Bar Lourinha
Always bustling and packed to the brim, this little gem offers a trip to Spain sans the passport.
Overview
With people queuing for a table for a midweek dinner, you can tell there's got to be something damn good about Bar Lourinhã in Melbourne's CBD. Upon closer inspection, it is a combination of the three all-important aspects of any great venue: food, wine and service. It also helps that it feels like a tiny slice of Spain right here in Melbourne.
And now, the perennially popular Little Collins Street institution marks an extraordinary achievement: 20 years in the business. With many restaurants around the CBD coming and going over the years, marking two decades of success cements Bar Lourinhã as one of Melbourne's most enduring dining rooms.
"Reaching 20 years feels incredibly special and quite emotional. The restaurant industry can be challenging, so to still be here twenty years later, doing what we love, is something we feel very proud of. It represents resilience, passion and the strong relationships we have built with our team, our suppliers, and our guests," says Matt McConnell, Executive Chef and Co-owner.
McConnell opened Bar Lourinhã with his wife and business partner, Jo Gamvros, in 2006, following an extended exploration of Europe. With Gamvros running the front of house and McConnell on the pans, the pair have built an inviting dining room centred around authentic hospitality, quality produce, and a thoughtful wine list.
The tapas-style menu takes diners on a Mediterranean and Iberian culinary journey grounded in seasonal, locally sourced, premium produce. This is the kind of place primed for plenty of snacking and leisurely drinking.
Olives, oysters, sardines and a Kingfish 'pancetta' tostada are a salivatingly salty way to start. Move on to jamon croquettes, morcilla and pork tongue pintxo, spiced chickpeas with spinach, and Portugese prawn rice. Fill up on lamb rib chanfana and roasted chook, then end sweet with pomegranate creme with pistachio praline, or moreish alfajores.
The remarkable 20-year milestone is even more meaningful given the challenges faced during the COVID pandemic. "Seeing our dining room full again, hearing the energy of the room and reconnecting with our regular guests reminded us why we started. It was a powerful reminder of the role hospitality plays in bringing people together," says Gamvros.
To celebrate two decades of success, Bar Lourinhã will roll out a lengthy anniversary program of long table dinners, producer collaborations, and the release of a cookbook, Lourinha: Iberian and Mediterranean Dishes to Share. Booking can be made online for events such as a Winter Classics Long Table Dinner, a Father's Day Special Croqueta e Chorizo Party, and even a Tinsel and Salsa Long Table Christmas Party.
"If in another 10 or 20 years people are still celebrating their special moments with us, that will be the greatest success of all," says McConnell.
Images: Supplied.
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