Chef’s Guide: Best places to eat and drink in Fitzroy
From a cafe with the best chicken sangas, a rocking sake bar spinning vinyl and talented chef flipping pork jowl skewers on the hibachi, these are the best places to eat and drink in Fitzroy.
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From a cafe with the best chicken sangas, a rocking sake bar spinning vinyl and talented chef flipping pork jowl skewers on the hibachi, these are the best places to eat and drink in Fitzroy, according to Poodle Bar and Bistro head chef Josh Fry.
TAMURA SAKE BAR
Tamura is a great restaurant and bar that spins vinyl, offers delicious and interesting sakes and has a banging selection of izakaya-style dishes. Their sashimi selection and yakitori are standouts.
1/43 Gertrude St
NEW JAFFA
This Middle Eastern restaurant is a hidden gem just off Smith Street that’s doing some excellent food. I love their confit onion with labneh and grilled pitta or their cauliflower with pickled chilli. It’s packed in with heaps of spices and herbs.
32 Stanley St
BURNSIDE
Burnside has the best coffee in the area and their sangas are absolutely top notch. The chicken sandwich is definitely a go-to, but their pimped-up salad sanga is a real highlight. It’s loaded with heaps of salad-y goodness and the cheese ties it all together.
87A Smith St
ABOVE BOARD
Above Board is the definition of a hidden gem. You need to walk through Beer Mash on Smith Street and then up a flight of stairs to reach it. It reminds me of a cocktail bar in Tokyo. It’s not only small but it’s a huge departure from the outside world and the cocktails are some of the best in town.
Level 1/306 Smith St
MARQUIS OF LORNE
You really can’t beat MOL for a proper pub feed. It’s still a roll-up-your-sleeves-and-smash beers type of Fitzroy pub but with excellent food. The rockling burger is guaranteed to satisfy. A pub that ticks all the boxes.
411 George St
MONO-XO
This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it restaurant/bar just off Smith Street is a Fitzroy go-to. Sam Stafford is a talented chef who is churning out some delicious dishes, especially off the hibachi grill. The pork jowl skewers are incredible and they make some mean cocktails to wash it all down with.
Rear 191A Smith Street, enter via Charles St
Josh Fry is head chef at Poodle Bar and Bistro, Poodle Upstairs
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