Moon Bites at Rising

Rising returns from May 27 to June 8. This year’s program brings together 100 events, 376 artists, seven world premieres and 11 Australian premieres. It will also see the return of Moon Bites, a dining series featuring pre-show and late-night menus from some of Melbourne’s best restaurants and bars.

Cathedral Coffee, the tiny coffee shop and bar on the ground floor of the Nicholas Building, will have two drinks: a black sesame latte with an osmanthus marshmallow, and a Blue Moon cocktail. Plus, on Friday June 5 and Saturday June 6, the team is collaborating with Diana Dajcman of Frozen Cola on a late-night dessert menu inspired by Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. Highlights include a black sesame-inspired Maxibon riff, plus a Swiss roll with persimmon and a jasmine and lychee cream.

Spring Street icon The Melbourne Supper Club is collaborating with sibling venue Kirk’s Wine Bar and the Melbourne Gin Company on a $37 drink and snack combo featuring Kirk’s signature pig’s head doughnut paired with one of your choice of two Martinis: one features capers and the other is washed with cheese.

Elsewhere in the CBD, Italian joint Bottega will have a four-course tasting menu for $75 per person. In Little Collins Street, Southeast Asian restaurant Aru will have a snack menu featuring baked oysters with belacan cream, and chilli-pickled mussels with whipped ricotta on sourdough toast with a Rising cocktail for $70 per person. And pizza spot Dom’s Social Club will have roast beef pizza with French dip for $30, and Fern will offer a choice of three canapés and a cocktail for $30. There’ll also be menu items from Marmelo, such as suckling pig and manchego croquetas, and doughnuts with crema catalana available at connecting basement bar Mr Mills.

Beyond the city, Boire, the Manze team’s North Melbourne wine bar, is putting on a $60 three-course menu including wood-grilled fish and cabbage vindaye (a Mauritian pickle dish).