Chris Lucas To Open Wishbone, A Hong Kong-Inspired All-Day Diner In Melbourne’s Midtown

Restaurateur Chris Lucas is the brain behind some of Melbourne's favourite venues (Grill Americano, Society, Kisumé, to name a few), and he's just announced his next big venture: Wishbone. 

An all-day diner inspired by Hong Kong, Wishbone will sit in the heart of the CBD on McKillop Street, forming part of the new 435 Bourke Street precinct. 

“There’s a nostalgia to this part of town, I remember spending a lot of time eating at great places like the old Campari House on Hardware Lane, and having too many drinks at Mitre Tavern when I’d knock off from my first job," Lucas says. 

"Wishbone is going to bring in the influence of Hong Kong street food, but ultimately it’s about creating something that belongs to Melbourne’s famed laneways."

Bringing the influence of Hong Kong's eclectic restaurants and food stalls to life is Hong Kong-born chef Dan Chan, currently head chef at the Lucas Collective's Chapel Street Japanese eatery, Tombo Den.

“The development of the menu is very close to my heart and draws on my time in Hong Kong, as well as broader travel,” Chan says.

“The food scene in Hong Kong has always been a brilliant, chaotic mix of influences—a bit
eccentric, and a lot of fun. That’s what I want people to feel when they eat at Wishbone.”

Promising to make an immediate impression from the outside on McKillop Street, Wishbone's design is brought to life by Lucas, his wife Sarah and the team at DKO Architecture (who also worked on Tombo Den). A rich red palette with 1950s–70s-inspired furnishings and layered lighting will create what Sarah Lucas describes as cinematic, seductive and textured. 

Set to open in October 2026, bookings at Wishbone will be announced closer to opening. 

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Image: Supplied