Il Mercato Centrale Is Open. Here Are All the Vendors at the New ...
After over two years of planning, the three-storey Italian food hall Il Mercato Centrale – with branding by the same Florence-based team behind Mercato Centrales in Florence, Rome, Turin and Milan – opens to the public at 4pm today. Collins Street’s McPherson building has undergone an $18-$20 million renovation to make way for the 3000-square-metre “central market”. It’s now home to 23 food stalls with different specialties.
Here are all 23 Il Mercato Centrale vendors. From a stall specialising in Sicilian-style fried calamari to a cheese shop from That’s Amore and even a Southern American burger joint.
La Frutta e la VerduraFresh fruit and vegetables from Fairfield produce market Biviano & Sons.
Fishmonger George Milonas, who has worked at the Queen Vic Market for years, sells fresh seafood at the aptly named Il Pesce.
Lavezzi’s Angelo Sperlinga sells fresh pasta at this stall.
La PasticceriaMuch like the pasticcerias (cake and pastry shops) seen in Italian streets, La Pasticceria has Italian pastries and cakes with a modern twist.
La MozzarellaA new shop from cheesemaker and Sicilian-native Giorgio Linguanti of That’s Amore Cheese.
La Pasta Fatta in CasaHandmade pasta from food blogger Annapaola d’Alessio.
This stall from Damian Malone of The Flour House in Highett has bread and pastries made using wholegrain flour that’s ground in-house using an Austrian mill.
La Pizza al TaglioA shop specialising in pizza baked in rectangular trays sold by the slice.
La Carne e i SalumiCold cuts and aged meats from a Josper grill from former Society chef Nikos Chatzopoulos.
I Calamari FrittiA store with Sicilian-style calamari.
La Pizza NapoletanaNeapolitan-style pizza from Valerio Violetti of Hello Bello Pizza in Black Rock.
Il RisoA gluten-free risotto stall by Simone Garusi of Brighton restaurant Italian Chef.
La PiadinaA stall specialising in piadinas, the classic Italian flatbread.
Lo Smash BurgerTexas-inspired smash burgers and Nashville hot chicken.
Il RistoranteThe restaurant mixes handmade Italian ingredients such as sourdough, pasta, and balsamic vinegar, with local parmesans and olive oils.
Il CaffeA coffee shop selling espresso drinks made using Lavazza beans.
I CannoliA cannoli store from Dario Di Clerico of South Melbourne market’s UGO Burrata Bar. Cannoli will be topped with seasonal ingredients and filled with ricotta from That’s Amore.
Il CioccolatoA chocolate shop from former To Be Frank head pastry chef Alessandro Luppolo.
Il GelatoA gelato shop with a counter you can watch the entire churning process from.
L’EnotecaA wine shop from Mark and Michelle Singarella of Vino Bambino, with bottles from Italy, France, Australia and New Zealand.
La DistilleriaA spirits shop from Australian Distilling Co’s master distiller professor Graham Jones and the brand’s master distiller and founder Michael Hickinbotham.
Main BarOne of two bars run by Il Mercato Centrale.
The Cocktail BarA lounge bar run by the Il Mercato Centrale team with spritzes and inventive cocktails.
