Messina Eats: Wonderbao for Chinese New Year

Overview

While Messina's main jam is crafting supremely scoffable varieties of gelato, the brand's love of food extends far beyond the freezer, as proven through a series of pop-ups it's dubbed Messina Eats.

Every couple of months, the cult gelateria teams up with a savoury-focused culinary hero and throws a big ol' food party in the carpark at its Rosebery headquarters. On February 1 and 2, it's teaming up with Melbourne's Wonderbao to create a special Chinese New Year menu as dreamy as the soft, doughy pillows themselves.

As we're celebrating the Year of the Pig, the Wonderbao team will be serving its cult gua bao stuffed with roast pork, traditional bao filled with barbecue pork and fries loaded with XO sauce and pork floss. Those who aren't fans of pork will also find plenty to enjoy in the gua bao stuffed with beer battered fried chicken or tofu with okonomiyaki sauce, and the traditional vegan bao filled with shiitake mushrooms. And for dessert? Sweet egg custard buns and Messina's famed mango pancakes: thin pancakes filled with mango sorbet and whipped cream.

There'll be two new drinks to try, but there's no word on what they'll be just yet — last year it was slushies, so expect something equally sweet and refreshing.

The whole thing will go down over Friday and Saturday in the carpark at Messina's Rosebery HQ. They'll be open from noon for lunch and dinner until sold out.