MELBOURNE | A few weeks ago, I had a Sunday to chill smashed in between working at the actual office and food and Good Beer Week, when a friend messaged to tell me that he was down from Sydney for the weekend and keen on a Sunday lunch at IDES. As if I was going to say no.
IDES is, of course, the brilliant Fitzroy restaurant by Peter Gunn. The former Attica sous chef ran it for three years as a monthly pop-up before opening up on Smith Street in 2016.
The technique driven menu is full of bold seasonal flavours and changes regularly. If you’ve been before there’s always a reason to come back. On the menu I enjoyed recently, everything was brilliant. Highlights included the braised octopus with shiitake and potato, salted wagyu rump with garlic crisp and curry leaves, veal sweetbreads with fennel mustard, salt baked abalone with miso and parmesan, and the current iteration of the Masterchef famous Black Box dessert – filled with pears and dates, brown sugar cream, and mints.
The atmosphere and service at Ides is professional and classy, without being stuck up or too serious. Combined with the excellent food, it’s essential Melbourne dining. If you’re after something a bit more loose, watch out for Pete’s new bar, March, which will be opening next door (RIP Bar SK) any week now, lockdown easing permitting.
IDES
92 Smith Street
Collingwood
Victoria 3066
Australia
Telephone: 0432 365 869
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Wed – Thu: 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Fri – Sat: 6:00pm to 9:30pm
Sun: 12:00pm to 3:30pm