It's the culinary event of the year, one eagerly earmarked on the calendars of hungry punters, the Melbourne Food And Wine Festival is back in 2023 for another round of degustations, pop-up dinners, street parties, chef takeovers and more.
Kicking off on Friday 24 March and running until Sunday 2 April, the 10-day program is a blitzkrieg of culinary events taking over every square inch of the city and surrounding suburbs.
This year the centre of the event will be Federation Square, the city's hub will host a slew of fun and interactive events with some of Melbourne's finest talents:
Bakers Dozen
One that speaks right to the soul of every Melburnian, the Baker's Dozen is a collection of the city's top pasty and baked goods specialists all set together in an open-air market. You'll be able to take your pick from heavyweights such as Lune, Baker Bleu, All Are Welcome, Monforte Viennoiserie, Bread Club, Tarts Anon, as well as the gluten-free-friendly Kudo Bakery—There's even an appearance from the soon-to-open Totti's in Lorne (we're hoping for the flatbread).
THE DETAILS:
When: 10.30am until sold out, Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 April
Where: Federation Square, Swanston Street & Flinders Street
To find out more, click here.
Celebrity Sausage
Tapping into the award-winning formula of the sausage sizzle, Celebrity Sausage features a slew of different local talents including Christian Petracca, Jacqui Felgate and more dialling up the humble sauso in white slice. With international chefs joining in this family-friendly grill, you can get your hands on a banger with some seriously tricked-up accompaniments.
THE DETAILS:
When: 10.30am until sold out, Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 April
Where: Federation Square, Swanston Street & Flinders Street
To find out more, click here.
The Convenient Store
Back after its wildly popular debut, the elevated 7-11 corner store is here for another delicious instalment. In the aisles this year you'll find treats like the cherry blossom number from Tokyo Lamington to panettone hot cross buns from To Be Frank. On the sangas front, there's a Sichuan lamb option from Victor Liong and a plant-based parma creation from Shannon Martinez—there's even a banana bread ice cream from Luther's Scoops for dessert.
THE DETAILS:
When: 8am until 8pm, Friday 24 March to Sunday 2 April
Where: Federation Square, Swanston Street & Flinders Street
To find out more, click here.
Festival Bar
Every good event needs a solid bar and at MFWF this year you'll find the excellent pairing of chef Tom Sarafian, Pizzini wines and Caretakers Cottage. Together the trio has each brought a range of different bar snacks, wines, and cocktails to the table, the perfect little spot to take five before embarking on more events.
THE DETAILS:
When: Various times, Friday 31 March until Sunday 2 April
Where: Federation Square, Swanston Street & Flinders Street
To find out more, click here.
BKK's Bangkok Street Food Festival
Taking over the Drewery laneway, this collection of Melbounre-based Thai culinary talent includes the likes of DoDee Paidang, Soi 38, and local resident BKK (HER). With sizzling snacks off the grill, ice-cold beers and live tunes it's a homage to the ambient streetside dining of the Thai capital.
THE DETAILS
When: Various times, Friday 31 March to Saturday 1 April
Where: Drewery Lane, Melbourne
To find out more, click here.
Cray Cray At Yakimono
A night dedicated to the rich intricate flavours of the lobster, Cray Cray at Yakimono is an exploration of the pricey crustacean. With lobster cooked across the fire on a Josper Grill to crayfish Karaage and even sushi, this palette-dominating menu from executive chef Daniel Wilson is not one to miss.
THE DETAILS:
When: 7pm until 10pm, Thursday 30 March
Where: Yakimono, 80 Collins Street, Melbourne
To find out more, click here.
Maker & Monger's Cheese-A-Palooza
Taking place after close at the Prahran Market, the Maker & Monger Cheese-a-palooza will bring a seven-metre tasting station filled with different textured, aged and flavoured cheese. The Fromage aficionados have also lined up an oozing raclette, Cacio e Pepe pasta and Baker Bleu rolls loaded with ham and Comte cheese inside.
THE DETAILS:
When: 6.30pm to 9.30pm Thursday 30 March
Where: Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra
To find out more, click here.
Shucked (Oyster Festival)
Taking place just metres away from the water, Shucked is the oyster celebration hosted by none other than Pipi's Kiosk. Featuring an umami-forward range from the bivalve family, There'll be a range of dishes with the Clover kitchen team on the grill as wells as wines, an Oyster martini from Byrdi, wines from Caretaker's Cottage and more.
THE DETAILS:
When: 2pm until 7pm, Sunday 26 March
Where: Pipi's Kisok, 129a Beaconsfield Parade, Albert Park
To find out more, click here.
Danny Bowien x Smith & Daughters
Acclaimed US chef and Sichuan specialist, Danny Bowien (Mission Chinese Food) is flying into town and teaming up our very own plant-based queen, Shannon Martinez. The duo will be rocking Smith & Daughters with a firey collection of vegan dishes that will explore the realms of spice, fermentation and flavour.
THE DETAILS:
When: Various times, Sunday 26 March
Where: Smith & Daughters, 107 Cambridge Street, Collingwood
To find out more, click here.
“Whether you’re coming from the other side of the globe or just the other side of town, there’s never been a better – or tastier – time to give yourself a big serve of Melbourne good times,” says Creative Director Pat Nourse.
Pre-sale begins at 10am Tuesday 31 January, head over here for more.
Head over here for all the other food news in Melbourne.
Image credit: Carmen Zammit (Maker & Monger)