Seven Restaurants to Book When a Catch-Up With Your Mates Is Long Overdue

When the Espy finally reopened after three and a half years, its many fans were sceptical about whether it could build upon its esteemed history. However, we’re happy to say that publicans Sand Hill Road have done a stellar job of incorporating a massive 12 bars, two restaurants and three stages across six remarkable levels. Bring all your mates because the Espy Kitchen is a sprawling 450-seat space that serves everything from wood-fired pizzas to a ‘Feed Me’ option that includes a chef’s selection of three courses from the menu’s salads, sides and proteins ($45 per person, minimum of four people). There’s also the Cantonese-inspired Mya Tiger restaurant, should you be craving dumplings, bao or even a whole roast duck.

Image: Alex Drewnik.

Carlton’s history of pizza purveyors is well documented — and this Grattan and Drummond street corner store has been selling slices since 1954. Today it’s called Leonardo’s Pizza Palace and it might just be the best of the bunch. The menu is straightforward, featuring pizzas heaped with quality toppings to suit all the different requests from the group — pork and fennel sausage, nduja, anchovies, smoked eggplant and zucchini, pine mushroom or mortadella. There’s even a vegan pizza. Inside, dark wood-panelled walls, exposed bricks and an assortment of eccentric paintings and posters recall the great American pizzeria. Try the straight-up cheese pizza with Leonardo’s own Italian Stallion House Lager – it easily lives up to the tagline: “What dreams are made of.”

Image: Kate Shanasy.

While Melbourne’s craft beer revolution has welcomed many a new brew to the scene, Stomping Ground remains at the top of its game. Found in the backstreets of Collingwood, the large-scale warehouse has been retrofitted and made reminiscent of the vast beer halls found in Europe — so you know, perfect for big groups that like to spread out. From a lush beer garden with a semi-retractable roof to a wide-open dining area with a roaring fireplace and a menu of pub standards with beer pairings to boot, there’s loads of space for everyone. Beer is the main focus with 30 taps to choose from, and you should consider a tasting paddle to get yourself a sample of six of the best. However, the food is no less impressive, with a variety of share plates and pizzas keeping things casual late into the night.

Image: David Hyde Photo.

If you haven’t had the chance to visit Collingwood’s Chotto Motto yet, it’s not hard to spot with its bold geometric facade. The interior is just as lively with the Japanese restaurant featuring oddball items like a slot machine, a giant box of Pocky and a vending machine taken from the streets of Japan. Gyoza and beer are the two pillars here with the Hamamatsu-style dumplings coming in classic pork, spicy kimchi miso pork, chicken and coriander, prawn and ginger, chickpea and quinoa and nasumiso dengaku eggplant. You can grab 10 pieces for $16 or 20 pieces for $32 — but we’re sure you’ll be ordering plate upon plate. Sip a matcha IPA or a zesty Chu-Hi (a type of shochu highball) and tell your mates all about that recent trip to Japan. It’s walk-ins only, so get down early to secure a spot.

While Victoria Street offers a seemingly endless string of cheap eats, just tucked away from the main drag is Jinda Restaurant. Sure, you may find cheaper Thai in the area, but it’s the food on offer here that really makes this undoubtedly one of the best-value restaurants on this list. There are all the classics that’ll take you back to Patong Beach and that time you all travelled there together on your gap year. But don’t look past the Som Tum soft shell crab or the traditional Hor Mok curry, which showcases Grandma Jinda’s recipe crafted from many years spent serving customers along Bangkok’s canals. There’s a queue flowing out the door pretty much every night of the week, so get down early or, better yet, book in advance.

Getting your order right with a big group of friends can be a challenge, but you won’t have to worry at Jim’s Greek Tavern because there isn’t a menu to fuss over. Instead, your waiter will suggest what’s best and before you know it, there’ll be a host of homemade dips, breads, chargrilled meats and fish to pass around. Convivial and perfect for that rowdy hangout after it’s been a while, the atmosphere at Jim’s can be full on so be prepared to yell above the hubbub. You can order individual plates, but the banquet is your best option, especially in a group. What’s more, the eatery offers BYO with free corkage, so bring in some top-notch bottles and settle in for a great night.

Image: Leah Hulst.