Attica

I have been trying to make a booking here for months but failed every time, come to find out that my amazing boyfriend had pulled off getting a booking 4 months in advance and has been laughing at my frustrations and keeping his mouth shut the whole time!
We came here on a Tuesday, which is known to be their experimental day where they try to come up new menu items. Tuesday dinners here are cheaper than regular week nights considering diners do not know what the menu consist of until they sit down.
5 course degustation meal, with amazing bread in between with homemade macadamia nut butter:
1) Snow crab, Heirloom tomatoes & pineapple oil (FAVOURITE)
2) Aged sirloin & mushrooms
3) Squid, Corn & Seaweed
4) Jumbuck (Lamb Shoulder), Rivermint & Eucalyptus
5) Sugar Plum Crumble & Whiskey Cream
Servers & Management team were all very knowledgeable and friendly. I enjoyed most meals on the degustation, but overall the experience was amazing. I really felt the staff/chef’s passion through the thought of each meal. An experience like this is very rare in the hospitality industry!

We just barely got a table. Within a minute of the reservation system opening my husband got a reservation and then quickly there after the tables for two were gone for the month of May.
We had watched the documentary called Chef’s Table about the chef and the restaurant. I thought I knew what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. I was wowed.
The service, the atmosphere, and the food was amazing. It was truly a taste of Australia and one of the best fine dining experiences I have ever had.

Exceptional in every way, great food, strange and wayward wines, theatre of the garden and very attentive staff.

I had been really nervous about coming to Attica. $ 220 AUD is nothing to laugh at and I had heard some mixed reviews from friends who had been there in the past.
I had been keeping an eye out for a reservation and remarkably I got a last minute reservation for 4 people 5 days before the date. (1 of whom had been to attica years before and thought it was an average experience with his only dish he enjoyed being the famous «potato cooked in the earth it was grown»)
A little background:
This year has been my year of fine dining. I have gone to 4 places on the world’s 50 best list (2 in spain, 2 in America), and gone to some that were in the 51 – 100 range. Attica was my 5^th «World 50» in the last 6 months, so I don’t know if I have the chops to comment on it from a palate level, but at least from a recent dining experience level I can make some comments.
So where did it stand? In short — remarkable. Attica hit the mark on all levels. Fantastic wait staff. Great explanations of dishes. Great drinks menu. I did the tasting menu with no dietary restrictions and had the non-​alcohol pairing (this is big belief of mine as I find that non-​alcoholic pairings tend to give you inventive juices/​teas/​infusions that are sometimes sweet, sometimes savoury but more importantly tend to accompany the dish much more than a wine pairing does (with the additional benefit of not getting you pissed). My mate who was unimpressed the first time around was very impressed this menu.
So the menu. Note: these aren’t the names that they call them, but these are more the descriptions from what I noted during the tasting.
First the smaller bites
— Creamed corn
— Pipis with seaweed and grapefruit butter
— Mouth full of greens sugar snap walnut purée and asparagus
— Scrambled eggs with potato shell
— Fresh cow milk cheese with hazelnut oil and honeycomb finish
— Wallaby pikelet with malt vinegar cream and plum jam
— Carrot with fried chicken, mustard leaf, and kale
— Saltbush lamb pie
— Lances mussels with sea succulent
— Shaved sirloin beef with macadamia sauce
— Garden soup — a chicken and coriander broth with 20 different herbs so every bite/​slurp has a different flavour profile
My favourites here were the Fresh cow milk cheese with hazelnut oil and honeycomb finish, the carrot with fried chicken, mustard leaf and kale, and the saltbush lamb pie.
Larger dishes:
— Kangaroo fillet with purple carrots, pickled onions and a hazelnut equivalent purée (most beautifully vibrant dish and my dish of the night)
— West Australian Marin crayfish sweet and sour pumpkin seed holy flax and Garlic flower
— Yeasty potato with bakers yeast timboon cheese cream
— Cabbage with egg and tamarind cream, cabbage leaf, braised cabbage wedge and heart with beetroot and emu
My winners here were the kangaroo fillet and the cabbage with egg and tamarind cream
Desert:
— Granny Smith apple ribbon with cream inside with rhubarb and chamomile sauce
— Milk evaporated milk and passion fruit and mango reduction with a crumb
No losers here.
Special mention: their DELICIOUS rye sourdough bread which they will keep bringing out for you if you want more, which is accompanied by a saltbush macadamia cream and home churned butter. We just kept getting more and more of it. It was addictive and delicious and everything that is right in the world. Gluten allergies be damned.
Attica is a World Class restaurant without a question of a doubt. If you are looking for a fine dining experience to knock you on your butt this is it.

Whimsical modernist cuisine at its best. This is highly entertaining dinner theater.
Beautiful food, a brief tennis challenge in the spice garden before the dessert courses, and a juice paring option for those that don’t to do the wine paring. I have never tried so many interesting juices in all my life.
I loved everything about my evening at Attica.

Wonderful to try again … Moody dark room, we sat off on one side in front of the dessert making team. So fun! interesting intellectual food. I enjoyed the little theatrical extras of going outside for billy tea, getting a recipe to take home etc. special occasion dining !

The space and the food and the theatrics of this restaurant all amount to the memorable dining experience of my life. I felt like a guest in Ben Shewry’s home, invited to nibble on all of his most precious creations, and treated like a VIP by every single person on staff.
The tasting menu is absolutely brilliant – there is no other word to describe it. From the masterpieces coming out of the kitchen to the beautiful wines curated by their somm, this has to be one of the best experiences on earth.

Everything you hear about Attica is true. An experience you will truly remember. Incredible. I recommend Tuesday’s as this is the experimenting night. Highest recommendation …

Went for the experimental menu on a Tuesday. Amazing from the moment we sat down until the moment we left. As an experienced fine diner in Melbourne, I can say with confidence this is one of our best.

My partner took me to Attica for my birthday this year. We advised 3 months in advance of dietary requirements and again on the day. Once seated, we waited half an hour for someone to take our drinks order. At 45 mins after being seated, I had to question where our food was. this was met with a pretty abrupt waitress telling me they wanted to make sure they got our dietary requirements 100%. (1x vegan, 1x seafood allergy). For a fine dining restaurant charging through the roof, they should be more organised, professional and be able to figure it out much quicker than on the night of the booking! Attica is such a bad place to spend an important occasion and I wouldn’t recommend it to my worst enemy. Food wise, was just as disappointing. I had two broths with flowers. I’m sorry but that is flavoured water and I got it twice. My partner hardly had any meat dishes so I’m sure they got the requirements wrong because no seafood, does not mean vegetarian. Another problem was drinks took ages to come out. Another was, our booking was at 6 and our last meal came out at 950pm. We’ve been to many fine dining restaurants and this was by far the most disappointing. Don’t waste your time or money. Service, food and experience were all bad.

I reserved a table here, well ahead of a trip to Melbourne, on the recommendation of a friend. He said it was a once in a lifetime experience, that was good enough for me! And it didn’t disappoint. We had an almost theatrical evening, with course after course of beautifully constructed and presented food. Not a napkin was out of place, the attentiveness of the staff is forefront. Well thought out menu, using Australia’s finest ingredients and taking humble vegetables to new levels. There was much conversation over what we were eating, with one of our party declaring at one point ‘it’s just a potato!’. The mid-​way course, where you left the table and went out into the herb garden was a highlight and I still think about that deliciously creamy macadamia butter. All in all, a very memorable evening.

Wife and I were gifted an evening here and we absolutely adored the whole experience. The food is sumptuous, our favourites were the mussels and WA marron with finger limes. Dessert was a delight made and presented in a truly unique fashion. What a wonderful place. Must go again soon!

A superb culinary adventure in all its refined form. Dignified, calm, attentive service & presentation. Quality in every way; quantity & quality make for an evening of culinary prospecting, and the treasure is where you find it. Every taste & smell were superb & the wines did nearly match — almost. Wines were good, varied in origin & age.

RAVE RAVE RAVE REVIEW! It has probably taken me the same amount of time waiting for our 4 month advanced booking to actually getting around to writing this review. Probably a good thing to keep in mind, the waitlist can be up to 4 months or more, so think ahead for your anniversaries etc
This place was so amazing, it blew my mind… I would probably give it 10 stars out of 5, that’s how great it was. The 8 course menu was really a 12 course meal because of these extra little bonus treats. My friends had matched wines and I had matched juices — a really interesting experience!
The staff were amazing, they were very polite, professional and knowledgeable about the food and complexities of how it was created. We also had someone different who presented the paired wines and juices in detail.
The portion sizes were perfect and we weren’t feeling bloated by the end of it. It was modern cuisine, from kangaroo to cured fish with 6 different edible flower petals on top; to chocolate and homemade ice cream in their mini garden. It was a lovely story telling experience, while also being interactive and intimate.
Also of note is that we had a reservation at 8pm, we got out at 12:30am, time flies when you’re having fun but be prepared to not have any plans after dinner especially as we had paired drinks!
Definitely the best degustation I have had so far with so many accolades — just have a look at their website.

*Review incomplete
Beautiful food with carefully considered thought in every dish.
Produce is all Australian, which is fabulous to see.
Setting feels like a bit of a glam rock concert. Loved the intermission between meals, we’re you’re taken out into the garden to taste a few herbs.
Service was exceptional.
7 months in advance booking was worth the wait.

I feel slightly embarrassed to say that I’ve never heard of Attica till my partner said to me that he booked dinner at a three hat restaurant. Supposedly ranked somewhere in the top 50 restaurants in the world. Due to the high demand, the booking was made several months in advance.
So the day came. I was excited, probably too excited knowing that I’ll be going to one of the top restaurants in the world.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by a host followed by a waiter. As you would expect, the service was flawless from start to finish. The waitors/​waitresses were attentive and thoroughly knew the menu.
The waiters left you alone as soon as they presented the dishes and commentary, yet there was always a waiter near by, to be at your service. This is a good thing as you don’t have that annoying waiter asking you every 5 minutes if your food was ok.
The food looked too good to eat. This is a time where I can truly say it’s art on a plate, particularly mussels and the meat from pearl oyster maxima with raddish. Every dish was presented with a detailed commentary, and sometimes a story was provided too. I had an eight course meal and a glass of red wine. In my opinion, the portion was just right and standard portion sizing compared to other «fine dining» restaurants where 6 – 8 course meal options are available. I was full by the time I had my dessert.
Only the finest produce was presented. They even grow their own herbs and vegetables in the backyard. This is a big tick for me. As part of the dining experience at Attica, you are taken for a mini tour of the backyard and to try their homemade apple juice (or whatever is in season at the time).
One thing I was slightly disappointed is the interior. The tables felt too closed to each other which made me feel slightly claustrophobic especially for a such a small space. The overall interior isn’t old but looks outdated especially compared to many other fine dining restaurants in Melbourne. Too simple for my liking. I expected something more uniquely modern or refurnished Victorian/​heritage.
The ambiance was semi-​intimate because the crowd at the time was varied, some quiet and some slightly too loud for a fine dining restaurant in my opinion. I would of preferred a more intimate dining experience. This has nothing to do with the Attica’s customer service, as this was excellent. They just need to work on improving the structure and interior inside to make it more modern, fancy and less claustrophobic to align with their food.
I rate this place as 4.5 out of 5 for their excellent service, food (presentation and quality), clean restaurant and herbs/​vegetables grown in the backyard. Downfall is the interior that needs improving. Would I go back again? Definitely, but hopefully their interior has been refurbished by then.

What a fantastic restaurant. If managing expectations is important this restaurant did it beautifully. The menu online is simple to the point of being bland but when you arrive at the restaurant it Is so much more. Four or five complementary surprise courses so it turns out to be a 14 course degustation.
It’s not like vue du monde where u leave feeling sick and over fed, the portions were perfectly sized and almost every dish had something completely original that I have never tried.
The ambiance is great and the service staff are well numbered, about one per table. A real experience. Will be back. In my book the best restaurant in Melbourne at the moment.
Can’t wait to see next months menu!

All I have to say is «You have to go to Attica!» The best meal I’ve ever had in my entire 46 year existence! And I’ve dined at some pretty stellar (French Laundry, Per Se, Le Dome, you name it) restaurant’s during the course of my career.
I will not bore you with the details. If you want details, just read all of the other reviews. The other reviews do this restaurant justice.
If you are planning a trip to Melbourne, make this spot one of your destinations while in town. If you live in Melbourne… LUCKY!!!
We flew nonstop all the way from San Francisco into Sydney (we also ate @ Quay) and then jumped on another plane for Melbourne to make it on time for our dinner rezzy’s.
The stress was well worth the trip. Once you walk into the front door, you enter into another world. The somber décor pairs well with the food. It’s understated elegance only enhances your dining experience. The food is the star (as it should be). It is the only thing that needs to shine and shine it does. Another thing I loved about this place was that in spite of being a world class restaurant, it was remarkably casual. Not stuffy or uptight in the least bit. The servers were informative (almost to the point of being too informative) and truly on top of their game.
In my opinion, go for the tasting menu with the wine pairing. Trust me. You’ll want to let them work their magic as you sit back and watch the show. It is a magical experience.
WARNING!!! If you do go for the tasting with wine, be prepared for a longer than usual dining experience. We had rezzy’s at 5:30 and did not leave the restaurant until well after midnight. I justify it this way, it’s like doing dinner and a show all wrapped into one. Trust me after eating here you will not want to go anywhere else that evening. Unless of course your in your early twenties and you need to go out and get laid or something. One thing they do not serve is sex at this establishment. Although, the whole experience is comparable to the sex act itself. Maybe even a little better? Well, it’s longer anyway.
Anyway, I highly recommend Attica and when I go back to Australia, I will definitely make this restaurant one of my stops.

I would give Attica all of the stars if I could. All of them.
We had the pleasure of dining at Attica last night for our anniversary because we’re lame and romantic like that. But rightly so, as the whole experience left us with great big smiles on our faces because — as my partner put it — we were like «kids in a candy store».
Every course was work of art and I would exceed the character limit by writing down my praise for each of them, so my highlights were:
— Crab with sorrel. This was actually my favourite dish of the whole night. Buttery, melt-​in-​your-​mouth crab delicately wrapped in «compressed» sorrel leaves, which had a lot of sweetness to them thanks to the mandarin purée. I could have eaten it all night!
— Simple dish of potato cooked in the earth it was grown in. This was the dish I was looking forward to and it blew my expectations out of the water.
— Deep fried breaded mussels. This was the first time I ever ate mussels because I used to be terrified of them… Not anymore! They were juicy and delicate and came out with a hand-​painted shell which added to the presentation nicely.
— A tour of the kitchen garden, followed by toasting fluffy marshmallows in a fire while sipping hot cider made from a variety of apples — magical!
The service was top notch, with each dish and paired wine explained in minute detail. We never had to wait too long between wines, waters and dishes, but it did not feel rushed at all (until we realised we had been eating for over 4 hours on a weeknight and should probably go home).
It was truly one of the best restaurant experiences I have had to date. Attica, without a doubt, lives up to and deserves all the hype.

To be honest I was hoping to hold off on this review until I could upload the pictures I took during dinner. Since post-​processing is taking much longer than expected, I figured I’d just post this first.
Dinner at Attica was spectacular. It wasn’t perfect, and I’ll go into what marred the evening in detail, but the food, the food was «As good as it gets», and I feel it’d be an injustice to not give this restaurant five stars despite its flaws.
Flaws:
The music here needs a lot of work. Maybe no one else notices the music in a restaurant serving you such amazing food, but the music being played genuinely affected all three of my party to varying degrees. When we visited, it was mostly ‘quirky’ unusual covers. The kind that has suddenly become all the rage in small restaurants and cafes. Some (of the covers) were alright, some were bad, and some were just downright horrible. It got so bad one of my friends was beginning to feel genuinely put off (music’s a big part of her life).
Service also could do with improvement. Water wasn’t always promptly topped up, I got to the bottom of my wine glass before having it noticed, which in my opinion was made worse because there was a staff member standing directly in front of me waiting to reset the table behind me. Priorities. Priorities. Though not the fault of the staff, some had very strong accents that made the dish explanations hard to understand. They also didn’t seem to react to the strained faces we gave while listening. It’s not for a lack of trying though. The staff genuinely tried to be friendly, engaging, and attentive. They just could have done better, and as someone that views service with a critical eye (work hazard), it did make for a less perfect dining experience.
We started with a series of appetisers: bread with a smoked olive oil emulsion and butter made from crème fraîche, fresh mushroom leaves with a crème fraîche and herb dip, an amazing walnut mousse served in walnut shells, topped with sliced mushrooms, and a picked… Jerusalem artichoke, ending with perfectly done breaded and deep friend mussels. The first few plates, with the leaves and walnuts had the amazing effect of conveying a sense of foraging to the diner. The leaves were served in a basket woven from branches, the walnuts served in their shells nestled amongst wood ships. It was a very earthy and sincere experience. The mussels were an explosion of juice and flavour, particularly impressive since they were deep fried. Personally I was expecting something slightly oily and maybe a little tough. This was nothing like that. Nothing at all. Don’t think that my lack of mention means that the accompaniments for the bread were any less impressive. The smokey flavour of the olive oil emulsion was tantalising.
We then opened with our first course, «Crab, Lettuces from Land and Sea» which was picked mud crab tossed in a coconut vinaigrette and resting on a slice of lettuce with some sea succulents. It was lightly seasoned, the sweetness of the crab was allowed to come through, with the nice touch that the leafier tops of the lettuce having a different flavour from the slightly more bitter base of the stem. That meant a contrast in flavours even within the dish as you worked your way along the the lettuce leaf.
This was followed by Marron, Sorrel, Sauce of Onions and Pork Fat. The marron (a type of crayfish) was very fresh, sweet but not unusually so, and was matched very well by the savoury accompaniment of the pork fat and onion sauce. The shredded sorrel provided a good textural contrast that really helped in bringing the marron and sauce together.
The next dish was Attica’s signature A simple dish of Potato cooked in the earth it was grown. Not truly cooked in earth, it’s wrapped in foil then slow cooked till it reaches a sublime texture that’s neither mushy not hard. Just enough to offer resistance but yet still melt in your mouth. I don’t remember what was in the sauce other than a ‘coffee soil’, but the combination of flavours and textures is so good we generally ate in silence for that course. It was one of those show-​stopping dishes that leaves you in silence after the first mouthful because you’re trying to absorb the myriad of wonderful flavours.
This was well matched by the dish that followed, Cucumbers, Holy Flax, Sauce of Burnet. This dish was another wonder, with the cucumber just slightly browned, still very firm, and served with a sauce of smoked trout and mature cheese as well as some olive oil. It was an undeniably brilliant combination of flavours that went far beyond the components on the plate, and actually managed to not be outshone by the humble yet unforgettable potato served just before.
I had four more courses but have actually already hit the 5000 character limit. Needless to say they were ALL SPECTACULAR and very very memorable. I just wish I could talk about all of them in detail. Sigh.