Pretty Mama Is Bringing Caribbean Cocktails and Grill to the Spencer Street End of the CBD

It’s going to be a big year for exotic cuisine in Melbourne. We the people are a little tired of same-same Mexican food, don't really want to see another modern Vietnamese restaurant open, and, unfortunately, it's starting to feel like diner-style American fare has done its dash. Instead we're seeing an increase in Ethiopian, Eritrean and Moroccan restaurants serving their traditional dishes — and it’s an absolute delight because really, guys, there’s only so many times you can eat a cheeseburger without getting bored. Spencer Street’s newest establishment Pretty Mama is keeping the dream alive by bringing traditional Caribbean eats to the CBD.

Officially called Pretty Mama Caribbean Grill Island Bar, the venue is set to open for business tomorrow, Tuesday, February 16. The restaurant-bar comes from an A+ team of Melbourne foodies, including Michael Cotter (of Gumbo Kitchen and Po' Boy Quarter), ex-Der Raum bartender Shae Silvestro and Warren Wu, who's worked at Rockpool and London's Pied a Terre.

Chef Clinton Gresham (ex-Mamasita and Cobb Lane) has created a menu that captures the essence of Caribbean food and pays tribute to the influences from around the globe — think African, Spanish, French and English all rolled into one. Don’t expect a whole menu of various jerked meats; there’s a big influence on the grill and seafood, with complex and subtle flavour palates such as the wood-grilled lobster doused with champagne and saffron butter. But there's also jerk chicken.

The drinks menu, as you may have guessed, is heavily influenced by rum. Caribbean rum (which is called rhum and distilled from sugar cane juice as opposed to molasses), French rum, Spanish rum — the whole gang's here. As well as your favourite rum-based cocktails, of course, like piña coladas and mai tais. If you're wondering how to get there — and how to get there quick — you'll have to trek down the Spencer Street end of the city, right across from Southern Cross Station. Pretty great, Pretty Mama.

Pretty Mama opens Tuesday, February 16 at Watertank Way, 220 Spencer Street, Melbourne CBD. For more info visit prettymama.com.au.