After announcing its $70 million, 10,350-square-metre new dining and entertainment destination The Social Quarter last year, Chadstone today officially opens the precinct and unveils some of its new residents, including Piccolina Gelateria and four Funlab brands – Archie Brothers, Strike Bowling, Holey Moley, and Victoria’s first Hijinx Hotel. The latter is an immersive, faux New York-style hotel that’s actually a funhouse filled with challenge rooms (the Chadstone outpost joins three others in New South Wales and Queensland).

In total, The Social Quarter is home to 17 new venues. A sprawling 300-capacity indoor-outdoor beer hall, UA Brewing Co, will provide beer to the entire precinct with its on-site brewery. Plus, $5 tacos and an oyster and cocktail happy hour.

The two-storey Cityfields, from the team behind South Melbourne favourite Half Acre, will open in March. The European-inspired all-day eatery and bar has views of Melbourne’s city skyline and will be serving up brasserie-style dishes.

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The new offerings join Betty’s Burgers, Fonda and Ligurian-inspired restaurant Cinque Terre, from David Mackintosh (Lee Ho Fook, SPQR) and Joseph Vargetto (Mister Bianco), in the shiny new precinct, which is located below Hoyts cinemas and Legoland.

Chadstone enlisted architects Jackson Clements Burrows, Buchan and Decibel, alongside design practice Lat Studios, on the precinct’s design, which includes a new undulating bronzed aluminium “art facade” by Australian painter Matthew Johnson that encases an existing multilevel car park, atop which some of The Social Quarter has been built.

The Social Quarter opens at Chadstone at 1.30pm today.

Additional reporting by Tomas Telegramma.