Mary’s will open their first permanent Melbourne restaurant next week

They say good things come to those who wait, and Melbourne is officially done waiting, as the highly anticipated opening of Sydney-born brand Mary’s is finally around the corner.

After ubiquitous success in Sydney – from the Newtown original to the more upmarket Mary’s Underground – the crew behind Mary’s are done teasing Melbourne with pop-ups and will settle into a cosy spot on Franklin Street, a move that was announced late last year.

Mary’s Group, directed by Kenny Graham and Jake Smyth, will be bringing their classic combination of burgers, beats and bevvies to the competitive Melbourne food scene, as well as a fresh new twist on the menu Sydney has fallen in love with. “We’re here to do what we do. To give our punters simple, delicious food, backed up with an experience that’s fun as hell.” said Graham.

Via a classic Melbourne laneway, Mary’s Melbourne will be one of the group’s largest venues. Visually, the restaurant will lead from an unassuming red light above a door into a theatrical space with enough seating for 200 people across a main dining room and a separate mezzanine area. A bit of “visual punch” will come from a giant custom wrought iron chandelier flecked with tens of thousands of dead rose stems suspended from the arms. Notably, every rose has been sourced from damaged stock at Sydney’s flower markets.

“Melbourne is a fucking powerhouse of art, food, culture and community – one that we have admired for a long time,” said Smyth. “We are excited to be working with some of the finest folk from our new neighbourhood to bring Melbourne a Mary’s that truly belongs to them.”

All of kitchen’s greatest hits will be on the new menu, including the original Mary’s Burger, Fried Chook and everyone’s favourite Mash N Gravy. Vegans can rejoice at a special menu especially for them which recently launched at the Mary’s Underground and Pitt Street locations. Although, there’ll also be a few venue-specific treats thrown in for good measure, so expect a few surprises.

In a nod to their recent win of “Wine List of the Year” from Gourmet Traveller, Mary’s Group has also decided to showcase local Victorian wineries on a list that’s over 100 wines deep, curated by Mary’s Group Sommelier and Wine Director Caitlyn Rees.

“The wine list is typical Mary’s – wild, a bit weird, chosen to crush thirsts, cool fevered brows and soothe aching hearts”, said Smyth. “Caitlyn has jumped fully on board with our ongoing support for the young and emerging winemakers of the world”.

Mary’s Melbourne will be located at 167 Franklin Street, Melbourne. Doors open on Monday 20th January.

Photo by Nikki To.

Danica Sharma

Writer for the AU Review, a lover of books, poetry, good food, travel and adventure. Follow her personal instagram @danicaarasharma or her poetry instagram @danicasharmawrites