pening only a few weeks ago, Besito is bringing something different to Barkly Street, West Footscray.

Owners and husband-and-wife team Andres and Shannon Giraldo have created a smart dining room with rich red walls – dotted with birds, their wings spread in blues, yellows and oranges – and tables in similar colours that give a comfortable depth to the room. Andres’ Colombian heritage and experience in both the Melbourne and Colombian hospitality scene sees him running front-of-house, while Shannon runs the kitchen.

The menu is designed around sharing with small snacks including arepas (presented here as round pieces of grilled white cornbread served with salt flakes and butter), chorizo with lemon, frijoles and patatas fritas with house-made tomato sauce, in addition to as meatier dishes such as the carne de cerdo (pork belly marinated with chimichurri).

Andres handles the coffee – which is by Five Senses – to aplomb, and while Besito is only open during the day at the moment, there is an application for a liquor licence in the works with a savvy South American wine list in the pipeline too.

Besito
590a Barkly Street, West Footscray
(03) 9689 0586

Hours
Tues to Sat 8am–4pm

besito.net.au