Read today's Portuguese stories delivered to your email Dino Parque Lourinhã was distinguished with the ESG 2023 award awarded under the Tourism 360º Companies Programme of Turismo de Portugal. According to the press release sent to the newsroom the award ceremony took place on the 14th March at BTL (Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market) and was attended by the Secretary of State for Tourism Dino Parque Lourinhã was recognised for its continuous effort and commitment to reporting and implementing management strategies aligned with the global challenges of sustainability and social responsibility - Reducing the carbon footprint through investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency ensuring a respectful and inclusive work environment adopting measures for the preservation of the surrounding ecosystem The Tourism Companies 360º Program aims to promote responsible practices in the environmental ensuring companies better conditions for access to financing and a more sustainable financial performance This program is part of the strategic axes of Turismo de Portugal that aim to position the country as one of the most competitive and sustainable tourist destinations in the world highlighted the importance of this recognition: "PET 360º aims at the continuous recognition of companies that are committed to strengthening the sustainability of their activity This is a way of underlining the importance of sustainability as an essential pillar of the development of the tourism of the future and of consolidating Portugal's position as a reference destination in the field of sustainability in all its aspects." The Administrator of Dino Parque Lourinhã underlines that this distinction is a reflection of the team's continuous work: "It is always with pride and an enormous sense of responsibility that we receive these recognitions This is the recognition of the work of the Dino Parque team not only of the year it reports The PDL has opted for environmental solutions since its inception An investment has been made in the area of renewable energy and the use of efficient materials measures are taken that contribute to increasing the biodiversity and sustainability of the ecosystem in which we are inserted Management is designed in such a way that there can be a contribution to local communities and institutions Proof of this is the close cooperation with the GEAL Museum of Lourinhã Geopark of the West and Municipality of Lourinhã in addition to the parishes of the municipality" This recognition reinforces Dino Parque Lourinhã's commitment to adopting sustainable practices in tourism promoting a more responsible and innovative sector in Portugal We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for our services but if you are able to we ask you to support The Portugal News by making a contribution – no matter how small You can change how much you give or cancel your contributions at any time Send us your comments or opinion on this article Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Lourinhã is a famous destination, especially because of the Dino Park the Portuguese town has once again been the focus of attention as it has reached a milestone thanks to Brickopolis the iconic representations and historical events include surpassed the previous record held by China (2024) due to its size To give you a better idea,here are some surprising figures: Prices: free for babies up to 3 years old; from 4 to 12 years old it’s €7; and for young people over 13/adults it’s €9 Guinness World Records has awarded the permanent Lego exhibition in Lourinhã with the classification of “largest Lego diorama in the world” A Guinness World Record evaluator went to the exhibition pavilion to attest to the size and handed over the title Tiago Marques confirmed to the Lusa news agency According to the person responsible for Brickopolis Lourinhã, next to Dino Parque the diorama occupies an area of 70 square metres beating the record achieved by another in China in 2024 by a difference of 23 metres The work was built with “hundreds of thousands of pieces” over more than 850 hours of assembly over nine months Iconic locations and historical events were recreated in it a traditional village in the western region Lisbon Airport in the 1950s and the eastern part of Lisbon before Expo 98 a pavilion with a permanent exhibition of Legos with around five million pieces covering an area of 750 square meters The €2.7 million investment was inaugurated last year by the Lourinhã Dinosaur Park in the district of Lisbon The exhibition is divided into three rooms: one with themed collections such as "Star Wars" another dedicated to the vast city of Brickopolis and the last with replicas of monuments from all over the world the Colosseum in Rome or the famous Big Ben Head to south-western Europe this winter at the one-night-only dinner at Beau, the cosy sibling wine bar to Nomad. The team will host Melbourne’s Bar Lourinha the favoured Little Collins Street spot where exec chef Matt McConnell serves modern renditions of Iberian dishes McConnell will be going course-for-course with Beau’s head chef Troy Spencer and he’s up first with a few of his signature tapas (like a Portuguese-style prawn rice glossed up with turmeric butter and a chorizo and sweetbread pintxo with a peppery side of mojo rojo) Spencer will serve a tomato and tete de moine tartlet plus lamb rump with Turkish peppers and ajo blanco on the side a sweet serve of McConnell’s chocolate bunuelos with dulce de leche The share-style Mediterranean meal is a special one for Sydney – only made better by pairing with a few drops from Beau’s list of Portuguese and Spanish wines Bookings essential. The Portuguese town of Lourinhã, known for its dinosaur fossils dating back 150 million years, is opening the world’s biggest Jurassic park in the spring of 2013, town councilor Vital do Rosário revealed to the press Wednesday. According to the announcement, the town council of Lourinhã has signed an agreement last week with private partners in Germany, responsible for drawing and managing the project, connected with Dinopark near Hannover. “It’s incredible to participate in building the largest dinosaur park in the world. We are really excited because Lourinhã is the site of many incredible discoveries,” said Franz-Josef Dickmann from the German team. Work to complete the project is scheduled to start next July, at an estimate total cost of 10 million euro, 95 percent being financed with funds from the European Union. The total project, which includes the renovation of nearby beaches and parks and the construction of hotel units, will be completed by 2020 The Museu da Lourinhã, established in 1984, is the current home of the fossil collection from the Upper Jurassic considered the largest and one of the most important in the world. The museum receives 16,000 visitors a year including scientists from all over the world. Among these 150 million year old fossils there are various remains of carnivorous dinosaurs such as the Lourinhanosaurus antunesi, of gigantic herbivores like the Dinheirosaurus lourinhanensis and various carnivorous dinosaur fossil eggs containing the oldest dinosaur embryo eggs in the world, as well as the second largest known Dinsour nest in the world. The ancient town of Lourinhã (population 23,000) is located on the west cost of Portugal about 60 km north of Lisbon. The name Lourinhã has been associated with the Roman settlement in the Iberian Peninsula occurred in 219 BC. Recipe and image courtesy of Bar Lourinha Auto news: 'Not all hybrid vehicles deliver fuel savings compared to their petrol counterparts' The fossil of a dinosaur skeleton that is over 190 million years old has been removed from Água de Madeiros beach, according to the Marinha Grande City Council was extracted from the limestone of the Lower Jurassic and was received in the specialized laboratory of the Lourinhã Museum where the work of its preparation and conservation is taking place” In the note, the municipality, led by Aurélio Ferreira, says that the excavation of the fossilized skeleton was carried out by the team of paleontologists from the Lourinhã Museum and by the services of the Municipality of Marinha Grande, in accordance with the guidelines of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) “was very challenging because it was conditioned by the tides sea conditions and difficult access to machines capable of transporting the block of rock with fossilized bones weighing around 1,200 kilos and which technicians estimate to be more than 190 million years old.” collected and transported the fossil find with the support of the City Council and the Lourinhã Museum which welcomed the fossil for conservation “The discovery will later be studied by an international team of scientists led by the Lourinhã Museum and the results of the research will be published in Marinha Grande” the dinosaur bones were discovered in 2024 and were in an area of the beach under the daily influence of waves The discovery is the result of several prospecting works in this area that have been carried out since 2021 through a partnership between the municipality of Marinha Grande and the Lourinhã museum for research and safeguarding the municipality's paleontological heritage Do these people who are promoting false narratives of Dinosaurs and all other Manipulative lies regarding Estoroids hitting earth still think that WE the Millennials or X gen believe and fall into that trash TRAP again Sign up to receive the Gourmet Traveller newsletter and offers we choose to share with you straight to your inbox By joining, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use We have an idea for a fun night out that’s going to be a blast Gather some friends and join like-minded gourmet travellers for tapas raciones and fine wines at one of Melbourne’s most celebrated restaurants to dine in style and talk about how to turn the journeys of your dreams into reality At Bar Lourinhã renowned chef Matthew McConnell dives deep into the food of the Iberian peninsula with a menu of dishes inspired by the rich culinary wealth of Spain Gourmet Traveller Victoria Editor and restaurant critic Michael Harden will be in attendance to talk food Blood orange crema and burnt orange caramel Drinks include a Spritz de Portugal on arrival Dive into a menu that celebrates bar-dining culture at its best as you discover the possibilities of visiting one of Europe’s great destinations from cooking demos in coastal Matosinhos and wine tastings in the Douro regionto live Fado music in Porto and touring Madrid Join us for dinner at 6:30pm on Wednesday 23 October at Bar Lourinhã The cost is $115 per person includes drinks TO BOOK: Call (03) 9663 7890 or visit the online booking site: obee.com.au/barlourinha/e/iberian-escape-gourmet-traveller Brought to you by APT the leaders in luxury cruising and touring Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism enticing recipes and evocative photography it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust have identified a new species of carnivorous dinosaur from 150 million years ago In a joint study, the two scientists concluded that the fossils of a dinosaur preserved in the Lourinhã Museum, in Portugal, which were thought to belong to the Torvosaurus Tanneri species, are actually a Torvosaurus Gurneyi, a new species they named in an article published in PLoS ONE an open-access scientific journal “This is not the largest predatory dinosaur we know,” said co-auhtor Christophe Hendrickx. The Torvosaurus Gurneyi is named in honor of the paleoartist James Gurney – creator of the utopic world of Dinotopia The new finding is the largest land predator known from Europe and one of the biggest predatory dinosaurs from the Jurassic period Fossil evidences of closely related dinosaurs suggest that this Torvosaurus Gurneyi may have already been covered with proto-feathers which has quite different plates between the teeth The ‘Torvosaurus Tanneri was only known to live in North America and had 11 teeth on each side of the jaw while this species has nine,” said Octávio Mateus The newly identified dinosaur had a skull of 115 cm grew to 10 meters in length and weighed about five tons making it the largest predator of the Upper Jurassic period may differentiate the European and the American Torvosaurus The paleontologist also concluded that 150 million years ago the Torvosaurus Gurneyi species were geographically isolated as the Atlantic spread between the American and European continents. Recently described dinosaur embryos from Portugal are also ascribed to this new Torvosaurus species Portugal is very productive in Late Jurassic paleontological findings. The Lourinhã Museum has a rich paleontological collection particularly of Late Jurassic dinosaurs known as the “Lourinhã Formation” (Kimmeridgian-Tithonian) which include specimens such as the stegosaur Miragaia longicollum Other relevant dinosaur specimens at the museum include nest and eggs and embryos of Lourinhanosaurus The ancient town of Lourinhã (population 23,000) is located on the west cost of Portugal about 60 km north of Lisbon The name Lourinhã has been associated with the Roman settlement in the Iberian Peninsula occurred in 219 BC Two of the largest dinosaurs to ever walk the Earth – Giganotosaurus and Gigantoraptor – have arrived at Dino Parque Lourinhã These life-size models are now integrated into the park's Cretaceous trail With dimensions comparable to those of the famous Tyrannosaurus rex the Giganotosaurus is the largest carnivorous dinosaur discovered in South America The head of this imposing specimen from the Cretaceous period with a length comparable to the height of an adult man and one of the largest terrestrial predators that ever existed combines a curious appearance with a surprising size: eight meters long and a sharp and powerful beak to the point of tearing off a limb from unwanted visitors with just one attack The arrival of these two new species, which join the more than two hundred permanent inhabitants of Dino Parque Lourinhã gives visitors the opportunity to get to know with a level of detail and scientific precision two of the largest dinosaurs that inhabited the planet you can see more than 200 full-scale models distributed throughout the main periods of dinosaur history with a fully immersive experience that combines science Bar Lourinhã’s emphatic 15-year influence on Melbourne’s dining scene DNA has it nudging institution status Matt McConnell’s Iberian-influenced menu is a love letter to the bars and tavernas of the Mediterranean a blend of skilled cooking and great ingredients that might include croquettes made with corn and smoked chilli switched-on staff and décor that successfully mashes cool and glamorous (leather banquettes and dark timber tables) with exuberant kitsch (massed religious iconography and op shop art) help make it both timeless and essential takes an “all that’s good in the world” approach mirroring perfectly the feeling of sitting at Lourinhã’s bar barlourinha.com.au This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way Our guide gives a yearly snapshot of the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national Top 80 Brickopolis is the latest attraction in Lourinhã and opens on 14 May Brickopolis is an immersive experience of building blocks for children and adults Equipped with lighting and sound systems, walls with video projections, and sound speakers aimed at specific models, the exhibition spaces aim to provide total immersion for visitors, according to a report by Publituris Visitors will be able to explore three different rooms: Imaginary Worlds a room dedicated to themed collections of famous coloured bricks such as “Star Wars” a room entirely dedicated to the vast city Brickopolis; and Fantastic Constructions the last room of the exhibition where you can visit monuments from around the world such as a replica of the iconic 25 de Abril Bridge measuring an impressive 6 metres in length the emblematic Taj Mahal and the Colosseum in Rome Belonging to the PDL company – Lourinhã Dinosaur Park Brickopolis “is more than a simple exhibition of building blocks It is a world of creativity and imagination that we want to share with everyone who visits us” Portugal will receive the oldest dinosaur in Europe for the first time. Over a hundred original Plateosaurus fossils will be brought to the lab at Dino Parque Lourinhã from Switzerland to be studied Visitors can accompany this scientific work in real-time extraordinary opportunity to understand the life and time of these dinosaurs The Plateosaurus is one of the first dinosaurs in Europe and that survived the Triassic period in Central Europe the giant dinosaurs with long necks and tails which appeared later in the Jurassic and whose fossils are abundant in Lourinhã The Plateosaurus had a size that varied between five and eight metres with larger examples having possibly reached 10m The arrival of these fossils to Dino Parque in Lourinhã is proof of the growing application of financial and human resources on the part of the park an important contribution to the development and affirmation of science solidifying Portuguese palaeontology worldwide scientific director of Dino Parque Lourinhã “This is a project that brings to Portugal unique fossils and we hope to count with some of our volunteers and masters’ students We want the community to help us prepare fossils mount them for exhibition and contribute to make new forms of paleoart The Dino Parque lab allows visitors to see the work of palaeontologists live in the place the fossils are prepared and studied This research process will take some two years to start bearing fruit when an exhibition will be mounted for these fossils in Portugal It's to note that Dino Parque Lourinhã has already received 1,150,000 visitors since opening Dino Parque Lourinhã opens to the public from 10am to 7pm, with the last entry at 5:30pm. More information can be found on www.dinoparque.pt, through their email address geral@dinoparque.pt Being the biggest open-air themed exhibition in Europe Dino Parque Lourinhã is composed of six different courses that allow visitors to observe almost 200 live-scale dinosaur species as well as animals that lived on Earth 450 million years ago among them the Regions 5 Stars Award in the Theme Parks category for the 5th year running and the distinction of Travellers Choice Awards on Trip Advisor for the 3rd year in a row it was a finalist in the National Tourism Award in 2022 in the Sustainable Tourism category and recently won the Best Theme Park Award in 2022 at the 1st edition of the Odisseias Awards A dinosaur nest discovery has revealed the most primitive known dinosaur embryos rex-like predator that stalked the late Jurassic some 150 million years ago Torvosaurus grew to be around 30 feet (9 meters) long but the fragmented embryos discovered in Portugal were probably only about 6 inches (15 centimeters) in length The crushed clutch of eggs was found in 2005 by amateur fossil-hunter and fossil cast-maker Art Walen who was on an annual vacation to the fossil-rich Lourinhã Formation in western Portugal and he traced the eggshells up the cliffs and he found there were not only isolated eggshells there was also an entire nest up there," Araújo told LiveScience Paleontologists from the Museu da Lourinhã excavated the nest, which researchers first assumed belonged to a long-necked sauropod dinosaur the paleontologists began to think they might have something very different on their hands The eggs' surfaces were ornamented with a strange almost honeycomb-like pattern that was quite distinct from anything the researchers had ever seen Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox Once the specimen was excavated and brought to the museum for preparation the researchers got another surprise: There were embryo bones mixed in with the crushed eggs Such a find is "extremely rare," Araújo said "There's probably a handful of situations like this in the world." The bones enabled the researchers to link the nest back to a specific species of dinosaur. Torvosaurus was a theropod, a group that includes both Tyrannosaurus rex and modern birds The specimens are the earliest theropod embryos ever found the new discoveries are the most primitive in terms of dinosaur evolutionary relationships The find reveals some secrets of egg evolution Modern bird eggs are made up of three layers The Torvosaurus eggs are so primitive that they have just one layer "This is the first evidence for a one-layered eggshell for theropod dinosaurs ever found," Araújo said The exceptionally preserved shells are marked by a series of wide Pores allow the eggs to "breathe," and their size depends on whether the eggs are exposed to moisture or dry air The size and shape of the Torvosaurus egg pores suggest they were buried in a moist environment for incubation He and his colleagues report the findings today (May 30) in the journal Scientific Reports Stephanie PappasSocial Links NavigationLive Science ContributorStephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California Dinosaurs might still roam Earth if it weren't for the asteroid rex researchers eviscerate 'misleading' dinosaur leather announcement May's full 'Flower Moon' will be a micromoon Paleontologists have identified a new species of dinosaur in Lourinhã which roamed the area 150 million years ago was identified from remains of an almost complete and semi-articulated leg discovered during excavations carried out in 2021 in the geological formation of Lourinhã on the rocky outcrop of Porto Dinheiro beach The result of the work, carried out by paleontologists from the Nova universities of Lisbon, Zaragoza (Spain) and Bonn (Germany), in collaboration with the Lourinhã Museum and the Natural History Society of Torres Vedras, is published in the digital edition of the publication of the specialty Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology The new species is named 'martinho' and 'tomas', in honour of Micael Martinho and Carla Tomás, the fossil preparers at the Lourinhã Museum where the remains of the leg of 'Hesperonyx martinhotomasorum' are on display to the public was quite rare in the Jurassic geological period in Europe A new route composed of 13 life-sized dinosaur models has been completed in Lourinhã at a cost of €3.5 million Structural Funds and Urbanism of Lourinhã City Council said that the urban requalification works and the dinosaur route have been concluded including the installation of the dinosaur models The project aims to "improve the quality of life of residents attract new residents and tourists and boost local trade" “We wanted to reclassify the urban space alongside dinosaurs to attract people” The Urban Dinosaur Exhibition is a three-kilometre route through Lourinhã which tourists can follow to observe life-size models of dinosaurs such as the “Lourinhanhosaurus” and the “Dinheirosaurus” species whose first fossils were discovered in the county Next to each dinosaur there are interpretive plaques with information in Portuguese Tourists can complement the visit with information from audio guides available on the website of the Câmara da Lourinhã showurbanadinossauros.cm-lourinha.pt The project was financed by community funds the link to the website is partly translated and doesn't work it should start with mostra instead of show SaveLog in, register or subscribe to save recipes for later.You have reached your maximum number of saved items Remove items from your saved list to add more Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime ShareThis venue appears in the 20 classic hatted restaurant collection. See all stories.Bar Lourinha is going strong after 12 years.Joe ArmaoGood Food hat15/20How we score If you want to know how fickle the Melbourne dining game can be Between January and going to press with this year's Good Food Guide there were probably half a dozen changes within two blocks of Bar Lourinha What is it about Matt McConnell and Jo Gamvros' tiny mighty Iberian bar that has staying power? Certainly the room, always likeable for its low lighting and curios – the glowing Jesus statuettes, flying ducks, bay leaf switches and copper lobster moulds – has only continued to develop. No inch of wall space escapes ephemera-free, but the effect is cosy rather than hoarder-esque. Spiced chickpeas and spinach.Joe ArmaoMcConnell's menu has also always had perfect flex to weather the tide of Melbourne trends. It's snack-based and broadly draws on delicious things you'd find in markets and bars from Spain to Portugal and sometimes Italy. If anything, Melbourne's dining style has only grown to emulate theirs. Before kingfish carpaccio became a virtual scourge of menus everywhere, Bar Lourinha was doing it as "pancetta" in lemon oil. It's still one of the best ways to eat that subtle fish. The salty, sweet and spicy curing process intensifies the flavour, creates a supple, soft texture, while the citrusy Italian lemon oil, fine slips of red onion and thyme boosts it into the stratosphere. It's never left the menu. The signature kingfish pancetta.Joe ArmaoAdvertisementSpice, seafood and salted things are always the reliable threads tying the menu together. That might be olives pulled from a barrel on the bar; morcilla (like blood pudding, with extra cinnamon kick) captured in lacy pastry cigars; a special of fresh sardines, low on funk but high on impact from a quick char and dressing of mojo verde – cumin-tinged coriander blitzed with garlic, lemon and oil. Thankfully it's a little more vego-considerate than actual Spain. Fried bread, bubbly like Italian gnocco fritto, is spread with fresh labne, pistachios, fennel fronds and the tart-heat of pink peppercorns. Or there's the classic chickpeas and spinach, which, after a hearty bath in olive oil, are tumbled with a fragrant mix of onions, coriander seed, fennel seed, cinnamon and more to make a solid main. Interestingly, what you're drinking with all this, aside from the finos and some cavas, are mostly wines from France, Italy and Australia, with a few unfiltered and skinsy oddballs. A nice touch: half bottles can be negotiated for half price. Pistachio labna and fried bread.Joe ArmaoIt's those niceties and a fair bit of looseness – including floral, mismatched plates, a random soundtrack that keeps you guessing, a bookings policy but also room for walk-ins as much as anything – that keeps Melbourne coming back. Bar Lourinha isn't perfect. Strangely, that might be part of its charm. For a couple of years Gamvros and McConnell operated Casa Ciuccio on Gertrude Street, but the sleeker space with an outdoor fire pit never gained the same traction. Here at Bar Lourinha, there are nights when service could use a tune-up. Occasional specials like a paella-style prawn dish made with broken pasta needs extra seasoning and doesn't quite ring the bell. But the misses form a low stack next to 12 years of hits. Those would be hot churros and thick chocolate for dipping. You'd also count the crema – a thick panna cotta-like thing stained with a dark blood orange caramel. How many relationships are owed to a first knee squeeze at the bar? Doubtless many. Hopefully there are many more to come. The weekend brunch is back at Cumulus IncCome before noon and the menu starts quite breakfasty. In the afternoon, the brunch shifts to extra luxe. MahaApproaching moody, subterranean Maha can feel like entering a kasbah. Icon review: If you’re a lover of seafood and wine, Bacash is the place for youPeople who come to this 23-year-old South Yarra stalwart know exactly what they’re getting: fish cooked incredibly well. news and the hottest openings served to your inbox ShareLicense this articleMore: The municipality of Lourinhã has classified the cliffs of the county's coast as a local protected area “The Jurassic cliffs of the municipality of Lourinhã are places of great interest in the West region namely due to their geological and landscape characteristics with emphasis on the richness of fossil finds of dinosaurs and other vertebrates” “The coastline of the municipality of Lourinhã scientifically and publicly recognised by the finds that have taken place in recent decades giving it an international projection in the panorama of geological heritage” According to the management regulation of the protected area alterations to the morphology of the cliffs are prohibited; the collection and transport of geological samples; digging surveying or exploiting geological resources; excavations embankments and destruction of vegetation cover; the dilapidation of goods or paleontological remains; the abandonment deposit or leakage of debris or scrap; motorsports activities All acts or activities on the cliffs are now supervised by the Municipality of Lourinhã paleontologists have discovered dinosaur fossils some of which have given rise to new species and the largest dinosaur nest with the oldest embryos ever found leading Lourinhã to assert itself as the “capital of dinosaurs” and placing the municipality on the world route of paleontology Greek wines and a feast crafted by Matt McConnell and Captain Moonlite chef Matt Germanchis we’re not at Bar Lourinhã any more the Melbourne restaurant will flick the switch on its Iberian menu and embrace Greek wine and food as Captain Moonlite chef Matt Germanchis joins the fold for a one-off dinner celebrating his heritage Lourinhã co-owners Matt McConnell and Jo Gamvros are no strangers to the cuisine of Greece either having spent many summers on the island of Samos visiting Gamvros’s family The trio plan to recreate the Greek taverna for an end-of-summer party with plenty of seafood “We’ve developed a menu inspired by our travels with flavours that are close to our hearts,” says McConnell Cuttlefish cooked in vine leaves and brushed with an ink vinaigrette pork shoulder enriched with olive and oregano and filo cigars stuffed with sardine and mint are just a few of the dishes that’ll make up the tasting menu a rare cold-climate assyrtiko and Greek reds such as agiorgitiko and limniona will also feature 6 March, 7pm, Bar Lourinhã, 37 Little Collins St, Melbourne, Vic. $95 per person for 12 shared courses, wine and ouzo. Book on (03) 9663 7890 or at barlourinha.com.au Matt McConnell riffs on the secrets to Spanish success and why ‘tapas’ shouldn’t be a dirty word.Head chef Matt McConnell on cooking Spanish Baked Spanish paprika chicken with tomatoes You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image Any 6-year-old could tell me but there’s none around to ask the flying lizard is ignored by locals in the little Portuguese town of Lourinha one of many fabulous beaches on the Silver Coast that stretches 150km along Portugal’s west coast Lourinha has been inhabited since about 5500BC human history here is overshadowed by the region’s much earlier — and to most it predated the more famous Tyrannosaurus rex by some 85 million years a reminder that millions of years ago Europe northern Asia and North America were part of one ginormous continent the Portuguese thug was named after James Gurney The dinosaurs have left plenty of traces and a central western slice of Portugal The town has cashed in by erecting life-sized versions of some of the biggest and best I liked the look of Lourinhanosaurus until I learned it was almost as vicious as T gurneyi so (just in case it came to life) I chose a carpark near a plant-eating triceratops whose three horns and bony neck frill were presumably designed to see off predators Opened in 1984 in the town’s former courthouse one of the museum’s consultants is palaeontology professor Octavio Mateus the boy found a giant tooth from what was later identified as belonging to T Another Mateus find was a nest of dinosaur eggs including some with embryos that are helping scientists trace the development of dinosaurs from egg to adult I was delighted with the way the museum’s internal courtyard was planted with the descendants of Jurassic plants So much has been uncovered in the region that some of the exhibits have been moved to a newer facility on the town’s outskirts (Just follow the dinosaurs and you’ll find it.) Touted as an open-air museum Dino Parque has 200 full-scale models of dinosaurs and other animals with indoor space devoted to the overflow from Museu da Lourinha No surprise then that the area is referred to as Portugal’s Jurassic Park and it’s well worth a visit especially if you are travelling with children — Lourinha is a €10 ($NZ16) bus ride from Lisbon The town museum is open from 10am to 6pm Tuesday to Sunday (closed 1pm-2.30pm) and entry is €6 (€4 for seniors) — Dino Parque Lourinha is open from 10am daily and entry costs €14.50 for adults and €10.50 for 4-12-year-olds useful for lunch as restaurant options in Lourinha itself are rather limited Where to Find Australia’s Best Inner-City Bakeries By Katya Wachtel By Katya Wachtel By Matheus There’s a collectors’ feel about tiny Bar Lourinha tucked away at the top end of Little Collins Street We think it might have something to do with the amazing array of bric-a-brac lining the walls behind the polished-wooden bar all crammed in and reminiscent of a bowerbird nest When you nab a spot at the busy bar you’ll never run out of conversation; all you have to do is look at the wall There’s much more to talk about than just the decor though Chef Matt McConnell has applied his travel experiences to an array of sharing plates from yellow tail kingfish pancetta to grilled veal tongue with broad bean labneh These produce-inspired dishes are served with Iberian flair If you take a moment with the chatty waiters you’ll be astounded by a long list of specials that doubles the list of offerings and most items can be ordered by the half-serve Italian and Spanish tipples dominate the hefty drinks list But just when you thought you had it pinned Scottish and Japanese drinks turn up in the mix It’s an eclectic collection in so many ways Phone: (03) 9663 7890 Website: barlourinha.com.au We do not seek or accept payment from the cafes bars and shops listed in the Directory – inclusion is at our discretion Venue profiles are written by independent freelancers paid by Broadsheet Australia Debuts at the Panettone World Championship in Italy Bakeries and Restaurants That Opened or Closed in April 32 of the Hottest Dishes and Drinks in Melbourne Right Now Menu Reveal: Five Things To Order at Junda Khoo’s Ho Liao Photo: JOSE MANUEL RIBEIRO / Getty ImagesAn hour's drive from Portugal's capital city of Lisbon can transport you to a world of fantasy where a dozen dinosaur fossils were found in the late 19th century an outdoor museum called Dino Park is now offering visitors a real-scale glimpse of the pre-historic predators the encounter promises to be quite an adventure Dino Park comprises four forested tracks that correspond to some of the most important epochs in the history of the Earth: The end of the Paleozoic A walk through these 2.5km-long tracks allows you to chance upon more than 120 dinosaurs built of their actual size and in tune with the latest findings made by palaeontologists Beyond the obvious icons—the three-horned Triceratops the long-necked Supersaurus and the monstrous Tyrannosaurus rex—you'll also get to see the Torvossauros gurneyi and the Lourinhasauros that once roamed the very soil you're treading in Lourinhã Here's what real-scale dinosaurs look like The dinosaur museum at Dino Park is another main attraction where the star of the show is a 1993-discovered fossil of Lourinhanosaurus eggs… with the bones of the embryo intact Kids will particularity love the many experiential activities lined up where young palaeontologists get to work on a block of sediment to retrieve a piece of skeleton or go for an actual treasure hunt that requires you to look for precious stones and shark tooth head to the main cafeteria or park yourself at any of the resting points for a cute picnic amidst nature Dino Parque, Rua Vale dos Dinossauros 25, 2530-059 Lourinhã, Portugal. Website Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service (updated April 1 2021) and Policy and Cookie Statement (updated April 1 The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast With people queuing for a table at 7pm on a Wednesday night you can tell there's got to be something damn good about Bar Lourinha in Melbourne's CBD it is a combination of the three all-important aspects of any great venue: food It also helps that it feels like a tiny slice of Spain right here in Melbourne The wine list is heavily focused on European offerings; Spain France and Italy are the main contenders here But most of the wines are sold by the bottle so either come with a mate who shares your taste in wine or come a lone and prepare to leave a little tipsy Start the evening with a salted cod croqueta sitting on a bed of aioli and a few bites of the wagyu cruda which is like an even boojier version of your usual steak tartare The staff will talk you through the specials or oysters served natural with a squeeze of lemon If you find yourself overwhelmed by the menu they might even share the secret that most dishes can be ordered in half serves Bar Lourinha's larger dishes are well balanced between red meats The spiced chickpeas and spinach sautéed in slices of garlic and herbs is a flavorsome and strong vegetarian dish while the slow-cooked veal with walnut sauce is a rich and indulgent option the grilled northern king prawns with chilli salt are served whole and are succulent and tender while the yellow tail king fish 'pancetta' with lemon oil is light and fresh You might finish the evening with a plate of Toggenburger Nidel and muscatels or in true Spanish style go for the churros with dulce de leche these guys now take bookings (this was not originally the case) That means you won't have to line up — just be sure to plan ahead or you will be standing out in the cold while waiting for a table to open up The Best Bars in Melbourne for 2023 so here are our (gilda tooth)picks of where to settle in with a suite of share plates and a glass of sherry or sangria ShareWhether it’s a local neighbourhood gem worth travelling for or a Melbourne mainstay that made eating at the counter cool here’s where to snack on the cheesiest croquetas seafood-studded paella and those aforementioned anchovy-pepper-olive skewers Gertrude Street’s 16-year-old Spanish spot might be out of the spotlight its long narrow dining room all aglow through the streetside warehouse windows The tapas menu focuses on Andalusia in Southern Spain making it a warm and intimate spot for a date night 197 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, anada.com.au or nab a prized seat at the bar at Bar Lourinha Matt McConnell’s Spanish restaurant has almost notched two decades with the chef magicking chickpeas into spiced gold The balanced menu is flexible enough for solo afternoons at the bar chipping away at tapas a quick pre-theatre bite or tackling the entire carte in grand company 37 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, barlourinha.com.au Good Food hat15/20ReviewBar Lourinha a constant in a sea of changeSmall bites at Bomba.Jana LanghorstAdvertisementBomba An olive stone’s throw from the city’s theatre district Bomba hits the spot whether you’re chasing a quick bite or plan to settle in for a leisurely evening of cocktails and Spanish-accented dishes Start with a couple of montaditos – small toasts with toppings – or cheesy leek croquetas and maybe the pork belly braised in pedro ximenez You’ll need raciones (larger plates) such as shellfish paella Bomba’s rooftop bar offers more chilled-out Spanish vibes with a view 103 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, bombabar.com.au MoVida’s signature anchovy with smoked tomato sorbet.Bonnie SavageMoVida Original The snack that launched a thousand imitations still takes first place on this tapas list – and in Melbourne hearts An anchovy fillet lounges on a paper-thin crouton Frank Camorra’s signature tapa encapsulates this laneway legend’s style thoughtful service and Iberian drinks list While some raciones are bolted to the menu the kitchen’s inventiveness is also showcased by mussels wrapped in kohlrabi discs; raw scallop with a golden aji amarillo chilli sauce or zucchini tossed with calamari and take-no-prisoners spicy sausage 1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne, movida.com.au/original Good Food hat15/20Review20 years ago this iconic restaurant made eating at the counter cool. It’s still setting the bar highInside the new-look MoVida Aqui.Bonnie SavageMoVida Aqui 13-year-old Aqui has shucked off its identity as an Andalusian workers’ cantina on a Melbourne holiday to assume the mantle of a mature restaurant Chequerboard tiles and metres of maroon are mixed with elegantly curved banquettes and bottle-green leather chairs such as scaled-down crumpets with spanner crab and finger lime under a tangy blanket of saffron mayo prove Aqui 2.0 is more than window-dressing Group-friendly proportions − such as Josper-cooked rice-based dishes − are a drawcard over MoVida Original (see above) 500 Bourke Street, Melbourne, movida.com.au/aqui Good Food hat15/20ReviewMoVida Aqui returns after renovation, older, wiser and better than everMoVida’s spin-off bar does what it says on the (anchovy) tin.Greg Elms/Visit VictoriaMoVida Next Door And at the risk of this list becoming too MoVida heavy let’s briefly mention the original’s more casual bar “next door” on the corner of Hosier Lane and Flinders Street who can expect 15 ever-changing tapas scrawled on the blackboard But just as Melbourne will always have MoVida 164 Flinders Street, Melbourne, movida.com.au/next-door diners gather around the U-shaped bar.Eddie JimLa Pinta prospective guests are welcomed like old friends then slotted along the room’s edge to prop at shelves just wide enough to rest your glass Prepare to wait for a sought-after seat at the horseshoe bar fringing a tiny lamplit kitchen from which a perfectly paced output of dishes arrives on op-shop plates: perhaps smoked lamb so soft it cuts with the accompanying spork or plump mussels and a scattering of saffron-dyed artichoke spare a thought for those still waiting – though they’re probably managing just fine 791 High Street, Reservoir, lapintareservoir.com.au 15/20ReviewIs little La Pinta the perfect local restaurant?Gildas (skewers of anchovy olive and pickled peppers) with vermut-and-paprika dressing at Little Drop of Poison in Eltham.Chris HopkinsLittle Drop of Poison It’s easy to build a meal from Basque-style pintxos (such as gilda skewers with vermut-and-paprika dressing) Mexican tacos and Latin American bites at this cosy but free-thinking bar that brings inner-city poise to the city fringe You might luck onto grilled king prawns with garlic and chilli or a generous seafood-studded paella served in dainty bowls there’s always plenty for vegans and gluten-avoiders made-to-order sangria combining Spanish red wine 937B Main Road, Eltham, littledropofpoison.com.au ReviewEltham tapas bar Little Drop of Poison has good vibes on tapPlant-based morcilla at Lona Misa.Chloe DannLona Misa It takes a lot to wow vegan taste buds in a city like Melbourne overseen by chefs Shannon Martinez and Ian Curley Find yourself a fire engine-red booth and start the fiesta with a chilli-spiked cocktail An armload of hardworking small plates might include velvety croquetas with plant-based manchego or a neat (and sans-meat) morcilla (blood sausage) with a yolk-like topping over fried bread Book a room upstairs at the Ovolo and order in 234 Toorak Road, South Yarra, lonamisa.com.au Basque-syle battered mussels at Sebastian.Chris HopkinsSebastian Whether you’re at a table by the window or sunk into a booth carpet and leather in various shades of blue Despite Sebastian being named after San Sebastian it doesn’t always stick to the Spanish script txakoli (Basque sparkling wine) and plenty from the charcoal grill but if you’re willing to expand your horizons – perhaps bypassing Basque cheesecake in favour of an elegant ice-cream sandwich – Sebastian will meet you halfway 26 Esplanade, Williamstown, sebastianbeachgrill.com The Age Good Food Guide 2024 is on sale for $14.95 from newsagents and at thestore.com.au The Lourinhã municipality is once again hosting the Historical Recreation of the Battle of Vimeiro & 18th Century Marketplace event with the theme this year being “From War to Peace.” It’s from the 14th to the 16th of July that Lourinhã celebrates the 215th anniversary of the Battle of Vimeiro which is carried out in partnership with Vimeiro Parish the Association for the Memory of the Battle of Vimeiro and the Portuguese Napoleonic Association This year the event theme will be From War to Peace looking to show the importance of understanding History in order to build a path to peace and cooperation with the presence of historic re-enactors from nations at war with each other in the past united today under the values of peace and cultural exchange The event is located right next to the Battle of Vimeiro Interpretation Centre (CIBV) in a space designed to look the time period arts & crafts and professions representative of the period The program begins at 7pm on July 14th with a theatre piece called “King John IV and Peace” which is followed by the musical piece “From War to Peace” by Ensemble Vocal Introitus with performances from the historic dances group of the Association for the Memory of the Battle of Vimeiro The ball will be accompanied and followed by Ahkorda who will play on the Wellington Stage at 11pm there’ll be a guided tour of Vimeiro that visits locations associated to the battle Lessons about Military Life at the Military Camp is a historical re-enactment taking place at 3pm Beyond the many activities for kids and families in the CIBV an act by Folklore Choir “The Fishermen of Ribamar” at 5:30pm and the documentary “The Making of Wellington: The Battle of Vimeiro” will be shown at the CIBV at 6:30pm The day will close with the Historical Recreation of the Battle of Vimeiro with participation of historical re-enactment groups from in and out the country the historical re-enactment will continue with skirmishes being played out throughout the streets of Vimeiro at 11am the Portugal Simulation Games Association will offer an activity called “Napoleonic Combat and Tactics Simulator,” and at 3:30pm the Lessons About Military Life at Military Camp will return At 4:30pm there’ll be a concert with the Adufe e Aguildar group and the Lourinhã Municipal Choir on the Wellington Stage Star in the 2015 music video for the hit single “Headlights” by German musician DJ and record producer Robin Schulz featuring American singer-songwriter Ilsey SaveLog in, register or subscribe to save recipes for later.You have reached your maximum number of saved items ShareFrom push-the-boat out impressive to snacks and drinks at an atmospheric wine bar good dates can take place in all sorts of settings Here are a dozen of the best spots for your next date night And don’t forget to tip generously (for extra brownie points from both waitstaff and your other half) Don’t miss the oysters at Bar Lourinha.SuppliedBar Lourinha Seventeen-year-old CBD tapas destination Bar Lourinha has witnessed many a love story so much so it has a self-proclaimed “lovers’ table” iconography and framed paintings lining the walls dining at Bar Lourinha feels like being in someone’s living room if that someone was also an acclaimed chef The Iberian-inspired menu includes the likes of fluffy deep-fried dough balls filled with salted cod and a spiced The best spot to sit: The famed table 41 by the window 37 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, barlourinha.com.au lunch and dinner date options amid the verdant surrounds of Abbotsford Convent Ensconced by grandiose arches in a historical space that used to be nuns’ living quarters adorned by light-hued timber and bright geometric paintings charred leeks and pine nuts are a highlight The best spot to sit: The padded timber booths along the bar or outside beneath the arches 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, camskiosk.com.au Embla is one of Melbourne’s best date spots. Kristoffer PaulsenEmbla AdvertisementGood wine bars are usually romantic by nature – cosy, dimly lit, atmospheric – and hatted Emblajust happens to have some of the city’s best food and drink too exposed brick walls and antique glass light fittings make a timeless backdrop for a meticulously curated wine list as well as a seasonal menu of delicious dishes made for sharing Think braised zucchini flowers draped over house-made ricotta and snapper carpaccio delicately dotted by heirloom cucumbers and lemon myrtle Best spot to sit: Propped up at the bar for live action that’ll keep conversation flowing 122 Russell Street, Melbourne, embla.com.au Try the oysters mignonette if they’re on the menu The best spot to sit: By the bar to drink whichever great wine the bar person has open and ready to pour 386 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North, geraldsbar.com.au Nab a prized seat outside Kirk’s Wine Bar in Hardware Lane.SuppliedKirk’s Wine Bar AdvertisementAfter nearly a decade doing its thing on a handsome corner of Hardware Lane, Kirk’s Wine Bar has perfected the winning combination of old-fashioned charm and conviviality It’s perfect for both light bites (go the fresh oysters with a standout house fermented hot sauce and the pig’s head doughnut) and something more substantial (the steak frites is hard to beat) One thing to note: show up early because it doesn’t accept bookings The best spot to sit: By the floor-to-ceiling windows 46 Hardware Lane, Melbourne,kirkswinebar.com Grab two seats at the horsehoe bar at La Pinta in Reservoir.Eddie JimLa Pinta AdvertisementLa Pinta created waves when it first opened in 2020 in a part of Reservoir unaccustomed to tapas bars – and its popularity has not waned since As well as being affordable – with most dishes under $20 – it has the mood lighting down pat but you can expect dishes like Flinders Island wallaby tartare with preserved broad beans and salted egg raw trout with fermented jalapenos and cultured cream The best spot to sit: At the bar so you’re in right the action 791 High Street, Reservoir, lapintareservoir.com.au Little Black Pig & Sons’ convivial dining room.Bonnie SavageLittle Black Pig & SonsAdvertisementThe things that matter have been thought about: the way the lighting casts a golden 1970s movie glow; the music swinging from opera classics to the Great American Songbook with a side order of Michael Buble The hardworking suburban Italian bistro is a solid package in which nothing threatens to overwhelm the pursuit of uncomplicated enjoyment rich and shareable; ditto the namesake dish of porchetta The best spot to sit: A table for two along the banquette 48 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg, littleblackpigandsons.com This gem of St Georges Road is a snug, mid-century-styled cocktail bar with a short, sweet menu of Mediterranean share plates. There are your classic martinis and negronis, but Longplay is always introducing new cocktails (past hits include the dark rum-forward Susan Sarandon with gingerbread syrup and the watermelon cocktail Meloni Griffiths) a risotto of the day and a raw fish moment The best spot to sit: Table 1 – near the window with a full view of the street 318 St George Road, Fitzroy North, longplay.net.au The best spot to sit: A two-top along the window 2 Village Avenue, Brunswick East, rumirestaurant.com.au This is more of a special anniversary than a first-date spot as there’s no escaping if things get awkward prepare for several hours spent enjoying no less than 16 courses of perfectly executed Japanese food The best spot to sit: There’s only one spot – at the counter 1135 Burke Road, Kew, sushion.com.au This northside neighbourhood favourite may have moved from being a poky 40-seater to an expansive 200-seater in a former shoe store as do cult favourites on the menu like the garlicky chilli-laden orecchiette con broccoli and the lavish spaghetti alla marinara there are even more nooks to lose yourself in as well as a romantic balcony overlooking High Street The best spot to sit: Either by the window in a cosy semi-private nook where you can watch High Street go by or anywhere along the wall in the front dining room 917 High Street, Thornbury, umberto.com.au World-premiere Picasso exhibition The Picasso Century opened at NGV International in June It’s a coup for the city, so to mark its run the NGV has brought back its end-of-week Friday Nights extravaganzas, and gotten the always-exceptional Bar Lourinha to take over the gallery’s Garden Restaurant Matt McConnell and Jo Gamvros are channeling the best of their Iberian- and Mediterranean-inspired tapas and wine bar but you can have lunch there any day of the week The new spring menu features golden jamon croquetas (and a corn and smoked chilli version) prawn “arroz a banda” (rice cooked in fish stock) and a punchy pomegranate crema with pistachio praline with Spanish-inspired Negronis and a focus on sherry from El Marco de Jerez the concurrent Friday Nights program – jam-packed with live performances and DJ sets – was inspired by the vibrancy of Paris in the early 1900s On the bill: electric Papua New Guinea-born Aboriginal neo-soul powerhouse Emma Donovan (with Melbourne funk-soul collective the Putbacks) Broadsheet is a proud media partner of the NGV friendly surrounds will help make that first impression a good one SaveLog in, register or subscribe to save recipes for later.You have reached your maximum number of saved items ShareBar Lourinha.SuppliedOff the pier When it comes to knives and forks are you meant to start from the outside in There's no need for fussy table etiquette when you take your date for fish and chips by the sea Off The Pier is indeed just off the pier at Williamstown and it does a cracking trade for folks chilling out in the nearby park Their two fish choices are super fresh - local gummy and another option that changes according to what's fresh at the market (think flathead or blue grenadier).Off The Pier and with Prudence's well-priced cocktail menu you can afford to segue into two or three Conversation goes better with a sloe gin sour - sloe gin unfussy vibe and tunes by Jerry Lee Lewis and Lightnin' Hopkins set the mood ordered in from nearby Melbourne Thai Cafe.Prudence If you're dreaming of making your date pancakes for breakfast made with coconut cream and rice flour and topped with mung beans and dried prawn There's also a great selection of vegetarian fare from vegetarian pho to salt-and-pepper silken tofu The Saigon 333 beer is cold and the mood is cheap composed Carolina is the perfect place for a rendezvous Tuck yourselves into a booth and soak up the pared-back with a pressed tin ceiling and a dark wood bar banish coffee breath with a plate of brioche French toast with orange blossom cream Carolina's also open for chilled-out dinner dates or drinks Alt country and Brit pop tunes keep the mood upbeat.Carolina What's your go-to date night destination Jump on the comments and share your suggestion Selecting the right spot for a date can be tricky but so can making an entire meal from scratch at home though – order a world-class feast that you finish in your own kitchen That’s the thinking behind Providoor’s date-night banquets travel spots and more – curated by those who know This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Providoor ShareShare-friendly tapas at Bar Lourinha.SuppliedSpecial occasions and long overdue catch-ups deserve a touch of class And you're in luck because we've rounded up 12 of Melbourne's best private dining rooms but if you're catching up with a crowd your booking ducks need to be in a row limits on numbers inside venues and the dreaded end-of-evening bill can all make a fun time turn feral The solution: hire a private space in a favourite restaurant gather loved ones and tell them this is how you're all rolling Bar Lourinha's upstairs room.SuppliedAdvertisementBar LourinhaIt's a favourite with those who live for sitting at the bar and supping on gilda skewers and a glass of wine If you want to share the love of Matt McConnell's food book the room upstairs for a Spanish shindig your mates won't forget order one of the two set menus and ask the crew to recommend a little Latino live music – a flamenco guitarist perhaps If you're after something for a bigger party There are two set menus at $85 and $110 head 37 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, barlourinha.com.au The private room at Builders Arms Hotel includes a record player. Roberto PettinauBuilders Arms HotelThe Trader House team, headed by chef Andrew McConnell, knows how to organise a celebration, and they've launched Handmade Parties & Events to make it easy but one of our favourites is part of this fun Fitzroy pub with lots of big windows overlooking the street an eclectic art collection and a vintage record player grilled trout and spiced chicken cooked over coals There's also a range of drinks packages if you're looking to keep things simple From $70 a head for food; a basic three-hour drinks package starts at $55 211 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, buildersarmshotel.com.au Cappo's private room within the Hotel Fitzroy is a blank slate.SuppliedCappo SocialeHead to the first floor of this tarted-up old boozer to this new Italian spot with Maurizio Esposito taking the reins as executive chef and tailoring the Mangia Mangia menu – salumi arancini and classic Italian dishes – for parties run a tab or let guests buy their own at the bar outside The white private dining room is a blank canvas Level 1, 127 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, capposociale.com.au Chancery Lane's chandelier room.SuppliedChancery LaneAdvertisementReady to impress Head chef Rob Kabboord's menu takes European classics and gives them a twist Moreton Bay bugs – that are hard to ignore They're included in the Deluxe set menu but for out-and-out elegance there's no going past the Chandelier Room slightly sexy atmosphere with a huge painting of a feast scene and a nineteenth-century French chandelier lending its form to the room's name Up to 10 guests; other options offer space for up to 18 From $1,500 to $3,000 in the Chandelier Room 430 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, chancerylane.com.au The set menu might include dishes such as sourdough with chicken schmaltz crispy curried school prawns and barbecued Milawa chicken with interesting varietals and regions represented – you just need to order what you'd like served before you arrive 60 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, ettadining.com.au Groups are served a set menu at L'Hotel Gitan.SuppliedL'Hotel GitanAdvertisementThe Reymond family dishes up healthy servings of French flair and you can have it all to yourself when you book the Copper Suite there's a set menu option that might include porcini mushroom croquettes 32 Commercial Road, Prahran, lhotelgitan.com.au You've got to admire a neighbourhood wine bar where the chef – in this case Tom Sarafian – smashes out amazing dishes with Middle Eastern flavours cooked over coals Think hummus loaded with spanner crab and king prawns served with pita; and chicken kebab with its antique dining table and 1960s record player Bonus points for the wine list that changes regularly and is a little left-field 555 Nicholson Street, Carlton North, littleandorra.com.au Minaminishima's private dining rooms each include a private chef.SuppliedMinamishimaAdvertisementIt's not like there's ever a huge crowd at this refined Japanese venue, but there are three private dining rooms offering absolute seclusion. Those who love to watch the slicing, torching and careful placing of slivers of the finest seafood upon rice still get the full omakase show with each private room featuring its own chef who trained in Osaka and met Koichi Minamishima when they worked at Melbourne's Kenzan is in charge of the private rooms and brings a sense of theatre to the plate Not really although everyone has the same menu 4 Lord Street, Richmond, minamishima.com.au The Prince's private room includes a balcony.SuppliedThe Prince Dining RoomThere have been plenty of changes at The Prince, but you can be assured that when it comes to food it still gets the thumbs-up and you'll be served dishes – poached prawn rolls slow-cooked lamb with smoked eggplant – by chefs Dan Hawkins and Dan Cooper depends on what's good at the markets and supplies from local farmers and fishermen so organise a package or simply order what you like and pay at the end The Big Feast is $75 a head; the Slightly Bigger Feast is $90 2 Acland Street, St Kilda, theprince.com.au Photo: SuppliedAdvertisementIt strutted onto the scene post lockdown and has become a favourite for Euro-inspired dishes and spot-on cocktails There's a selection of set menus to choose from entrees and main courses served long-table-style charcuterie boards and luxe dishes such as chargrilled grain-fed rib-eye with prawn butter and crispy school prawns chat drinks package choices with the sommelier From $1,700 at lunch to $3,500 for weekend dinner 81–83 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, poodlefitzroy.com.au The Rosetta Room at Rosetta.SuppliedRosettaAdvertisementSit back bask in the view of the skyline and enjoy the elegant Italian fare in the Rosetta Room there's a shared table of antipasti – salumi charcoal grilled squid with fennel and more – then you decide how many courses your guests will enjoy and they get to choose from a short menu of options There's also a very generous four-course shared table feast that includes a hit parade of dishes It's just the ticket if you're celebrating an important birthday Set menus start at $115 a head; the four-course shared menu is $155 Crown Riverwalk, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, rosettarestaurant.com.au Photo: SuppliedCraving Spain? We all are, but until border restrictions are eased we're heading to this white-washed restaurant inspired by San Sebastian with its Mediterranean blue tiles and exposed timber beams overlooks Port Phillip Bay for chill daytime vibes followed by a selection of larger dishes such as crispy mussels smoked chicken with a la grecque dressing and patatas bravas