people-watching over a coffee and cake, this is quintessential Melbourne. We love watching the sun set over the bay while having dinner and drinks at Donovan’s – one of Melbourne’s best restaurants – and 7apples Gelato has been making the best gelato in town for over 20 years.”
A Little Piece of Europe
Back in the CBD, directly across from the Victorian grandeur of Parliament House, is another gelateria well-worth seeking out.
Tucked in the entry of Spring Street Grocer you will find the marble-topped counter of Gelateria Primavera – just don’t go looking for a sign, there isn’t one, bar a soft glowing ‘Grocer’ on the curved entry roof. The menu is never the same from one day to the next, but scoops could include anything from liquorice and bergamot to basil with honey and pecans. The Grocer – itself worth a peek for its gourmet goodies and the wall of cheese that is Spring Street Cheese Cellar – is part of a great little culinary cluster that could well be confused with any old-world European cityscape. The City Wine Shop is both a wine store with a vast, global selection of vino and a chic cafe serving contemporary small plates and mains. Pull up a seat at either the sleek timber bar inside or the intimate tables nestled under umbrellas and festoon lights on the pavement.
Next door, be sure to order steak frites at The European, where dishes mined from the traditions of rural France, Italy and Spain are served from a nose-to-tail menu in a laid-back dining room with Bentwood chairs.
Moving next door again, you will find an unmarked door (surprise!) that opens to a wraparound timber staircase winding up to Siglo Bar. Stepping out onto the open-air, black and white paved terrace reveals a stunning vista spanning the floodlit columned façade of Parliament House, the spire of St Patrick’s Cathedral and the domes of Princess Theatre. It is a picture-perfect location to enjoy a post-theatre single malt and a Cohiba Cuban Cigar.
Alternatively, and heading basement level once again, you will find Bar Clara just around the corner on Little Bourke Street – another favourite haunt of Rotaractor Elliot Silcock and one of the city’s most intimate cocktail experiences. Founded in 2019 by Joel McKenzie, head bartender Tommy is shaking up the city’s cocktail scene, serving up modern masterpieces using fresh, sustainable, and local ingredients. The bar’s name is no random reference either. It hails from a propensity to base their cocktail list around clarified fruit juices. Jars of fermenting concoctions can be seen nestled between the top-shelf spirits lining the under-lit shelves of the back bar. Grab one of the soft green velvet lounges and settle in for the night.
The East End Theatre District
Princess Theatre itself, forming part of Melbourne’s East End Theatre District and regarded by many as the city’s most spectacular landmark, is well worth devoting an evening to. Dating back to 1854, it caught the imagination of English dramatic and art critic Austin Brereton, who wrote after its reopening in 1886: ‘I have never been in a more beautiful or perfect theatre than the Princess. Indeed, I will make bold to say that, in respect to the graceful design of its interior and the comfort and cleanliness of its stage and dressing rooms, it has no equal in London.’
It even comes with its own resident ‘Phantom of the Opera’! On the opening night of the Faust performance on March 3, 1888, baritone Frederick Baker, known under the stage name Frederick Federici, was performing the role of Mephistopheles. The production ended with Mephistopheles sinking dramatically through a trapdoor, returning to the fires of hell with the unfortunate Dr Faustus. As Federici was lowered down through the stage into the basement, he had a heart attack and died almost immediately. He never came back onstage to take his bows, however, everyone at the performance, including the cast, swore he was on stage with them for the curtain call. Since then, various people have claimed to see a ghostly figure in evening dress and there is even a tradition of saving a seat for him on opening night performances.
The Princess is but one of the East End Theatre District’s six major theatres, which are home to international musical sensations, opera, dance and local comedy gigs. Her Majesty’s Theatre opened in 1886 and at the time was the largest theatre in the Southern Hemisphere. Behind the original Victorian-era facade you will find an Art Deco auditorium, renovated in the 1930s, and a modern orchestra pit. The theatre has been home to all of Melbourne’s great international musicals, as well as raising the curtain on opera, ballet, plays and concerts for over 130 years.
The restored 1929 Regent Theatre on Collins Street is a historic former picture theatre, closed in 1970 and reopened in 1996 as a live theatre venue, meticulously refurbished and returned to its breathtaking former glory. Take a seat under the original chandeliers to enjoy some of the world’s most renowned theatre productions.
Across the road you will find the heritage listed Athenaeum Theatre, one of the oldest public institutions in Victoria and home to a range of theatre, comedy and music performances, including the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Melbourne Opera.
A Cinema Under the Stars
For a more casual, intimate theatre experience, Jennie Franklin of the Rotary Passport Club of Melbourne says you can’t go past the Williamstown Open Air Cinema.
“Looking out across the bay, with a backdrop of the city lights, this is a wonderful place to catch up with friends and mix with passing strangers,” Jennie says. “On a hot summer night, a cooling breeze often comes up across the bay, making drinks and nibbles from the local tavern even more enjoyable. However, there are times the breeze feels more like a blast from the Antarctic, so warm jackets and blankets are a must, even after a hot day.
“Situated in the reconditioned Williamstown Docklands, the cinema is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the area and is a great spot for family and friends to chill out, enjoy a local band playing before the movie, and let the kids have a sleep under the stars.”
In the Know
This has barely scratched the surface of all that Melbourne has to offer. It would take a lifetime to unearth all its treasures and secrets. Next month we will check out some of the city’s infamous laneways, head to the burbs for an Afghani feast and cross the mighty Yarra to experience the South Side. And remember, if you are looking for something a bit special during your time in the city for the 2023 Melbourne convention, just ask a friendly local Rotarian – because you know they’ll know!