Located in the heart of Ripponlea village, Ripponlea Food & Wine seamlessly blends style, comfort, and elegance without pretension. Known for its striking semi-circular emerald green velvet booths, sophisticated cocktail bar, and private dining spaces, the modern European restaurant has captured the hearts of both locals and visitors.
Owners Lisa J Slaughter and Christo Christophidis have demonstrated a keen understanding of industry trends, continually evolving with Melbourne’s dynamic dining scene.
In 2017, recognising the opportunity to grow, they renovated and doubled the venue’s capacity, tapping into the rising demand for stylish yet relaxed dining experiences.
What further sets Ripponlea Food & Wine apart is its ability to leverage marketing trends and tools to fuel growth. One of these tools is First Table, a restaurant discovery platform offering off-peak offers on food bills, transforming otherwise quiet tables into marketing assets. Through its extensive database of food lovers and a strong social media presence, First Table has played a vital role in boosting Ripponlea Food & Wine’s marketing reach and supporting its continued success.
Co-owner and director Lisa Slaughter highlights the importance of First Table in Ripponlea Food & Wine’s marketing strategy, especially during quieter periods and for launching new promotions. With over 1,000 diners booked through the platform —nearly 70 per cent of them first-time customers — Ripponlea Food & Wine has increased early diner numbers and promoted new menu items, climbing to third place among more than 100 Melbourne restaurants on First Table.
“We’re happy that First Table has brought us extra bookings during quieter times,” Lisa says. “It’s also introduced us to new customers, and we’ve noticed repeat customers rebooking.”
First Table proved particularly effective when Ripponlea Food & Wine launched its new lunch service, available exclusively on Fridays and Saturdays. “At the start of the year, we extended our Friday and Saturday hours to include a lunch shift — we were dinner-only before that,” says Slaughter.
To support the launch, Ripponlea Food & Wine used First Table to promote the first six to eight tables with 50 per cent off, which successfully kick-started the promotion. “It’s been worthwhile — we still have tables open for lunch on Fridays and Saturdays as we build on those extra shifts,” adds Slaughter.
Another key benefit of First Table is how it attracts diners as early as 5pm, creating an inviting atmosphere for passersby. “It’s always nice to have early bookings. People attract people, and when you’ve got diners seated at 5pm, it makes the restaurant look inviting, even though we don’t get busy until 6 or 6:30,” says Slaughter.
The platform’s flexibility is another major draw, allowing restaurants to manage their availability based on demand. “The platform is very user-friendly, and I like that you can switch tables on or off as needed. Sometimes, when we have a busy Saturday night, I don’t want extra tables and can switch off our First Table availability, so that flexibility is really good,” says Slaughter.
Even though diners are drawn in by the offer on the food bill, drinks remain at full price, and the offer often encourages guests to indulge in extras. “We’ve had some bookings that have spent hundreds of dollars on alcohol,” Lisa says, underscoring the revenue-boosting potential of First Table.
Ripponlea Food & Wine’s strategic use of First Table has not only driven revenue during quieter periods but has also been a valuable tool for launching new initiatives like their lunch service.
With over 1,000 bookings and a steady stream of new customers, Ripponlea Food & Wine continues to thrive, balancing its unique offering with flexibility and control over its bookings.
