Messina Eats Locals: Baba's Place and Whole Beast Butchery

Overview

While Messina's main jam is usually crafting supremely scoffable varieties of gelato, the brand's love of food extends far beyond the freezer. The cult gelateria has often teamed up with savoury-focused culinary heroes, throwing big ol' food parties. While these tasty pop-ups used to be hosted in the carpark of Messina's Rosebery store, the recent unveiling of a massive new Marrickville HQ means they're on the move, kicking off with a huge two-day collaboration with a pair of local favourites.

For the inaugural Messina Eats Locals at the expansive new outpost, the dessert specialist has enlisted the help of Marrickville's own Baba's Place and Whole Beast Butchery, which have pulled together a street food menu that will be tough to pass up. The eats will be available in the Rich Street carpark from midday till late across Friday, May 12–Saturday, May 13.

The Baba's Place section of the menu features falafel wraps, chicken skewers marinated in a fermented garlic caramel glaze, and the restaurant's famous taramasalata served with salt and vinegar chips. Or, opt for the huge mixed plate, which boasts two skewers, two lamb chops, two spicy pork kolbas, pickled turnip, Lebanese bread, house toum and a Baba's Place x Messina sauce.

Whole Beast Butchery is keeping things a little more simple with one menu item based around a whole pig, which will be spit-roasted over charcoal. The spit will be pulled and placed on a long crunchy bread roll, then topped with house vinegar sauce, cabbage salad and pickles.

There will also be key lime pie-lova sundaes made with lime curd gelato, pie crust, baked meringue, whipped cream and lime zest on hand — as well as all of the regular Messina treats from inside the flagship store, which offers 40 flavours of gelato, cookie pies, Messina chocolates and Bavarian cream pies.

Both of the participating venues will be serving up their signature drinks as well, with Whole Beast Butchery's lemonade and Baba's Place and DNA Distillery's rakija and tonic cans available to quench your thirst.