London restaurant is coming to Australia – for 5 days only

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
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Aussies can experience Michelin-star dining at this exclusive Melbourne pop-up in March.

Michelin-star dining is universally considered the ultimate foodie experience. Given to only the most exceptional restaurants around the world, the highly coveted award signifies brilliance in all aspects, from the food to the service and everything in between.

Unfortunately for us, Australia is yet to be recognised under the Michelin Guide. However, foodies are marking their calendars for March, when famed Michelin-starred London restaurant, St. JOHN opens its highly anticipated pop-up at the 2025 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.

Farokh Talati and Trevor Gulliver for the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
St. JOHN co-founder Trevor Gulliver and head chef Farokh Talati will run the pop-up.

How can I attend the St. JOHN pop-up?

The coveted St. JOHN pop-up will take place for five days only (25–29 March) at French Saloon, one of Melbourne’s best restaurants. Co-founder Trevor Gulliver and executive chef Farokh Talati will join French Saloon co-owner Ian Curley and head chef Luke Fraser to present a set four-course menu at each service. The exclusive meal will be paired with wines shipped over from St. JOHN’s Boulevard Napoléon vineyard in the Minervois, as well as tipples from French Saloon’s cellar.

French Saloon in Melbourne, Victoria
Melbourne restaurant French Saloon will host the exclusive pop-up. (Image: Visit Victoria)

It’s the internationally acclaimed eatery’s first-ever Aussie appearance and the country’s second Michelin-starred visitor. It’s preceded only by Copenhagen-based restaurant noma’s hugely successful Sydney pop-up in 2016. Bookings were finite, with 5000 available slots selling out in minutes. Around 30,000 people were left on the waitlist, fingers crossed and mouths watering.

But those wanting to get a taste of Michelin-starred magnificence in 2025 haven’t missed out – yet. Tickets for the St. JOHN pop-up are on sale now, but selling out fast. Priced at $135 per person, each ticket includes all four courses, with drinks charged upon consumption.

A dish at St. JOHN restaurant in London, UK
St. JOHN spearheaded the sustainable nose-to-tail food philosophy. (Image: Matthew Falsetti)

St. JOHN’s sophisticated menu, top-quality produce and experimental style saw it awarded one Michelin star in 2009, as well as Best British and Best London Restaurant in the 2001 Moët & Chandon Restaurant Awards. In 2023, founders Trevor Gulliver and Fergus Henderson earned a Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Restaurant Awards. It’s also credited for pioneering the nose-to-tail method, an environmentally conscious food philosophy that encourages chefs to use every part of an animal when cooking to reduce food waste.

St. JOHN restaurant in London, UK
St. JOHN has three venues across the boroughs of London. (Image: Alla Tsyganova)

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

What other pop-ups should I attend?

While the St. JOHN pop-up is an obvious program highlight, here’s what else hungry foodies can look forward to at the 2025 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.

Philip Khoury x Smith + Deli Bake Sale

Globally recognised plant-based chefs Shannon Martinez and Philip Khoury will host an exclusive pop-up bakery at Smith + Deli. It’s an all-out vegan extravaganza, with freshly baked pastries, cakes, tarts and other delicious desserts up for grabs at one of the city’s best cafes on 22 March.

Konstantin and Manuela Filippou x Liberty: The Greek Table

Konstantin and Manuela Filippou for the 2025 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
Konstantin and Manuela Filippou will host The Greek Table.

If you miss out on St. JOHN tickets, you can still get a taste of the Michelin-star experience at Bar Liberty, a stalwart of Melbourne’s world-class bar scene, each Sunday from 23 March. Fine-dining chef Konstantin Filippou’s two Michelin stars will be on full display at the Fitzroy establishment via a relaxed lunch offering, The Greek Table.

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Something Saucy by Leggo’s

Linguine lovers, this one is for you! Aussie pasta sauce brand Leggo’s is setting up shop in Whitehart Lane with Italian eatery, Super Norma. On 25 March, grab a bowl of fresh pasta al forno before securing your free jar of Leggo’s Australian passata, while stocks last.

Dim City by Emporium Melbourne

Dim Sim for Dim City at Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
Devour a range of delightful dim sim variants.

Celebrate 80 years of the dim sim the right way – by eating as many as you can for free! Up-and-coming Melbourne chefs Rosheen Kaul, John Rivera and Eun Hee An will be dishing out their own versions of the beloved dumpling-style snack, from cheesy kimchi to spicy lamb. It’s all happening at Dim City on 28 March.

Tacos and Toum by Wesley Place

Mexico and the Middle East meet on 26 March at Tacos and Toum, a cross-cultural culinary affair between food truck founder Raph Rashid and hummus king Tom Sarafian. Think tacos stacked with Lebanese toppings, Puebla’s take on kibbeh and finger-licking flavours from the Caribbean coast.

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Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to check out places like Scotland and North America, her favourite place to explore will always be her homeland.
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The Gold Rush town that’s become Victoria’s best country escape for foodies

    Jocelyn Pride Jocelyn Pride
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    The well-preserved Gold Rush town where an idyllic country vibe meets the best of city living.

    Cafe culture

    ‘Slow down’ is the mantra of Tortoise Espresso, and it’s apt for anyone visiting town. This local coffee hangout was the brainchild of Lloyd Meadows, who at 16 started it as a hole in the wall of an old pub. Five years on, it graces a fine shopfront with a menu of around 60 different coffees. Other one-off centrally located daytime cafes, such as Saffs, Togs, Saint Florian and Lazy Bones, are tucked into historic buildings and serve creative menus featuring local produce. A personal favourite is Origini, where chef Luca Sartori brings a taste of northern Italy to his rustic restaurant. For the best banh mi outside Vietnam head to Super Hero, and the pastries at Johnny Baker are legendary.

    the Saint Florian Cafe, Castlemaine
    Saint Florian is one of many businesses tucked away in a historic building. (Image: Griffin Simm)

    On the town’s fringe you’ll find some treasured cafes: Blackbird. Grist, Doveton Corner Store, and the cosy Aitken’s Corner. The Mill precinct also brings another dimension to Castlemaine. Located directly opposite the beautiful Botanical Gardens, this once-derelict woollen mill is a hive of creativity and collaboration. Retaining an industrial feel, it is home to a myriad of 44 unique businesses, galleries and studios that stretch over the three-hectare site.

    Brilliant brews, bars and food

    diners at The Mill, Castlemaine
    The Mill is home to many local businesses. (Image: Visit Victoria/Michelle Jarni)

    The Mill is also home to one of Castlemaine’s bespoke breweries, Shedshaker Brewing Company and Taproom. Within the sensitively restored walls of the oldest part of the building (circa 1875), small-batch, handcrafted beer features alongside fine wholesome food and live music.

    A more recent newcomer to the brewing scene is Love Shack. Starting small as a laneway pop-up in 2021, visionaries Conna Mallett and Harry Cox were armed with a Melbourne beer culture pedigree, which helped them create a great new ‘pub’ that feels as though it’s been there since the 1850s. Other atmospheric bars and restaurants are dotted around town – Grafting Cellars for local wines by the pour; buzzy Mostyn Street Cellars; Table Records plays vinyl on weekends; and the quirky Maurocco bar is not to be missed.

    food and drinks at Love Shack Public Bar & Bistro, Castlemaine
    The nostalgic Love Shack Public Bar & Bistro serves comfort food. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    For food you’ll write home about, the hatted Bar Midland serves exquisite dishes from Victorian-only produce. The freshly renovated Wild is located in the original firestation, Voor Ouker specialises in Indonesian/Dutch fusion, and the Railway Hotel oozes English pub charm.

    the Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
    Theatre Royal is the longest continually operating theatre on the mainland. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

    Much-loved Teatro Regio, found in the magnificent Theatre Royal, is the go-to for pizzas with a twist. As mainland Australia’s longest continually running theatre, this grand dame is also one of more than a dozen performance spaces that add to a rich and diverse entertainment and festival scene.

    pizza at Theatre Royal
    Dine before a show at Theatre Royal. (Image: Tourism Australia/Visit Victoria)

    Quirky country stays

    Quirky, authentic and perfectly located, the Midland Hotel is a private hotel that dates back to 1879. Each of the nine rooms at the Northern Arts Hotel is different and named in honour of an Australian artist. Castlemaine Boutique Accommodation also has a range of properties to suit all types of travellers.