Let’s face it, nobody likes a Monday, it’s the start of the working week and there’s little to get excited about – until now!
Some of Melbourne’s favourite restaurants are helping beat the Monday blues with delicious meals and cocktails to spice up the start of the week.
So where can you kick off the week?
Here’s your guide …
52 Toorak Road West,
South Yarra
Perched opposite Fawkner Park, renowned French restaurant Bistro Gitan welcomes the start of the working week for both lunch and dinner. Guests can opt for the ‘Formule Express’ lunch from 12 -3 pm in addition to their à la carte menu, and daily specials.
Those looking to enjoy a warm and intimate choice for dinner needn’t fret, as Bistro Gitan serve classic French cuisine accented by a contemporary Mediterranean flair.
‘Formule Express’ Lunch
Two courses for $35, or two courses and a glass of wine for $40
Monday – Friday, 12 – 3pm
32 Commercial Rd,
Prahran VIC 3181
L’Hotel Gitan offer a casual dining experience satisfying any need. Pop in for a drink and take charge of their Aperitif Hour running daily from 4-6pm, try a freshly sliced plate of charcuterie, or tuck into a full French meal.
Aperitif Hour at L’Hotel Gitan
Daily from 4 pm – 6 pm
Offering:
- Oysters $2
- House Wine: $7
- Schooners of draught beer: $6
- Espresso Martini or Salted Caramel Espresso Martini $12
- NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne $12
14 Meyers Place,
Melbourne
Start off the week at San Telmo, with delicious Argentinian bites and a glass of Group-exclusive Malbec.
Expert tip: for Monday lunch, this South American stalwart offers an empanada and lomito sandwich for only $25.
Filled with O’Connors premium beef – grilled to perfection on the bespoke charcoal parrilla grill – fresh lettuce and tomato, gooey fried egg and tied together with a hit of chimichurri, the lomito sandwich is an Argentinian staple.
79 Swan St,
Richmond
Hanoi Hannah New Quarter has the cure to the Monday blues with Hanoi’s Happiest Hours.
From 4 pm – 6 pm, bartenders shake up their signature cocktails, whilst chefs are given free reign in the kitchen. Menus will be set aside, as the kitchen trials and experiments with dishes that are vying for the next open spot on the menu.
Patrons can expect two for one prices on signature cocktails including the Chilli Coconut Negroni, Blueberry + Star Anise Sour and Roasted Pineapple Collins. While guests pay cold hard cash for the beverages, all that’s asked is a morsel of constructive feedback for whatever venture finds its feet amongst the woks and wanders onto the plate.
401 Little Bourke St,
Melbourne
Palermo’s SOHO Lunch Special will bring a smile to your face on Mondays – slide into a booth and tuck into four courses for $40 at lunch. The best part?
When booked in ahead, the venue promises to have diners in and out in an hour, or the meal is free.
Dishes include suckling pig croquettes, kingfish ceviche and O’Connor’s premium pasture fed flank steak, finishing up with an alfajor – a delicate Argentine cookie filled with dulce de leche and rolled in coconut.
6 Riverside Quay,
Southbank
Spice up your Monday at Asado, the latest venue from the San Telmo Group team.
Whether you feel like taking an extended meal of refined Argentinian cuisine in the beautiful Art Deco-inspired dining room, or heading into the venue’s new takeaway arm, Asado To-Go, for something on the run.
Asado will meet all food cravings with zesty ceviche, crowd-favourite empanadas and premium slow-cooked meats.
30 Jacka Boulevard,
St Kilda
Ease into the week at Melbourne’s favourite beach house, Stokehouse, with a curated menu from Head Chef Ollie Hansford featuring premium, ethically-sourced, local produce.
Hansford’s culinary style highlights the best of the season and Victoria, complemented by perfect drops from Stokehouse’s award-winning wine list.
69 Cruikshank St,
Port Melbourne
Port Melbourne local favourite The Cricketers invites patrons to kick off the week by pulling up a seat in the sunny courtyard to make the most of Happy Hour, running from 3-7pm.
Drink specials include $7 spirits, $5 wines and $4 pots, to be paired with an assortment of elevated pub classics such as soft shell crab sliders, house-made pumpkin gnocchi, crispy skin barramundi and, of course, The Cricketers’ famous parma.
10 Brighton Rd,
St Kilda East
St Kilda local favourite Grosvenor Hotel offers a number of ways to welcome the working week. On Mondays, patrons can grab a burger for only $15, washed down with a drink from the extensive list of craft beers and Australian wines, available at happy hour prices between 5pm-7pm.
Those who find themselves at Grosvenor Hotel on a Monday are welcome to participate in bingo – entry is free.
Presented by the talented team from Funky Bunch Trivia, gather your crew who will call the shots, command the room and provide the laughs. The first ball drops at 8pm.
