Chef Ashley Davis' first restaurant, Copper Pot Seddon, opened last night, December 22, bringing the best of his time travelling and cooking in Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe to Melbourne's inner west.

The menu roams through the village eats of Croatia, Poland and Germany along with the staples of France, Spain and Italy. It draws on tradition, yet is driven by responsibly sourced, local produce.

"Certain times of the year in Germany, everyone eats asparagus every day for three weeks, and then it stops and something else rolls in," Davis says. "I don't write a menu based on what I feel like doing; I write a menu based on what's available at the market."

Those motivations translate into dishes like chicken delivered Lisbon-style, pig's head as Catalan croquettes and sea snails "as they should be" (read: French). Head chef Sascha Rust joins Davis in the kitchen, the pair even building much of the fitout themselves.

Local and imported wines, Poltergeist gin from Tasmania and The Everleigh's bottled cocktails round out the food. There's brunch, too – think hearty meats, soft-boiled eggs, cheese and pickles.

Open Tue-Wed 5.30pm-11pm; Thu-Sat 9am-4pm and 5.30pm-11pm; Sun 9am-4pm

105 Victoria Street, Seddon, 03 8590 3505, copperpotseddon.com