Avani Wines' Summer Dining Pop-Up Sessions

Overview

As summer sets in, you won't find a much better setting for a long lunch than at a table overlooking the rolling green vines of Mornington Peninsula wine country.

That's especially true at Avani Wines' latest lunch series, which follows a similar pattern to its spring lunch sessions that ran earlier in 2023. For three weeks — from Tuesday, December 26–Sunday, January 14 — a rotating selection of chefs will take over the cellar door's kitchen, each creating a bespoke four-course set menu.

For the first pop-up, couple Saavni and Aditya from Saadi (who are usually based at Manzé and Neighbourhood Wine) will bring South Indian flavours to Avani Wines. Handmade dosas and spicy fried lamb will accompany vineyard views for five days.

This will be followed by Tom Sarafian, a master of modern Middle Eastern cooking, who has dreamt up a Lebanese- and Iranian-inspired set menu that'll include barbecued calamari with harissa, and lamb and koussa kebabs.

For a fifth year, Harry Mangat and Sandy Soerjadhi from Biji Dining will then return to Avani Wines. For this Summer Dining Pop-Up Session, diners can expect dishes that blend native Aussie ingredients with traditional Indian flavours and techniques. This will feature kangaroo seekh kebabs and an epic ghee chicken roast served with lemon myrtle basmati pulao and purslane raita.

Ending on a high note, the Summer Series' final lunch will see Biji Dining and Kyle Niccol, head chef of Lilac Wine Bar, join forces to create a fusion feast. For one day only, Niccol's French bistro sensibilities will combine with Biji Dining's Indian Australian flavours — a combo you'll unlikely come across again.

And, of course, to go with all of this fabulous food, there'll be loads of wine on offer throughout the summer lunch series.

Images: Parker Blaine.