OPPOSITE: Hardware Lane.
CLOCKWISE (from top
left): shellfish at Embla;
Embla; chef Scott Pickett’s
rotisserie chicken; Cumulus
Inc.; tuna tartare with
crushed green pea salad
at Cumulus Inc.; Monte
Carlos at Tivoli Road
Bakery; Blackmore
wagyu truffle at Vue de
Monde; Vue de Monde.WHERE TO EAT
Embla (122 Russell St; embla.com.au) Pull
up at the back bar for a view of the chefs
deftly working the woodfired oven. Don’t
miss the soured cucumbers with dill and
feta. Vue de Monde (525 Collins St;
vuedemonde.com.au) Perched on the
Rialto’s 55th floor, Vue de Monde has
sweeping views, best enjoyed with
Spanish mackerel, smoked koji, sea
herbs and desert lime. Cumulus Inc.
(45 Flinders Ln; cumulusinc.com.au) An
all-purpose hotspot that hums from first
coffee to last drinks. Start the day right
with fluffy house-made crumpets soaked
in Rooftop Honey. Shukah (104 Chapel
St, Windsor; shukah.com.au) Armenian
flavours set among a cool vibe and thigh-
slapping tunes. The toasted manti – lamb
dumplings served with garlic yoghurt and
sumac – has achieved legendary status.
Pickett’s Deli & Rotisserie (507 Elizabeth
St; pickettsdeli.com) Chef Scott Pickett
turns out succulent Milawa and
Bannockburn chooks like your nan used
to at his New York-inspired deli/wine bar.
The Pie Shop (75 Nicholson St, Brunswick
East; thepieshop.com.au) Don’t let the
plain name fool you – there’s some fancy
stuffing here. Case in point: The Shazza
(cauliflower cheese and caramelised
onion), The Allen (chunky beef and veg)
and, our favourite, The Bruce (spag bol).
Lune Croissanterie (119 Rose St, Fitzroy;
lunecroissanterie.com) Considered to be
among the best in the world by the New
York Times, Lune’s famous croissants roll
out the door, so come early. Taco Truck
(facebook.com/tacotruckmelb) Check the
Facebook page to see where the brightly
coloured truck will be next serving its
famed potato, fish and chicken tacos.
Tivoli Road Bakery (3 Tivoli Rd, South
Yarra; tivoliroad.com.au) This bakery is
so good it’s got its own recipe book.
The soy and linseed sourdough is a must.