First person to make a chicken crossing the river/road joke gets a punch. Belle's Hot Chicken, Fitzroy's Nashville-style fried chicken shop and natural wine bar, is opening in Richmond.

Owners Morgan McGlone and Miranda Campbell have taken the lease at Shop 1, 107 Swan Street and plan to open in early November. McGlone says that many of his customers make the journey from the south, "we are making the chicken more accessible to them".

The name and menu will stay the same, although they are adding a couple of sandwiches (a chicken and a mushroom).

Expansion was always part of the business plan – as it is for everyone, it seems. This comes after news that Paco's Tacos, Huxtaburger and Jimmy Grants are setting up at Eastland and that Neil Perry is bringing three of his Burger Project outlets to Melbourne.

McGlone has just returned from a research trip in Asia where the team are looking to open in the near future, and they're also in talks with developers in Sydney. Stay tuned. Stay hungry.

With Hilary McNevin