Queen’s Food Hall set for grand opening

Melbourne foodies are in for a treat as the much-awaited Queen Victoria Market’s revitalised Queen’s Food Hall gets ready to open its doors in November.

Located at the corner of Victoria and Queen streets, the new $5.5 million space replaces the outdated 1980s food court with a new social destination featuring more seating, and a diverse array of restaurants, cafés, and eateries to open during the day and into the evenings.

There will be a mix of eight new and returning food and beverage operators, with Bellboy Coffee Bar, the team behind the Brunswick East café, and The Happy Mexican in Abbotsford among the new offerings.

Traders coming back include Saltwater, a sushi and oyster bar; El Rincon, a Spanish tapas bar; Le Consulat, a Parisian-inspired patisserie and café; Rubens Grill, a relaxed American themed café serving smoky grilled ribs, brisket burgers and porchetta; and Canton Malay, the beloved eatery known for its delicious curry laksa and lightning-speed wok hokkien noodles.

The fan-favourite Drums cafe, which has been at the market for 27 years, is also making a return with its owner chef Vijay Sivaraj expressing his delight, saying the new food hall would allow them to offer the “best Sri Lankan” food experience.

Caption: Artist’s impressions of the new Queen’s Food Hall.

“It’s really been worth sacrificing the last two years shutting down completely. The food hall has come along beautifully, and we’re really excited to be a part of it again,” he said.

Drums will have a fresh new look and menu with traditional curries, hoppers, lamprais and chips with curry sauce, with its popular hot butter cuttlefish dish to remain a feature.

Queen Victoria Market CEO Matt Elliott said, “As an icon of Melbourne’s unrivalled culinary culture, we are thrilled to welcome this diverse group of food and beverage traders to the Queen Victoria Market family.”

Queen’s Food Hall is set to be Melbourne’s new foodie hotspot, right in the heart of the city. This new dining destination will be a contemporary place to eat and dwell, meet friends, or stop in before or after shopping, with affordable, delicious, quick food and beverage options.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the City of Melbourne was excited to add to the vibrancy of the market with vendors set to further enhance its world-class reputation.

“Our new Food Hall will be a modern and inviting indoor dining destination in the Queen Victoria Market precinct, attracting more visitors and boosting business for traders,” she said.

“Queen’s Food Hall is part of our $268 million Queen Victoria Market Precinct Renewal program to ensure this Melbourne institution can continue to serve traders and customers for decades to come.”

The revamped food hall has been long-awaited after its opening was delayed by more than 12 months due to labour shortages, supply chain issues, bad weather, and other issues. •