Cumulus Inc captures the energy of its Flinders Lane location with a relaxed yet bustling vibe. Stylishly pared-back, slightly Parisian decor is ornamented with sculptural elements such as a wall of shoe lasts and a pendant light resembling an oversized sprig of illuminated pepperberries. The open kitchen adds a theatrical edge – take a seat at the marble bar and watch chefs whip up seasonal dishes such as baked mussels doused in a Sriracha-based sauce or curate a kitchen charcuterie plate with a daily terrine, perhaps pressed chicken and mustard rillettes. At close quartered-tables, corn-fed chicken breast arrives in tender slices with salty skin atop an earthy mix of puffed rice and pearl barley; while a chopped red cos salad is liberally sprinkled with mezcla curado (Spanish cheese) and laced with Ortiz anchovies. A funnel-shaped rum baba is sassily served with a bottle of drench-it-yourself Havana Club rum, encapsulating the vitality of this quintessentially Melbourne restaurant.

And … Head to Cumulus Up for drinks and lighter bites.

THE LOW-DOWN
Vibe Melbourne zeitgeist.
Best bit All-day, all-purpose dining.
Worst bit The queues.