Morena

Peruvian-born chef Alejandro Saravia waited years to make Morena (and sister spot Morena Barra) work. He was ahead of the curve when he opened Morena 1.0 in 2011, which closed two years later. He went on to open Farmer’s Daughters and Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters. But his passion for Latin American cuisine never waned. In 2024, he rebooted Morena – a term sometimes used to describe brown-haired women in Latin America.

The Morena menu draws not just on Saravia’s heritage but his team’s too – there’s influence from Venezuela, Colombia, Chile and Argentina. There might be suckling goat with mole (a Mexican staple sauce) and blue corn tostadas. And seared marlin ceviche with tamarillo (a slightly savoury tomato-shaped fruit) and coconut tiger’s milk (a spicy Peruvian citrus-based marinade). There’s also hard-to-find palm heart served with a fermented palm heart sauce made from its refuse.

The beverage list is also a showcase of the region. There’s a range of pisco-based cocktails and a wine list dominated by South American varietals known as criolla and minimal-intervention producers using clay pot fermentation.

Saravia’s love for Melbourne isn’t lost. The Tulum-inspired interiors are awash with Latin-inspired works commissioned by local artists including lino prints by Kristian Leombruni and murals by Nathalia Suizi.

In 2024, Saravia also opened Morena in Sydney, a sophisticated Latin American diner in Martin Place’s 150-year-old GPO building.