Ripponlea Food and Wine

Reopening its doors in November 2017, Ripponlea Food and Wine positions itself as the glamorous dining experience you need to check off your ‘Must Hit in 2018’ list. Nestled on the corner of an old-meets-new Southside cluster of shops, the sleek and elegant eatery is the perfect neighbourhood charmer serving brunch, lunch and dinner, 7 days a week. 

Undergoing a major facelift and extensive renovations, Ripponlea Food and Wine now features a central bar (perfect for a casual spritz), an intimate eight-seater private dining room affectionately known as ‘The Parlour’ (perfect for a soiree) and a restaurant area that seats 80 (perfect for everything else).  

Once inside you will be greeted with an Art-Deco vibes interior inspired by the luscious eateries of New York and London. Sit on luxurious emerald green velvet chairs and sip on Milk Bar Mag’s favourite cocktail, the ‘Penicillin’: a sweet elixir of Starward whiskey, Laphroaig, lemon juice and honey syrup with fresh ginger. Just what the doctor ordered! 

The dark-timber wall panelling and brushed metal finishes in black and gold only add to the charm. If this is getting a bit too much then we suggest either the ‘Spiked Rose Lemonade’ cocktail mixed with 2016 Domaine d’elle Coteaux d’ Aix-en-Provence Rose and house-made lemonade or the ‘Gin Lizzy’, a summer sensation with Melbourne Gin Company, Pimms, sage syrup, lemon juice, angostura bitters and soda water. 

Inspired by Northern Italian cuisine with a seasonal and modern twist, most of the menu features small plates, designed to be shared. Of the bunch, you cannot go past the duck pâté with thyme and biscotti, veal and pork polpetti with tabasco and lemon emulsion or the zucchini, sesame, mint and tahini crostini. Are you craving sliders? You probably are. Ripponlea Food and Wine’s mac & cheese with jalapeño mayo and pickle slider is exactly what you need. It’s as delicious as it sounds. 

Sometimes orange-flavoured chocolate desserts can leave you underwhelmed, but the Baci Bomb is a decadent and intricate dessert for the senses – a dark chocolate sphere surrounded by a pool of baci crumble, candied orange, hazelnut semifreddo and topped with orange-spiked chocolate sauce. 

The new menu ‘stays true to our ethos of simple, nostalgic comfort food with a touch of fine-dining finesse. We want Ripponlea to be a home away from home for locals and visitors alike – a place to bond over a great conversation and an even better meal,’ says co-owner Brendan Leeds. 

The kinda classy, kinda hood personality of Ripponlea Food and Wine results in a premium drinking and dining experience without the stiffness. 

Ripponlea Food and Wine 
15 Glen Eira Road, Ripponlea
Open 7 days, Monday to Friday, 11am to 11pm, Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 11pm
ripponleafoodandwine.com.au