First Look: Brisbane Riverside Fave Blackbird Is Opening A Second Steaky Location In Melbourne

If we needed more proof the Brisbane-Melbourne migration is a real thing, long-standing River City legends Blackbird are bringing their smoky steaks and bangin’ cocktails down south.

Set to open next month, the Ghanem Group will open the award winning southern iteration of Blackbird Bar and Dining to Melbourne’s Paris End.

Situated at 66 Flinders Lane in Collins Place, on the corner of Exhibition Street, Blackbird will consist of three distinct levels—each bringing their own unique offering.

Spoilt for choice, level one contains a dining room split into two areas, the first being a lower level, accented by a mirrored ceiling, is an open dining space, and the second, a more intimate upper level.

Upon entering the Blackbird, guests are greeted by a cosy cocktail bar adjoined by a sunken lounge with upholstered armchairs—a haven from the bustling streets of Melbourne’s East End.

From dry aged meats to seafood and seasonal vegetables, their dishes are rich in both Victoria’s and Queensland’s most renowned produce.

For more of Melbourne's best steak, CBD restaurants and cocktail bars, we've got you covered.

To supervise the Blackbird’s culinary debut in Melbourne, Executive Chef, Jake Nicolson, will return to the city alongside long-time chef, Tim Menger.

Nicolson began his career in Hospitality at the iconic Lake House in Daylesford,, moving on to work in restaurants across London, and then returned to good ol’ Australia  as the executive chef for the Ghanem Group.

Nicolson says he “looks forward to rekindling and building upon the great relationships with growers and producers” that he formed during his early years in Victoria.

Aaron Clark, the Ghanem Group’s Beverage Director, who was a part of the original Blackbird launch team debut in Queensland, will collaborate with Nicolson and Menger, serving up mouth-watering drinks.

The Blackbird Melbourne gathers in the Ghanem Group’s hefty portfolio consisting of a mighty 12 venues across Queensland and Melbourne, including Blackbird and Donna Chang as a sophisticated restaurant bar and event space fit for all Melburnians.

Blackbird Bar & Dining is set to open early August at 66 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD. For more information and bookings, head over here.