Food

Southgate restaurants are turning up the heat with a host of exciting events, masterclasses and Father’s Day celebrations.

Winter has well and truly arrived in Melbourne, but never fear – Southgate Melbourne’s riverside restaurants and bars are coming to the rescue with wine festivals, special events, warming seasonal menus, opera nights, and whisky masterclasses.

At the top of the event list is the new Southbank Progressive Dinners – The Winter Trail, hosted by three Southgate restaurants. Southgate is perhaps the ultimate destination for this style of dinner in winter – whether it’s wind, rain or hail outside you’ll be staying warm as you enjoy three courses across three different restaurants, all under one roof!

The progressive dinners are hosted by Red Emperor, La Camera Southgate and Hophaus with Waterslide Bar billed as the official pre and post dinner drinks venue. Progressive Dinners are available Sunday to Thursday evenings from 12 August to 6 September. In one night, let your tastebuds travel from Germany to Italy to China, without the need for a passport. Each acclaimed restaurant features breathtaking views overlooking the Yarra River and city skyline.

On Sunday 12 August, Pure South Dining are hosting Wine Tasmania’s annual VIN Diemen festival, bringing 100 wines from over 20 Tasmanian vinters together with their rare produce on the banks of the Yarra River. Pure South Dining’s remote artisan food suppliers will come together with wines from each region, offering a truly intimate experience of the ‘pure south’s’ startling fresh produce.

Family-favourite La Camera Southgate is set to impress with their second wonderful winter performance event. On the 27 August the celebrated Opera Night returns – join sopranos Samantha Fawcett U’Ren, Laura Slavin, and Suzanne Shakespeare as they perform some of your favourite arias, combining culture and cuisine in one electrifying evening.

Warm your bones with a whisky and learn something new along the way with one of Southgate’s stellar whisky masterclasses. Waterslide Bar are hosting intimate masterclass dedicated to some of the rarest and finest whisky in the world (booked at your convenience, with a minimum of two and maximum of fifteen in your group), while famed Irish pub P.J.O’Brien’s has a whiskey masterclass in the calendar. On  15 August the Peated Malts of Distinction masterclass will unearth some of Scotland and Ireland’s delicious peated single malts.

On 7 September, Pure South Dining is hosting an exceptional evening dedicated to ethically sourced and sustainable produce. Meet the Makers of Pure South will highlight delicious produce from Tasmania’s most sought after ethical farmers: Nichols Poultry and Mount Gnomon Farm, with celebrated head farmers from both businesses hosting the event. To top it all off, each course will be expertly matched with award-winning wines from Josef Chromy Wines, with the winemaker also in attendance.

In September, when the chill (hopefully) begins to ease, our restaurants will turn on the charm, with an assortment of fun and delicious Father’s Day specials and events. Whatever your Dad likes, there’s something here for him – from a photo booth and prizes for the Best ‘Dad Joke’ at La Camera, to free drinks for Dad at Hophaus, P.J.O’brien’s, Blue Train and Bear Brass and a special Father’s Day Chef Selection at Tutto Bene. Meanwhile the ever-delectable Damon Bradley is celebrating ‘man’s best friend’, donating $3 from every pancake sold on the day to the Lost Dog’s Home.

Effervescent Sundays continue to steal the show at Southgate, with long lunches and sparkling accompaniments consistently on the menu. ‘Free Flowing Champagne Sunday Lunches’ at Pure South Dining continue, while Tutto Bene’s Sparkling Sundays pairs delicious two or three-course Italian feasts, with bottomless premium Italian sparkling.

Southgate is home to fifteen diverse restaurants, bars and eateries with cuisines ranging from German to Tasmanian to modern European. A range of boutique retailers including vintage fashion, books and stationery can also be found within the precinct.

**Information and Images Courtesy of Southgate Restaurants/Supplied by Fuller PR – Keryn O’Donnell

FULL SCHEDULE OF FANTASTIC EVENTS AT SOUTHGATE RESTAURANTS – AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

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