Cumulus Up.

Great ambiance but the quality of food is standard at best.

My hubby and I read about Up and decided we had to try.
The space has the NYC loft feel with the brick wall and high ceiling
Our server, both visits was Marcus, love this man! Ramon (hubster) and I are big winos, to our delight there were wines/​grapes we had never heard of. We were hooked.
This last visit was with a few co workers, several of us decided on the tasting menu.
Do the tasting menu… you won’t be disappointed. I am pescatarian, a friend, no beef, yes the worked with us. no eye rolls from Marcus
We ordered a GSM and it was perfect with our food. soo good that when we asked for a second bottle. alas it was the last!
Ok the food… we started with some amazing oysters on the half. fresh, cold and briny. Crispy chickpeas? yes! Sweet and spicy
Kingfish crudo was out of this world melt in your mouth
what’s crazy? the food just kept coming, I lost track of how many items were placed and devoured I do recall my friend’s eyes rolling back in her head when she had a mini o over the duck waffle.
I cannot wait to return to this gem

I had the pleasure of dining here for a special work function and it was a lovely experience. The space comfortably fit 30 of us with room for more. It was an intimate feel having an open kitchen to watch them prepare and smell the food before dining.
We had three different canapes, each delicately crafted and tasty. The main dishes featured curried cauliflower, creamy potatoes, seasoned green beans, and a delectable lamb roast with tender meat that fell off the bone. The only dish that didn’t suit me was a duck pâté atop waffles, which most people found to be a strange mismatched combination.
Overall the food was on point and the service was stellar. Staff are well educated on food and wine pairings, and made sure all details were attended to promptly. I would recommend this place for a date as well as group dinner. It tends to breathe a bit more sophistication than the bar downstairs.

Didn’t start well, got here at 8am, place was packed, always a good sign. Whilst the wait staff where friendly and courteous their suggestion that I eat at an area used to store newspapers, spare plates and condiments was strange. I agreed to have a drink till a seat became available. So with menu and drink in hand the constant bumping of people dropping or picking up newspapers and plates was annoying and definitely not conducive to enjoying a meal.
As I watched vacant chairs, I was informed there would be a 30min wait and would I like to order something of the menu. Arh I don’t think so. Informed the waitress that if nothing was available I would finish my drink and go elsewhere. I was just about to exit when the waitress said there was now a seat available, she ushered me to a seat that had been vacant for at least 5mins which you could imagine was pissing me off.
Anyhow on to the food ordered the Shakshouka, egg cooked perfectly fantastic flavour, accompanied with rye sourdough. So long… Long Story short after the early angst and would be prepared to give them a second shot.

Hmm, so after explaining to the extremely rude waiter that my guide dog is in fact allowed in this establishment, we were disgruntledly seated, as we were I advised the waiter we would be having a drink and some dessert, so out comes a food menu.
Umm thanks mate, but do you think we could get the dessert menu as asked, and also stop sniggering at my puppy. all she is doing is sleeping under my feet.
After waiting 5 mins for the waiter to return, and to be harshly asked if we had decided, we made a new decision, and that was to leave. Sad as downstairs, the service is divine, and the food just as good, but I have been soured from this experience.
I just don’t know why wait staff sometimes feel the need to be rude, if you don’t like customers, you’re in the wrong job.

I attended the City Cellar Door event whicj featured wines from Mornington and $ 10 Pork Rolls. The latter was so yum I bought a second to takeaway. Lovely place with great service.

Must review whilst the flavour-​laden reflections are fresh on my mind. Cumulus Up gets my first elusive 5-​star review! And I’m no pushover.
We needed somewhere for an impromptu celebration for 2, something casual — less frou-​frou more fun. Settled on CU and wandered upstairs where we were greeted with friendliness and ushered to the bar to wait for a table to open up. It’s a nice opened-​up kind of space, dark woods with mirror & white light accents to give it a modern but intimate feel, the place had a good buzz. Arrived 8.30pm on Sat and 15mins later we were seated and cracking on with the ordering.
The Melbourne food scene is littered with small plates/​tapas/​designed to share dishes, CU joins the list & I’m completely fine with that. It’s more casual and you get to try more, always a good thing surely.
We kicked off with oysters, fresh & moreish. Then a stellar dish, sign of things to come. Grilled ox tongue, so packed with flavour I was stupefied, the intense savory notes balanced with sweet beetroot & bitter witlof. Next the Duck waffle, foie gras & prune jam — so damn delicious. silky flavourful foie gras on a crisp yet fluffy waffle, with a little hint of sweetness, yep we demolished that.
Then my friends the dish that had me swooning. The unsuspecting Ricotta dumplings with burnt butter & pine nuts. Now I’m not that kinda girl — I need some meat element to my mains but here’s the beauty of small dishes you feel encouraged to break away from the convention of meat mains as you may have covered it off in the prelude dishes.
And so they came, plump pale pillows with parmesan shavings, I heaped the melted butter on top with pinenuts & sweet currants. Inside was smooth ricotta, the dumpling skin was perfectly al dente. To eat the flavour was buttery, cheesy, nutty perfection. knockout dish.
Next a more Australian rendition of steak frites, with crispy enough chips but it’s hard for me to get off the bernaise train and french fries. The pepper sauce was very hot yet sweet, not quite for me. Still the meat was tender, cooked to medium-​rare perfection and very tasty.
Finished with a fruity & refreshing strawberry jelly, coconut sorbet trifle — fair. I liked the winelist lots of interesting by the glass choices and service was pitch perfect — friendly, professional, very capable.
You must go, settle in and order up. You won’t look back.

This place is great. A bit more relaxed then it’s older sibling cumulus it is a fabulous spot for a drink and a bite to eat.
I’ve been here a few times for after work drinks and they can accommodate big groups which is always handy.
On the first Saturday of the month they have the cellar door event which is a really fun way to sample wines from different regions.
This week was Macedonia ranges and whilst the first winemaker we spoke to was less than friendly all the others more than made up for it. Food is also available in the form of spit roast suckling pig buns. Super yum and well worth it at just $ 10.

Just upstairs from Cumulus Inc the café/​restaurant– Cumulus Up (stairs) is their wine bar. Such a great space– again, winning streak. Love the timber floors, dim warm lighting and fun pill-​shaped multi coloured lighting around. Beautiful and sophisticated– an ideal place to spend the night.
Ordered their Martini ‘as you please’ with gin and with olives. Friend got a cocktail and we had a really lovely waiter chat with us about the menu downstairs while doing orders and delivering our drinks. An extensive drinks menu with New World and Old wines as well as other options– lots of pages to peruse through for choices.
Will definitely need to come back to try Andrew McConnell’s wine bar menu with it’s own amazing offers such as the fried chickpeas, rabbit & foie gras pâté, duck waffle as well as their sure to be, great desserts.

I was walking in downtown Melbourne, visiting on business, looking for a place to grab a bite. My work colleague had bailed on me at the last minute. I rang my wife and chatted with her, saying I was going to try to find a place to dine where I didn’t look like a complete saddo loner.
A few minutes after that conversation, while still strolling, I got an email from my wife: a link to a newspaper article titled «The best solo dining places in Melbourne». Divine providence.
I read the article and picked one of the spots on the list: Cumulus Up. And it worked out wonderfully.
Cumulus Inc is a lauded eating house on Flinders Lane. Cumulus Up is their upstairs wine bar. It has several tables, but also has bar seating (good for solo dining) and serves their full food menu (good for the hungry).
It’s a very loud, busy, packed place to eat and dine, and I was shoulder-​to-​shoulder at the bar. But it worked out great: I could chat with the servers, and from my position could watch all the various and busy kitchen activities that go on in a quality dining establishment. Fun.
The meal was excellent: a Scotch egg in gravy and foie gras on a waffle to start, then some delicious roast chicken and green for the main. Accompanied by a couple of glasses of regional wine it was an experience to savour.
Staff couldn’t have done for me. Even the crew in the kitchen shared a few knowing winks with me when I observed their shenanigans.

Dropping in for a late night snack I knew the food was good was not expecting what was about to be put in front of me. We sampled a few different dishes all of which were amazing! All my dining companions raved about the flavors and service.
This place is great if you just want to sit back and enjoy a bottle of wine (the wine list is extensive) and nibble your way through a selection of great sharing dishes.
Make sure you don’t leave without trying the rum baba. A delicious sponge served with crème anglaise and your own bottle of rum to baste the sponge or drown depending on taste :) a great way to end a delicious meal. Ask your waiter for the special of the day. They are generally amazing !

Stopped here for a glass of wine around 5:30pm on a Saturday while waiting for a table elsewhere. There was plenty of seating available at this time and it wasn’t too crowded. I can’t comment on the food as I only had a drink during this visit, although I’d like to return to try the food.
The venue itself is attractive with a rustic feel. It features old timber tables, exposed brick work, and simple chairs, amongst other things. A modern open kitchen complements the rustic feel of the dining area.

Baby Brother to Cumulus downstarts. Ok, maybe not Baby Brother. This is more of a cousin. More brooding and yet somehow laid back. The cousin who’s a musician maybe.
Cumulus Up shares a few key parts of it’s downstairs cousin. The staff are certainly as knowledgable and as well-​drilled (if a just a little efficacious). They also have a great selection of Oysters, which I rave about in my Cumulus review.
As others have mentioned, the Foie Gras Duck Waffle is a highlight. It also exemplifies the meals at Up — Smaller, Richer, More Intense. On arrival you won’t think you could have a full meal here, but after a few of the dishes you’ll feel full enough.
One snag is that it’s easy to rack up an expensive meal. Particularly if you buy wine by the glass and a quick glass of wine turns into three. This isn’t unique to Up, but it’s easy to do here. Plan ahead a little and grab a bottle if you feel you’ll be hanging out.
So where does Up slot in? Cumulus is where you have dinner, Cumulus Up is where you have supper. Top of the list for something tasty after 11pm.

If you’re planning on heading to Cumulus Inc. for dinner, then chances are you’ll end up at Cumulus Up. prior to being seated in the main dining room.
Cumulus Up is a wine bar and appears to be in total chaos upon entry, but somehow it manages to flow. Sometimes you’ll be seated at a table, and other times you just have to pounce at a table!
It’s European in atmosphere, and boasts a climate controlled cellar that houses a huge eclectic selection of wines. The lists are enormous, so choosing one wine is overwhelming. Luckily, the staff were very knowledgeable, even with my point finger to any wine approach.
The small menu is designed to complement the wine, obviously and is perfect for sharing.
Try not to fill up on food from this menu, before you get to order off the main one unless of course, you’re planning to spend it upstairs.

Duck waffle. You heard me. Duck. Waffle. I don’t think I need to say much else. DUCK WAFFLE

Love this new wine bar atop Cumulus Inc. They have a great variety of wine served by the glass, carafe (375mL), ½ bottle and full bottle. Also equipped with a tasty bar menu — which in fact has a selection that can suffice as dinner (which is what we did). Service is very good — and if you are unsure of the wines, they do a tasting! On top of that, they are open til 1am and serve food — perfect for the late night diner (s) (like me!). Definately worth coming back.

Spectacular.
I dined at Cumulus Up with a group of seven friends. Per Tresna’s suggestion, we left the ordering to our waiter, who curated an impressive and diverse array of dishes for us.
The Highlights:
Offal salad, full of delightful porky bits: A bit of beautifully brined tongue, crispy ear, a marshmallow soft jowl, and an amazing persillade/​pesto sauce.
Ricotta dumplings: Light as a feather and served with clarified butter, currents, and pine nuts.
Duck: Perfectly tender and served with an unbelievably good reduction and a bitter, creamy pot of turnip purée.
In all, we were able to sample more than 8 dishes and the only thing that failed to impress was the slightly overcooked snapper in crab sauce.
The massive wine list features some fairly well priced bottles and I was impressed that our wine glasses were changed before each of our five successive bottles arrived. Our giant pinot noir goblets were replaced with a more slender glass for the Cotes de Rhone, which were switched out again when the cabernet appeared. Indeed service was unfailingly prompt, courteous, and professional throughout the meal.
As platter after platter of incredible food arrived on our marble topped table my husband turned towards me and said, «I feel like Louis the fourteenth!» There was definitely an element of restrained decadence here but the bill didn’t break the bank, coming to a bit less than 100 dollars per head. Not bad at all considering the fact that we were all very full and quite drunk when we stumbled out after four hours.
Cumulus Up, you dazzled me baby.

It’s a beautiful space.
The menu is different to Cumulus but shares a few bits and pieces.
The wine list is awesome.
The staff know good food and wine.
That is all you need to know.
Go.

Well it’s only been talked about for two years, but the upstairs bar at Cumulus is finally open and Melbourne, I’m glad to say, we have been rewarded for our patience. Hoorah!
Cumulus Up is a a darker, smaller and sexier space than its big brother downstairs and while I imagine a lot of people will come here for a pre dinner drink when waiting for a table downstairs, I’m going to put it to the top of my «late night dining and snacking» list.
Originally we’d planned on coming here for a cocktail and dessert but somehow got swept up in the excitement and proceeded to eat a number of the small plates. First up: a glass of natural wine which went spectacularly well with an off-​menu special of light as air brandade, fried potato slices (read: über potato crisps) sprinkled with smoked paprika and fennel pollen.
Then we were sent some complimentary fried zucchini flowers with a romesco styled salsa. These were perfectly done and I think the best kind of drinking food — hot and crispy, not at all oily, with a salty batter but sweet juicy interior.
Next, a glass of Western Australian Fiano with a plate of the Bonito sashimi which I have the feeling may become «the» dish here, much like the tuna downstairs at Cumulus. With a light ginger dressing, a scattering of fried nori and crushed sesame on top, the oily texture worked really well with with the weight of the Fiano.
Finally an aged and ashed goat cheese that had incredible layered textures and flavours, matched with a glass of light German Riesling. A wonderful cheese that makes me excited to make regular explorations in to their fromage menu.
The reason our food and wine pairings were so good? Because I left all the choices in the hands of Mark who has been one of my favourite waiters downstairs for many years and who has developed a formidable wine knowledge and ability to make the perfect matches. Talk to your waiter when you dine here and have them guide you.
Open until midnight, and 1am on Friday and Saturday you can be certain I’ll be checking in here on a very regular basis for well priced glasses of wine and tasty plates from the creative genius that is Andrew McConnell.