Overview
From this week, the waves won't be the only things making a splash at Melbourne's new surf park Urbnsurf. Finally debuting at the Tullamarine site on Monday, November 30 is its much-anticipated culinary addition — the first Melbourne outpost of Three Blue Ducks. While the park's surfing lagoon has managed to get in a few months of operation since opening in January, the restaurant wasn't quite so lucky, forced to skip its planned March launch due to COVID-19. But the doors have now swung open, in time for a busy summer of surf, sun and sustainable fare.
Known for its farm-to-table food ethos and with five permanent outposts across Sydney, Brisbane, Byron Bay and the Snowy Mountains, Three Blue Ducks is now set to deliver its sustainably-focused offering to Australia's first surf park. In a 350-seat indoor-outdoor space overlooking Urbnsurf's sparkling lagoon, the team's plating up an all-day menu built around simple food, and top-quality local ingredients. Whether you've just put in a morning's worth of waves, or you're there solely for the food, the breakfast menu is set to impress. On it, you'll find inventive creations like the spanner crab scramble matched with bean shoot salad and house-made Sriracha; a bacon and chilli jam brekky roll finished with slaw and mayo; and harissa-glazed pumpkin with sauerkraut and turmeric cashew cream.
Kitti Gould
Deeper into the day, you can settle in with share-friendly starters — think, kingfish ceviche and crumbed pork terrine served with pickled onion purée — in addition to vibrant pizzas, a daily-changing vegetarian pasta and mains like the Portuguese-style rotisserie chicken and a bone-in porterhouse with bagna cauda (an Italian garlic and anchovy sauce). Sides might include the likes of carrots done with burnt honey and ricotta salata, and dessert will see you feasting on treats like a flourless chocolate cake matched with rich whiskey cream. And no matter what time of day you visit, vegetarian and gluten free diners can count on being spoilt for choice.
The sustainable focus extends to the drinks list, too, with Single O coffee showcased alongside local beers and ciders from the likes of Moon Dog, Stomping Ground, Bodriggy and Fixation. The wine selection celebrates organic and biodynamic practices, while a produce-forward cocktail lineup stars sips like the Balmy Nights Spritz, made with tequila, lime, chilli and strawberry.
Right across the offering, there's a commitment to minimising both food miles and wastage, so expect to find on-site composting systems, a kitchen garden growing herbs and edible native plants, and plenty of drinks served on tap, rather than from the bottle.
Find Three Blue Ducks Melbourne at Urbnsurf Melbourne, 309 Melrose Drive, Tullamarine. It's open from 8am–8pm Monday–Friday and from 7am–8pm Saturday–Sunday.
Venue images by Ed Sloane; food and drink images by Kitti Gould.