One of Melbourne's most closely watched restaurateurs is returning to the opening trail. Andrew McConnell will open his first new Melbourne restaurant since Gimlet, together with his partner Jo McGann — Broadsheet reports.
The new venue, Cote Basque, is a European grill inspired by the Basque coast, and is expected to open at 25 Crossley Street this winter. The team worked with Vince Alafaci and Caroline Choker of Acme — the same design firm behind the Trader House venues Gimlet and Apollo Inn — pointing to the kind of considered, atmospheric room McConnell's fans have come to expect.
Cote Basque headlines what is shaping up as a busy winter for Melbourne dining, with some of the year's biggest openings still to come across the city.
Among them is Sergio's, from Con Christopoulos — the operator behind city stalwarts including Kafeneion. This winter his new Roman trattoria, Roma, will be joined by Sergio's, a bar and record store named for the Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone, at the same 120 Collins Street address. The bar draws its architectural details from Leone's home in Rome, while the record store inside will be run by Greg Molinaro of Abbotsford's Hub 301.
Over in Carlton, the King & Godfree precinct continues its revival with Delmonte, an Italian restaurant and wine room built around a wood oven and grill, with a focus on Italian wines — especially those from Piedmont. Diana Desensi has been appointed head chef, and the venue is slated to open at the end of winter.
Taken together, the openings underline a confident stretch for Melbourne's hospitality scene, with established operators and celebrated chefs adding new rooms across the CBD and inner suburbs through the colder months.
