Snack Bar: A New Restaurant Takes Over Bar Margaux and More Local Food News This Week

What’s happening around town

• Saigon Square, a new Vietnamese restaurant from the team behind Minh Minh Saigon Soul and Saigon Secret, has opened in the former Bar Margaux space.

• Alex Makes Meals, a Melbourne-based food charity, is making spaghetti all’assassina outside The Hardware Club on Friday October 31 from 5pm. The first 200 people who show proof of donation will receive a free plate of pasta.

• Madeleine de Proust is making limited edition honey and lavender madeleines until Sunday November 16 to celebrate La Femme, F5 Collective’s upcoming activation spotlighting visionary female founders. Each one is dipped in a burgundy-coloured chocolate shell, with a lilac miniature handbag chocolate garnish on top

What we covered this week

• First look: Fitzroy bar Hands Down has cocktail cred from Pearl Diver, Bar Liberty and Above Board behind it.

• Nathan Toleman’s Mulberry Group to open five new venues inside the $150 million Hannah St Hotel this December.

• Gerald’s Bar is moving next month.

• First look: Fitzroy’s El Columpio opens a St Kilda seaside kiosk with seafood towers and surf’n’turf tacos.

• Gallery: an Aussie team led by Quentin Berthonneau takes home bronze at the Panettone World Championships.

• The Walrus team opens a “St Kilda-themed” pub next door.

• Get playful matcha and chewy house-made dango at Nimbo’s Made in Japan pop-up.

• Atria’s new executive chef accidentally set a lobster on fire – it’s now his favourite dish.

• Farmer’s Daughters’ new wine bar is here.

You might’ve missed

• Australian design studio Heliograf has created a compostable, plastic-free alternative to plastic soy sauce droppers. They’re now being used in South Australia.

• Broadsheet Access is hosting a cocktail masterclass at Reed House with the Everleigh’s Zara and Michael Madrusan.