Copper Pot

The Verdict

When award-winning chef Ashley Davis returned to Melbourne, having spent the last few years munching and sipping his way around Europe, he wanted to create something a bit different. Something like the neighbourhood bodegas and trattorias you find in Spain and Italy: chameleon-like venues (usually with a couple of old guys out front playing chess) that can serve as casual eatery, post-work tapas bar or intimate evening meal, all at the same time.

The result was Seddon’s Copper Pot.

Seddon is a western suburb that doesn’t get nearly enough cred on the Melbourne food scene, and you’ll find Copper Pot on its bustling Victoria St strip (sandwiched between Mozzarella Bar and Fuel Superfoods). The seasonal menu is built around regional dishes from some of the less well-trodden towns and settlements in Spain, France, Germany and Italy—the gastronomic equivalent of a boutique Euro road trip.  

Expect crispy suckling pig rolls with mustard mayo and sauerkraut, Gippsland beef tartar on crusty rye toast, or cannelloni with wild mushrooms black truffle and parmesan. The combinations are simple, but the flavours dance on the palate like a Eurovision after-party.

Throw in a top-notch sherry or aperitif (and maybe a cheeky Crème Brûlée for dessert) close your eyes, and you’re right back in Europe. No wonder this place is our go-to when we’re out west.

Image credit: Copper Pot