When it comes to Australia’s most ambitious new dining and entertainment precincts, plenty of attention has been focused on Sydney over the past few years. Although with the opening of The Social Quarter, a new $70 million precinct and extension of Chadstone, Melbourne pulls back some of the glory this week with no less than 17 new venues spread across the 10,350-square-metre destination.
As if Chadstone wasn’t big enough already, The Social Quarter has added a substantial attraction to the long-established precinct, presenting a rigorous collection of new entertainment venues from established brands like Archie Brothers, Strike Bowling, Holey Moley and Hijinx Hotel. In case you weren’t familiar with the latter, by the way, it’s a mock New York-style hotel that doubles as more of a funhouse with various challenge rooms – a bit like one massive escape room.
And while family-friendly fun is most certainly the focus of The Social Quarter, there are still a few new restaurants and bars of note. Aside from the more casual additions of Betty’s Burgers, Fonda and Piccolina Gelateria, you’ve also got a 300-capacity beer hall with an on-site brewery from UA Brewing Co and a two-storey brasserie from the same team behind South Melbourne’s Half Acre.
Whether or not these places will make our round-up of the best new restaurants in Melbourne remains to be seen, but we’ll try and get to them as soon as possible.
Note that not all these venues are open just yet but they will be coming over the next few weeks as The Social Quarter Chadstone takes off.
