Feast of Merit Is Opening a Rooftop Bar

For those who haven’t heard, Feast of Merit is a social enterprise restaurant that combines an entrepreneurial spirit with an ethical goal. Operated by non-profit organisation YGAP, all profits from the Middle Eastern restaurant go towards supporting local entrepreneurs in Australia, East Africa, South Africa and the Pacific. Basically, the venue is dead-set awesome. And the Feast of Merit ethos is obviously resonating with the community because they’re expanding their territory, and moving skywards.

Yes, the Richmond cafe and restaurant has a new addition: a rooftop bar. Set to open tonight, Tuesday, March 1, the rooftop has been decked out by Richmond and Melbourne locals for an authentic and sustainable fit-out — and with it's laid back vibe and killer menu, it'll top your list of places to visit this weekend.

The purpose of the rooftop is clear. With a dedicated snack-sized menu and extensive wine and beer list, the space will cater for the in-betweeners. Groups looking for pre-dinner drinks, colleagues searching for post-work snacks, and those in need of emergency cocktails will fit right in here; the FoM rooftop is good for any occasion too casual for a sit down meal. On the menu you’ll find bites such as cured Tasmanian ocean trout with ras el hanout, spiced organic almonds with chickpeas and merguez sausages with labneh, as well as a strong selection of Australian wineries and craft brewers. The FoM rooftop joins others on the Swan Street strip, including the one above the Corner, the Public House rooftop, and the terrace at Union Dining.

And in case you were wondering, the name Feast of Merit comes from a ritual endemic to Nagaland in northeastern India. When a person comes into a position of wealth, the noblest thing they can do is share the fruits of their wealth with their whole community by throwing a huge feast. The feast lasts until all their assets are depleted, then they’re given the highest form of recognition and leave with nothing but the respect and gratitude of the whole village. As the Feast of Merit website says: “We come into this world with nothing. Like the people of Nagaland, we believe merit lies with those that choose to give it away."

The Feast of Merit rooftop bar will open on Tuesday, March 1 at 5pm. It will then be open 5pm – late Tuesday to Thursday, and 3pm – late Friday to Sunday. For more info, visit feastofmerit.com.

Images: Renee Stamatis