South Of The Wall

The Verdict

Hola amigos, do we have something damn special for you. It's called South of the Wall, a brand spankin’ new Mexican margarita bar and restaurant in Cremorne. This place has it all—flavour, good vibes, ten different margaritas, even a giant mural of Donald Trump peeking over a wall. Trust us when we say, this is your new summer hotspot.

A project between six good mates (including Tigers’ star Josh Caddy), South of the Wall is headed by hospo pro, Nathan, whose vision was “just something bright and fun for everyone.” We can get behind that. 

Packed with flavour, the menu’s punchy, bright, and bloody spicy—the way it should be. Stuff yourself with a couple of kingfish ceviche topped off with pomelo, torched avo, and a slice of jalapeño to knock your socks off. And definitely get around all their tacos for mouthful after mouthful of oh-my-god moments. We recommend the Al Pastor soft taco: juicy pulled pork, pineapple, cilantro, habanero, onion, and guajillo chilli.

For drinks, well the fun keeps on going with master bartender Greg putting his years at Public House and Lily Blacks to good use. He’ll be over at the long bar whipping up one of SOTW's ten (!!) margaritas. One of them comes out so bright blue you’ll confuse it with a slushie.   

And the story behind the name? Well, it’s a funny one.

“We were having drinks one night and the whole Trump thing was happening," Nathan says. "We sort of joked around and said south of the border or wall would be funny. Then a few drinks later it started to sound real good.”

South of the Wall has an incredible fit-out, one of the best we've seen all year: decked out in bright pastel colours, neon lights, and plenty of cosy seating. Even a couple of tiki-style lounges up front. And then there's the sun-drenched beer garden out back (our new #1 summer hang), complete with a giant Donald Trump mural. 

Trust us: best new Mexican joint in Melbourne. Period. 

Image credit: Jenna Fahey-White