Overview
Gather 'round, chilli fiends. If the high that you chase is the capsaicin-induced burning sensation best achieved by ingesting spice, then prepare to enter your spiritual headquarters. Mat's Hot Shop is opening its doors in the heart of Collingwood on Wellington Street — the first bricks and mortar iteration of the online chilli playground which will boast a dedicated hot sauce 'tasting room'.
As of this Saturday, November 6, Mat's will be welcoming you into the playfully laboratory-style concept store to try and buy an enormous lineup of sauces, ranging between 100 and 150 options from around the world at any given day.
For those who prefer a more hands-on retail experiences, patrons can taste the full gamut of sauces available at Mat's courtesy of Australia's first-ever hot sauce tasting room.
"It's not only about heat about blowing people's heads off... although if that's your thing, we stock that too," Mat assures us. "Every sauce we carry is thoughtfully made from ingredients you could find at your local farmers market - no additives, no thickeners, no preservatives. We enjoy all levels of heat, from mild to scorching, but only as hot as nature allows."
So if you're struck by a case of the heat sweats or uncontrollable dribbling, that's just nature taking its course.
Mat's Hot Shop is located at 204A Wellington St, Collingwood, Victoria and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 12pm to 6pm.
Images: Charlie Hawks