The change of season has also brought change to Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens and its cafe and events space, The Terrace.

Opening on December 17 is an all-new Terrace, with table service, a separate events space and a menu of cafe favourites from the Darling Group, which has signed an initial three-year agreement to operate the venue.

Nick Seoud, director of the group that runs venues such as Darling Cafe and Top Paddock, says he knew there was an opportunity to give visitors to the gardens another reason to visit, apart from the natural beauty.

Scones are still on offer, but the cafeteria-style ordering system and generic line-up of fried food has been replaced by an all-day menu spanning ricotta hotcakes, warrigal greens omelettes, fattoush salad and chicken schnitzel rolls on house-baked bread.

Moving into what was the gift shop, the cafe now includes indoor and outdoor seating for 234 people.

Separating the cafe and events spaces means the team can now run events at any time of day. Previously, functions could only take place at night, when the cafeteria was shut. "You miss the views at night," says Seoud.

The cafe cleverly brings the surrounding gardens inside through six large wall-mounted mirrors, and uses a botanical-influenced palette of green and white. There's upholstery in 1960s-style prints, gold accents on light fixtures, and terrazzo table-tops and floors.

The cafe is fully licensed. For those on the move, there's a takeaway window and picnic boxes to-go, and soon there will be coffee carts positioned at two entrances to the garden: one on Birdwood Avenue and the other on the corner of Alexandra Avenue and Anderson Street.

Open daily 8am-4pm

Royal Botanic Gardens, Alexandra Avenue & Anderson Street, Melbourne (best entrance via Gate A), rbg.vic.gov.au