ED CHARLES dishes up the latest on Melbourne’s food, wine and bars GIGI’S REJIGGED A veteran of institutions such as Pellegrini’s, Florentino and Brunetti’s, Venetian-born “Gigi” Cipolato has retired after more than 50 years in the business. Chef Allan Parker has taken over Gigi’s (69 Ford St, Beechworth) and refurbished the shop-front restaurant, which now [...]

ED CHARLES dishes up the latest on Melbourne’s food, wine and bars CHEAP EATS Check out the Tuesday night meals at Swinburne TAFE in Prahran, being run under celebrated Geelong chef George Biron from April 22. For $25 you get four courses of fresh, seasonal ingredients cooked by third-year apprentice students. Biron says the wine [...]

Ed Charles dishes up the latest on Melbourne’s food, wine and bars FIFTEEN CHANGES Less than a year in and the director of the local franchise of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Foundation charity, Lauren Oliver (right), has quit. She is replaced by short-back-and-sides Peter Brown, who has a background at the Lort Smith Animal Hospital and [...]

ED CHARLES dishes up the latest on Melbourne’s food, wine and bars BEST COFFEE Out of six Victorian baristas battling it out for the title of Victoria’s best coffee maker on Sunday, five used coffee from Veneziano Caffe in Abbotsford. David Makin, who is in sales and training for the company, won for the second [...]

Ed Charles dishes up the latest on Melbourne’s food, wine and bars FUNF FUN Popular eatery Yelza has new owners and a new name, Sentido Funf (245 Gertrude St, Fitzroy). A much-needed lick of paint has given new life to the baroque, red velvet-draped space. Friday to Sunday DJs play in the back glasshouse. The [...]

ED CHARLES dishes up the latest on Melbourne’s food, wine and bars CHEF SWAP Bigger portions and lighter, fresher food are promised by chef Richard Hooper at veg-aquarian concept restaurant SOS (Level 3, Melbourne Central). It’s the one hidden behind the strange entrance at the top of the escalator. Hooper replaces Riccardo Momesso, who fell [...]

TOP AUSSIE NOSH The revamped Royal Mail Hotel (519 Spencer St, West Melbourne) is flying in by light aircraft fresh produce from Flinders Island, including crays. Open under new owner Jen Matthews for seven weeks, and with a new chef, the pub also offers your basic $10-$12 mains and plenty of grub for the kids. [...]

In the first of a new weekly column, ED CHARLES dishes up the latest on Melbourne’s food and bars HARD ROCK The Hard Rock Cafe (1 Bourke St, city) will close this year to be replaced by shops as part of a refurbishment of the Windsor Hotel. Rubbish bins in the next-door alley, Windsor Place, [...]