Melbourne CBD has become Australia’s busiest dining suburb on First Table as value-conscious diners keep eating out and restaurants look for smarter ways to fill quieter tables. The restaurant booking platform says Melbourne’s city centre now leads the country for activity, ahead of Cairns City Centre, Brisbane CBD, Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise. Fitzroy, South Yarra and Frankston also rank strongly within Melbourne. The data points to a dining market that has not disappeared under cost-of-living pressure, but has become far more deliberate. Diners are still trying new venues, while looking harder at value, flexibility and when they book. Restaurants, meanwhile, are using that behaviour to shift bookings into periods that are traditionally harder to fill. Melbourne CBD venue Salted Egg & Q Rooftop Bar is one example. Playing easier to get Venue executive chef Sean Thomas said the shift in diner behaviour already showing up in how guests chose where to spend. “One trend I’ve noticed is that guests are still keen to try new venues, but they’re being more conscious about where they spend their money,” he said. “With rising costs for operators and diners becoming more deliberate, platforms like First Table are more relevant than ever. Since joining First Table in April, Salted Egg & Q Rooftop Bar has used the platform to target early weeknight sittings, particularly its 5 pm service during winter. “First Table has helped us drive bookings into those quieter periods and create a stronger start to service on weeknights.” Rather than offering the same number of tables every night, the venue can adjust its First Table allocation depending on demand, pulling availability when bookings are strong and opening more tables when there is extra capacity. “Some nights we’re fully booked and don’t need to offer any First Table allocations. on other nights we have additional capacity and can open up more tables.” Thomas said. The trend comes as First Table passes one million Australian diner accounts, up 67 per cent year-on-year in June. Its local restaurant network has also grown 74 per cent to more than 1,231 venues. Italian has been the most-booked cuisine on the platform over the past three months, followed by family dining, Modern Australian, Mediterranean and tapas. First Table also rolled out its biggest platform update since launching in 2014 last month, opening bookings to solo diners for the first time, increasing group bookings from four to six people and extending the advance booking window from seven to 14 days. First Table CEO Alex Cappy said the changes were designed to give restaurants more flexibility as competition for diners intensified. “Winter has always been one of the toughest trading periods for hospitality, but it’s also when restaurants look for smarter ways to attract new customers,” Cappy said. “We’re seeing diners continue to eat out, but they’re seeking greater flexibility and better value than ever before.” The update is intended to give diners more choice while helping restaurants target quieter sittings more precisely. “That’s why we’ve evolved the platform with our biggest update since launch, introducing solo dining, groups of up to six and a longer 14-day booking window,” Cappy said. “It gives diners more choice while giving restaurants even more ways to fill quieter tables when they need it most.” Source: little big deal Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.

The Westin Melbourne is bringing back its cheese-fuelled take on high tea with a new High Cheese menu running from August 4 to October 17. Led by executive chef Apoorva Kunte, the latest edition pairs local and international cheeses with a fire-and-water theme, balancing chilli, spice and smoke against cooler, creamier elements. Kunte said the new menu was designed to push the experience further with more dramatic flavour contrasts. “This reimagined menu is a more dramatic, sensory-driven progression of High Cheese and has been designed specifically for guests seeking culinary excitement and unexpected flavour combinations. “We are using heat to awaken and energise the palate, before softening it with elements that cool and refresh. It gives guests who loved the first chapter something new to discover, while still celebrating the indulgence and creativity that makes High Cheese such a success.” The experience has been developed with Richmond cheesemonger Supercheese and Yarra Valley winery Punt Road Wines, with each sitting including a glass of wine. Menu highlights include: Aphrodite Barrel Aged Organic Feta Tart – quinoa and avocado Red Leicester Arancini – pear and pepper aioli Cannoli of Long Paddock Cheese – prune, pistachio and black garlic Woombye Triple Cream Brie – crispy shallots and chilli oil Dessert continues the same sweet-meets-heat direction, with apricot hot sauce, smoked salt and mango worked through the final course. High Cheese will run Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm to 9.30pm at Allegro Restaurant, with prices starting from $100 per person and including a glass of Punt Road wine. Marriott Bonvoy members can also receive 10 per cent off dining at Allegro Restaurant until September 30, with bookings required for the limited-run High Cheese experience. Source: ID Collective Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.

Cinnamon scrolls have had bakeries in a chokehold for months. Now Maxibon has frozen the obsession into a new limited release. The Maxibon Cinnamon Scroll features a dough-flavoured ice cream slab swirled with sticky cinnamon syrup, sandwiched between two golden biscuits and dipped in cream cheese icing with vanilla crumb pieces. It lands as cinnamon scrolls continue their run as one of the internet’s favourite bakery treats, fuelled by viral recipes, loaded buns and more than 3.5 billion views under #cinnamonroll on TikTok. Peters Ice Cream head of marketing Andrea Hamori said cinnamon scroll had moved beyond a passing flavour trend. “Some flavours become popular, but cinnamon scroll has become a genuine cultural obsession. “We wanted to capture everything people love about that flavour and give it the full Maxibon treatment. “The result brings together the nostalgic comfort of a bakery-fresh scroll with the bold textures and indulgence Maxibon fans know and love.” Maxibon’s version takes the familiar bakery flavours and gives them the brand’s usual mix of ice cream, biscuit and plenty of texture. The Maxibon Cinnamon Scroll is available in four-packs at Woolworths for $11.50 and as a single serve at Ampol for $5.60. Source: WiredCo. Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

Freshwater Brewing Company’s Brookvale Taproom has reopened as Freshie Clubhouse, a 250-seat locals pub serving red frog-topped cocktails, potato scallops and a heavy dose of Northern Beaches nostalgia. The renovated venue takes its cues from old surf clubs and RSLs, with Tassie Oak panelling, retro carpet, booth seating, glass bricks, louvres and walls lined with photos of local surfing legends and newspaper clippings. Freshie Clubhouse is the latest project from Folly’s Bar & Bistro owners Lachy Sturrock and Sam Smith, who bought into Freshwater Brewing Company earlier this year. Sturrock, who lives locally, said the venue was designed as a celebration of the Northern Beaches and its laid-back way of life. “This is a true locals pub. “It’s a place for everybody, whether you’re visiting with your kids, your mates or your dog, and it’s always going to be a good time.” The venue has casual dining and bar spaces, a pool table and live sport on the TVs, alongside a family area with chalkboard walls, astro turf and a basketball hoop. The menu follows the same retro-Australian brief. Crispy potato scallops come with chicken salt and whipped sour cream, while the hot chips are finished with salt made from native ingredients. There is also an iceberg wedge with ranch dressing, bacon and parmesan. The headline main is the Parmi alla vodka, made with herb-crumbed chicken breast, smoked ham, alla vodka sauce and mozzarella, served with hot chips and seasonal leaves. It takes inspiration from the alla vodka pasta served at Folly’s, combining one of the Cammeray venue’s biggest dishes with an Aussie pub classic. “That dish has been huge for us,” Sturrock said. “We wanted to bring something from our first venue over to Freshie, and what better way to do that than to marry it with one of the country’s most iconic pub dishes.” Other options include crumbed lamb cutlets, a burger with the lot featuring pineapple, bacon and beetroot relish, and a fish burger with crumbed barramundi, house-made tartare and iceberg lettuce. Freshwater Brewing Company is still brewing onsite, with more than 15 beers pouring from the custom Oregon wood bar. The drinks list has also expanded to include wine and cocktails, led by the Goodie Bag, a fruity riff on a whiskey sour topped with a red frog. Around half of the cocktails use Freshwater Brewing Company beer or hops, while the wine list covers Australian, Italian, French and South American producers. Freshie Clubhouse is running happy hour from 4pm to 6pm every Wednesday to Friday, with $6.50 schooners, $8.50 pints and $14 cocktails. A $35 Sunday roast with all the trimmings is also available from this weekend. Freshie Clubhouse is open from 12pm until late Wednesday to Saturday and from 12pm to 10pm on Sundays, with reservations and walk-ins welcome. Source: Wineglass Media Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.