Back in May, restaurateurs Ross and Sunny Lusted announced they will be opening their first Melbourne venues later this year.
More details have been revealed about the two openings which are slated to launch in spring at the Paris-end of Russell Street in the Melbourne CBD.
Marmelo will be the duo’s 90-seat restaurant and private dining room which will feature an open kitchen equipped with a custom-built charcoal grill and wood oven.
Downstairs will be the late-night supper club basement bar Mr Mills, which will be accessible via Marmelo or the Melbourne Place Laneway.
The culinary offering at both venues will send a nod to the coastal cuisines of Portugal and Spain.
Highlights across the Marmelo menu will include Port Arlington mussels with anise, sea greens, and cod roe; coal-cooked Saskia Beer chicken with African spice and dried chilli; and whole John Dory with kale and O’Connor grass fed beef with pickles.
Over at Mr Mills, guests can expect a mix of smaller snacks such as grilled padron peppers and poached tuna petisco alongside larger offerings such as baked cod with roasted onion and prawns with garlic and burnt chilli.
Guests at Mr Mills will be able to sit at booths or at the bar and order from an extensive cocktail list and wine list championing Victorian producers along with European classics.
“Marmelo is a restaurant I have wanted to open for many years. Having grown up in South Africa, the influences of Portugal have always been a part of our food culture, with exotic spices from as far as Malacca and India influencing food over the centuries in Cape Town and along the African coast,” says Ross.
“Marmelo is inspired by the small restaurants and bars of coastal Portugal and Spain and will embrace the European essence of Melbourne’s fresh produce markets.”
Marmelo and Mr Mills are slated to open in spring.
