Chadstone is about to add cult cafes, big Sydney names, a Brunetti and new restaurants as it ups its food game and moves away from “the fashion capital” label.
Chadstone Shopping Centre will add a glossy new food precinct this March featuring fishmongers, gourmet specialty stores, an oyster bar and even a food concierge that offers grocery storage and personalised advice. Dubbed the Market Pavilion, the new wing “will play on the epicurean spirit of Melburnians”, says Chadstone centre manager Daniel Boyle.
Spanning 26,500 square metres (roughly 1.5 times the size of the MCG arena), it’s set to feature household names like Brunetti as well as brand-new additions to Melbourne.
Sydney butcher Vic’s Meats will open its first shop in Victoria stocked with top-tier meat such as Otways pork, plus ready-to-heat meals and food to-go, including deli sandwiches and rotisserie chicken.
Owner Anthony Puharich says: “It’s unlikely we do another store in Melbourne, so we’re putting all our effort and energy into making this the quintessential space for Melburnians.”
It follows the opening of Puharich’s more high-end Victor Churchill brand in Armadale in 2021.
Restaurateur David Mackintosh (linked to Lee Ho Fook, MoVida and others) is also joining the project, opening his second Italian restaurant at Chadstone. Called Amalfi, half of the space will sell fresh pasta and sauces to cook at home; the other half offers these pastas for 50 diners at a time in a space splashed with yellow and blue.
In total, the precinct has 1933 seats for diners.
“We’ve seen these things happen in Spain and Italy and other parts of the world,” Mackintosh says of the Market Pavilion and its mix of retail and dining. “This is a significant step.”
The 50 retailers jump from the seriously specialised such as That’s Amore – which makes fresh cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta – to the everyday, such as Woolworths, Aldi and Coles. There are also barbers, pharmacies and “other daily needs”, according to Boyle.
At the food concierge desk, an AI recipe generator will spit out recipes according to preferences like “no mushrooms” or “Italian dinner party”. Staff can also direct people to the place to find fresh rice noodles or dried Mexican chillies. Grocery storage will also be offered – all for free, apparently.
“We don’t have plans at the moment to introduce pricing, until we ascertain how they resonate with customers,” says Boyle.
Other outlets include Brunetti Oro (also in Flinders Lane), a cafe from hot chocolate makers Mork, spice merchant Gewurzhaus, chocolatier Koko Black, Casa Nata for Portuguese tarts, and Armadale cafe Hank’s Bagelry.
Separate space The Dining Laneway will return, with new casual eateries including Thai dessert bar Homm, Panda Yum Cha and Yo Chi, the frozen yoghurt bar.
Among the changes, Chadstone is also dropping its “Fashion Capital” moniker from its name.
Work on the precinct and an office tower above began in October 2022, and was originally forecast to cost $485 million. It follows The Social Quarter, a 2023 addition with restaurants, mini-golf and more.
The Market Pavilion opens on March 27.
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Emma Breheny – Emma is Good Food’s Melbourne eating out and restaurant editor.
