Estelle

Overview

The neighbouring Northcote sites, once home to siblings Estelle Bistro and Estelle by Scott Pickett (ESP), had a shakeup back in 2019. They closed down and reopened as one standalone venue encompassing wining, dining and everything in between. Dubbed simply Estelle, this hospitality project from acclaimed Chef Scott Pickett (Longrain, Estelle, Matilda and Pastore) is a spot for all occasions, showcasing his signature modern Australian fare across both the bar and dining room.

The High Street space has more of a relaxed energy than before, the bar boasting splashes of exposed brick and emerald green marble, and the dining space kitted out with covetable kitchen-side seating.

From that kitchen comes a collaborative effort by Pickett and his chefs, the menu running easily from bar snacks through to larger plates primed for lengthy dining room sessions. The menu oft changes, but you might come across the likes of wagyu bolognese and kimchi stuffed toasties and puffed crisps of veal tendon flavoured with coffee and roasted onion, or maybe a whole flounder cooked with black bean and XO sauce.

Bigger feasts might mean delicate chicken wings stuffed with shiitake and kelp, hand-rolled macaroni cacio e pepe with guanciale, or the Berkshire pork matched with mustard leaf and kohlrabi.

To match, almost 200 Aussie drops star throughout Estelle's considered wine list, while a cocktail lineup sits time-honoured classics alongside signature sips.

Images: Simon Shiff.