Suzi Cheek's Is the Fun-Loving New Bar Picking Up Where Miss Katie's Crab Shack Left Off

Amidst the challenges of the last two years, Melbourne's food scene lost some old favourites — but it also gained some new guaranteed gems. And now, one Collingwood spot is delivering on both these fronts, as a long-standing legend is replaced by a very promising newcomer.

After winning over the masses from multiple locations during its nine years of life, Katie Marron's US-inspired seafood joint Miss Katie's Crab Shack bid farewell to its final incarnation in July. The pressures of COVID compelled a shake-up, and so the chef-owner made the tough call to shut the doors on her much-loved namesake and start afresh with a whole new vision.

So was born Suzi Cheek's — a lively neighbourhood spot for drinking and dining, named after Marron's mother, with a menu centred on everything but crab. The venue is sporting a swift makeover courtesy of the owner herself, the space comfy and welcoming with a bohemian edge. "I want people to almost feel like they're in my home," explains Marron of the fitout.

This time around, the chef is tapping into a different pocket of her kitchen experience (her resume includes stints at Richmond's Grand Hotel, Movida and Pandora's Box) to deliver a globe-trotting menu that changes up regularly, steered by whatever goodies she gets her hands on at the Queen Victoria Market each day.

That might mean an ox tongue sando with horseradish and beetroot, kingfish crudo elevated with fresh wasabi leaf and pickled rhubarb, a dish of fried sardines and mayo, or leek and mahon cheese croquettes. You could kick things off with the likes of fried oysters with yuzu and wakame, move into some saganaki with peach and jamon, and wrap things up with a buttermilk panna cotta.

It's a snack-forward affair, but one that works equally well for those diners in the market for a feasting session. "The idea is that you'll come for a drink or cocktail during happy hour and you'll be enjoying the experience so much you just kick back and end up staying for dinner," says Marron. What's more, you're guaranteed to encounter something new each time you visit.

There's a fun, snappy drinks lineup to match, running to seasonal sips like a mandarin martini, the kumquat-infused old fashioned, a seltzer-based house spritz and big jugs of peach iced tea. A slushie machine is spinning frozen concoctions and the wine list leans local, while the aforementioned Cheeky Hour (5–7pm daily) serves up $15 cocktails, $8 vino and $6 pints.

Meanwhile, summer is looking extra bright with the addition of Suzi Cheek's leafy back courtyard — a secluded hideout that's set to play host to DJ-fuelled Sunday afternoon sessions from November 6. It's also available to book for private shindigs, if you like the sound of snacks and margs in your own little Smith Street oasis.

Find Suzi Cheek's at 325 Smith Street, Collingwood. It's open from 5pm till late, Thursday to Sunday.

Images: Kim Jane