Late-Night Favourite Munchies Is Reborn in Brunswick

When late-night staple Munchies closed its Clyde Road, Berwick site in February 2023, it left a noticeable gap in Melbourne’s food scene. For eight years, it had been a dependable landing spot for post-gig crowds, shift workers and anyone chasing something hot, generous and unfussy late at night. Now, Munchies is back, reopening inside Bar Oussou, a world-music bar in Brunswick, known for its vibrant dance floors, live sets and cross-cultural energy. 

“This menu is definitely an elevated version of what people remember,” says Munchies chef and founder John Chinsami. He spent the intervening years running a catering business, but was ready to bring Munchies back. “I wanted to honour the food that built Munchies, but also cook more intentionally, pulling from my Indian and Fijian background, the flavours I grew up with, and letting that show up in a way that still feels fun, generous and late-night.” 

That influence is expressed through detail rather than statement dishes. Raw snapper is dressed with coconut, chilli and lime, and finished with shallots and fried plantain. Even the chilli cheeseburger – stacked with 200 grams of Wagyu, cheese, onion and jalapeno – leans into heat and spice over novelty. It’s comfort food, sharpened and layered, and designed to be eaten with your hands. 

One dish carried over from the original Munchies days is the hot wings. They’re made to order and come with a peri-peri or lemon pepper seasoning and the option to add turmeric-hued yellow rice on the side. The wings are also served with house-made ranch and hot sauce – a combination of cayenne chillies, garlic, vinegar, sugar and Filipino asin tibuok salt, all fermented for three weeks. 

Munchies always traded on openness rather than exclusivity, and the new setting allows that ethos to stretch further. “Munchies has always been about creating a space where everyone feels welcome,” Chinsami says. “It was never just about the food, it was about people coming together, whether you were here for a quick bite or staying all night. Being inside Bar Oussou lets that community energy grow in a way that feels natural, social and open.”

Indeed, the venue offers a setting that allows Munchies to do what it has always done best: feeding people in motion, in between songs, conversations and long nights out. The pairing feels instinctive, folding food into the rhythm of the room rather than asking it to perform on its own.

Munchies at Bar Oussou
653 Sydney Road, Brunswick
No phone

Hours:
Wed to Sat 5pm–midnight

@munchiesbrunswick