Hail Fitzrovia

Fitzrovia:

155 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda VIC
(03) 9537 0001 or www.fitzrovia.com.au

Paul Jewson and Marco Pugnaloni have resurfaced with a brand new all-day eatery, after having wowed the crowds cramming into the all-too-small Outpost. For South Yarra locals, the tiny triangle tenancy (co-owned with Salvatore from St Ali) was the perfect introduction to Jewson’s cuisine, developed in the UK at hotspots like Terrence Conran’s Bluebird and SoHo House, and celebrated in the spate of events Paul designed for the Royal Family. Outpost was also Jewson and Pagnaloni’s introduction to the Melbourne market, its size affording them the prefect trial run before eventually and inevitably moving to a bigger venue. Fitzrovia has come to life in the shell of the Waldorf on St Kilda’s Fitzroy Street. Lately the strip, right across from Albert Park, has been experiencing a resurgence. Baker D Chirico has been a beacon for around a decade, but with Fitzrovia opening and Andrew McConnell’s Golden Fields a few doors down, the whole area is looking in prime health.
The refurbishment was mostly handled by Paul and Marco, who’ve renovated their fair share of houses, with a bit of help and a lot of hard work, they’ve crafted a homely environment with herbs growing on every table, fruit picker box shelving, and a truly open kitchen, which was one of the hallmarks of the Outpost experience. Again, diners can interact with Jewson and the chefs to create a custom culinary experience. And Jewson is keen to place the emphasis on ‘all-day’, if you come in late at night asking for boiled egg and soldiers, he says, “Why not? I’ve got eggs, and bread. It’s good for you, and good for me.”