Royal Stacks: Shake Shack inspired chain for Morris Moor, Moorabbin

It’s come a long way from the days of producing cigarettes. Check out the tasty newcomers moving into the old Phillip Morris factory.

Matilda Smith and Ben Wilson are bringing Penny for Pound to Moorabbin’s Morris Moor. Picture: Up Property

An old tobacco factory in Moorabbin’s industrial heart is preparing to welcome some hospo heavy weights.

Cult burger chain Royal Stacks and pastry aficionados Penny for Pound are set to open at Morris Moor’s hospitality precinct.

They join Australia’s number one brewpub Stomping Ground which is currently putting the finishing touches on an ambitious build including a huge beer garden and function space.

Royal Stacks at Morris Moor.jpg

Royal Stacks founder Dani Zeini said the 170 m2 site would have retro 90s feel to match the meaty menu of Shake Shack inspired burgers, shakes, curly fries and fried chicken.

He said the coronavirus pandemic had changed the Royal Stacks business strategy, which had previously focused on inner city venues including Chadstone and Brunswick.

“(Covid) changed what people want from their dining experiences. So, we are now designing spaces in a way that draws people out of their own homes and injects the fun and excitement into going out again,” Mr Zeini said.

Born and bred in Dandenong, Mr Zeini is regarded as a pioneer of Melbourne’s recent burger movement.

He introduced burgers to his menu at Dandenong Pavilion and in 2014 they were named Melbourne’s best.

The praise for his patties convinced him to focus on burgers and he opened his first Royal Stacks on Collins Street, Melbourne in 2016.

Mr Zeini said he was drawn to Morris Moors communal areas and felt it was a good fit for his growing brand.

Penny for Pound co-owner Matilda Smith also saw the Cochranes Road site as the perfect place to expand the pastry empire she is building with partner Ben Wilson.

The pair started out supplying viennoiserie and petit gateau to high end cafes and opened their own bakery and patisserie in Richmond in 2018.

Their Morris Moor venue will include a full production bakery and patisserie, gelataria and 100 seat cafe for customers to tuck into their croissants, cruffins and award-winning creme brulee doughnut.

“Moorabbin is an up-and-coming suburb, with lots of young families and professionals and we are looking forward to creating a welcoming venue that is perfect for their weekly pit stop,” Ms Smith said.

Morris Moor’s food precinct aims to bring some inner-city flavour to the suburbs. Picture: Up Property.

The Morris Moor development is already home to 130 businesses as well as a 120 place childcare centre and 4000 sqm industrial carpark.

The development is an Up Property project that aims to bring inner-Melbourne’s food scene to Moorabbin and provide the area with a new urban park.