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.