Australian Open still serving up a feast, with new restaurant Beijing Betty to debut in 2019

TENNIS will be just part of the action at next year’s Australian Open, with an exciting new restaurant headlining an unprecedented food offering.

A NEW foodie hotspot will be unveiled at next year’s Australian Open as an unprecedented restaurant offering is served up at the Melbourne’s grand slam tennis event.

Beijing Betty — a spin-off of popular restaurants Hanoi Hannah and Tokyo Tina — will headline a host of food and drink outlets at the two-week January tournament.

A pop-up 200-seat restaurant will dish up a modern Melbourne take on Cantonese classics and feature a “grab and go’’ takeaway, so sports fans can eat courtside in style.

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It is believed to be the first time a new restaurant has debuted at a major Australian sporting event.

Hospitality innovators the Commune Group are expected to take Beijing Betty to Melbourne’s streets if it is a winner at the tennis.

Head chef Anthony Choi said dishes would include pork and prawn wonton dumplings with chilli vinegar, sweet and sour pork hock with pineapple and tamarind, and mushroom bao with ricotta.

Beijing Betty’s Anthony Choi will be serving up mushroom-filled bar buns at the Australian Open. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“We want to create something that is fun and people can share at the tennis,’’ he said. “We haven’t done Chinese yet in the group so this is something exciting.”

The Commune Group has spiced up Melbourne’s food scene with new wave Vietnamese and Japanese restaurants in Windsor, Richmond and Elsternwick but Beijing Betty is a new set.

“We want to see how it goes at the tennis and see what people think,’’ Mr Choi said.

“If it’s a success at the tennis we will consider setting up a permanent restaurant eventually, but we’ll wait and see,” he added.

Rockpool will again feature among the Open selections.

Other Melbourne restaurant icons such as Nobu, Rockpool and Biggie Smalls will return to Melbourne Park as the event continues to grow beyond being merely one of the world’s biggest tennis tournaments.

Tournament director Craig Tiley said the Open was also “a festival of food and entertainment for more than a million fans.”

“We pride ourselves on creating memorable experiences at the Australian Open, with the spectacular on-court action from the world’s best players complemented by world-class food and entertainment.’’

Chefs Matt Lane (Mamasita) and George Calombaris (Gazi and Jimmy Grants) prior to the 2017 Australian Open. Picture: Josie Hayden

Tennis Australia hospitality head Enda Cunningham said Beijing Betty already promised to be “the perfect addition to an already incredible food and hospitality line-up for Australian Open’’.

WHAT WE EAT & DRINK AT THE OPEN

150,000+ coffees

90,000 Aperol spritz

35,000+ sushi packs

11,000+ Gazi chips

2850+ Mamasita street corn

10,000 doughnuts

80,000+ portions of salmon

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