Warmed by glowing fires and cosy rooms or heated from within by chilli-laden noodles and punchy cocktails, these are the places to which our reviewers are drawn when they're off the clock goodfoodAU
With The Age Good Food Guide returning this year with its hats and scores, our 30 reviewers have embarked on their winter quest to review 300 restaurants in Victoria. But moments when they're off duty provide opportunities to seek brilliant food and wine as protection against the cold.
Everything from the treacle-and-saltbush kangaroo to the must-order"umami e pepe" noodles is original and delicious, and the crowd of food fans and northside cool hunters makes it feel like the future of dining starts here – Michael Harry You will now receive updates from Good Food - Newsletter Good Food - Newsletter Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox.
Kura Robata & Sake Save me a permanent bar seat at Japanese newcomer Kura Robata & Sake in Brunswick East. Warmth radiates from the open kitchen, thanks to the wood-fire oven and charcoal grill it inherited from the previous tenant. But if you're COVID-cautious, you could choose to sit outside beneath heaters instead.
My favourite bowl is the spicy pork mince dry noodle , which is far from dry. Think of it as an Asian bolognese, with roughly chopped pork served over house-made, hand-slapped noodles – your choice of thick or thin, flat or cylindrical – with incredible chew and snap. It's loaded with shredded cucumber, spring onion and heaped spoons of sweet/salty/spicy chilli oil.
Caretaker's Cottage This new kid on the block feels like it's been around forever. It kind of has: the parish priest from the church in front used to live here. Holy Fleabag. But now it's probably the best winter pub in town . The cosy, welcoming little cottage with its charming nooks and crannies and geek-pleasingly good sound system already promises"always Guinness, punch and wine". Sold.
Owner Lyndon Kubis has stacked the shelves with an impressive list of local and international wines; everything from premier cru Burgundy and grower Champagne to orange wines from the Adelaide Hills. Bottles are available to take away, too. – Anna WebsterA glamorous lunch is a good pick-me-up on a bleak Melbourne day: the indulgence of a cocktail and a snack – perhaps a mouthful of yellowfin tuna belly in a superfine crust – while gazing out on that wide view of the bay.
Mazzone's excellent Italian-leaning cockle-warming cocktails – including a not-to-be-missed Amaro Old Fashioned – and wine, are a perfect match for Corso's ever-changing menu, packed with quality charcuterie , brilliant snacks like peppery chickpea fritters and things from the grill, perhaps a spicy Sicilian sausage or lamb offal skewers – Michael HardenThe Radio Springs Hotel There are country pubs with beer gardens, and then there's Lyonville's completely wacky Radio Springs...
It's tucked down a dingy arcade, with low stools, brutally efficient service and its own set of rules . Also cosy: pillows of pan-fried gnocchi, perhaps served with a melange of mushrooms, pangrattato and just-melting slices of washed-rind cheese. The Fitzroy Town Hall Hotel Grey, blustery days and a hot roast with all the trimmings are like yin and yang: one just isn't right without the other. Just head to Fitzroy's Town Hall Hotel on a Sunday in July for proof.