Pet nat and live-shucked oysters under the watchful eye of a puppet-bus. Car park bars with premium beers, wines, spirits, coffees and non-alcoholic beverages. A riverwalk to The Rink at RISING, where you can have a boozy hot chocolate and a snack by the open fire. Maybe a wood-fired pizza slice before you glide the ice? Or go all out and let Melbourne's most iconic restaurants wine and dine you at dusk.

These are just some of the options from RISING 2023 food program. Because art is food for the soul. But food is for food for your belly.

MOON BITES

EXCLUSIVE RISING MENUS WITH DRINKS AND SMALL BITES

When the moon shines bright, the time’s just right for wine and a bite. Melbourne’s best restaurants—including Cumulus Inc, Nomad, Hazel and more—are interpreting RISING’s lunar energy with this early dining offer. Wander between RISING’s two food and art precincts, at Flinders Lane and Fed Square, then enter the restauraunt's warmth to enjoy a pre-show drink (alcoholic or non) and a snack. Think: hot smoked fish, apple, witlof and Yarra Valley salmon caviar paired with a gin cocktail at Nomad, or maple-roasted carrots with chickpea miso and tarragon next to mussels with guanciale, marsh cress and a glass of pet nat in the Hazel Atrium. Maybe cup of roasted Jerusalem artichoke soup and a nice rich, dark glass of porter at Victoria by Farmers Daughters? Sit for a stint, and set your senses up for the sublime.

WHEN

Every night of the festival, 07—18 June, 5—6pm

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS

Book your table via the restaurant links:

• Nomad
• Hazel Atrium
• Cumulus Inc
• Eau de Vie
• Victoria by Farmers Daughters
• Mabu Mabu
• Hero
• Bar 133 at QT

Find out More

DINE AT DUSK

CONCEPTUAL SET MENUS AT SOME OF MELBOURNE'S PREMIUM VENUES

Don’t be hungry and roaming while the sky is gloaming. Book a conceptual set menu of Indigenous dining at Mabu Mabu, or an “Under the Moon” feature dinner in the Hazel Atrium celebrating the seasons, low-waste cooking sustainable sourcing. Kisumé are doing a special edition of their Chef’s Table with a focus on nose-to-tail butchery and preparation, and there’ll be farm-to-plate deliciousness on offer at Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters located in Fed Square, at the heart of the festival.

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS

Mabu Mabu

• Wedneday 14 June, 5pm—9pm
• $90 per person
• Contact Mabu Mabu to book

Hazel Atrium

• Wednesay 14 June, 7pm—10.30pm
• $150 per person
• Contact Hazel to book

Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters

• Sunday 11 June, 5pm
• $85 per person (10% Sunday surcharge)
• Contact Victoria by Farmer's Daighter to book

Kisumé

• Sunday 11 June, 6.30pm—9pm
• $200 per person
• Contact Kisumé to book

Find out More

NIGHT TRADE PRESENTED BY UP

EAT AND DRINK NIGHTLY AT NIGHT TRADE

Enjoy curated deliciousness in Night Trade's surreal realm of curated chaos in a covered car park. Up Bar is housing a fully stocked hand-picked selection of Archie Rose pre-mixes as well as Victorian wines, local beers from Bodriggy Brewing Company, spicy ginger beer brewed just for RISING, and mulled wine. Hoy Pinoy’s Filipino BBQ skewers are cooked over coals, and there’s all-night hot box serving custom cuisine pies made by Free to Feed’s Ukranian, Sri Lankan, Egyptian and Columbian participants. Snack on chips and dips by Chappys and Free to Feed and caviar by Yarra Valley Caviar. Drink from a Sci Fi wine wall pouring locally made tap wines curated by sustainable wine bar Glou. Crack icy Bodriggy tinnies from an unanchored tinnie and enjoy a giant Negroni tank in full flow. Pearl Diver have shuckers on site, sorting the fresh oysters. Indulge, then it’s RISING that’s your oyster. Gluten free, vegan and vegetarian options available.

WHERE

Night Trade Presented by Up, St Paul's Cathedral Car Park

FOOD

• Free to Feed— all-night hot box serving custom cuisine pies
• Hoy Pinoy— Filipino BBQ Skewers
• Chappys and Free to Feed—chips and dips
• Pearl Diver Oysters
• Caviar by Yarra Valley Caviar

DRINK

• Negroni Tank with Archie Rose negroni on tap
• Tinnies from a tinnie (cans only)
• Up Bar—cans, wines and mulled wine
• Wine Bar—A wine wall with tap wines curated by Glou Sustainable Wine Bar (Collingwood)

HOW MUCH

Entry to Night Trade is free. Food and drinks at menu prices.

View Night Trade

THE RINK AT RISING

SKATE AND RELAX WITH SNACKS

After your skate, rest riverside by the open fire with a coffee by St Ali or a Mörk Chocolate and Archie Rose boozy hot chocolate. The drink selection is plentiful with Bodriggy beers, wine curated by Glou, low-sugar and probiotic soft drinks by Bobby, Bubble Tea by Cha Time, and an Indigenous-designed cuppa tea by Mabu Mabu. Munch on hot-buttered popcorn, or hot meals from Hot Dog Deli, Fugazi Pizza, Manny’s Doughnuts, as well as sweet and savoury crepes by not-for-profit Crepes for Change. Chappys and Free to Feed are offering the chips and dips. Pie Thief will be warming the night air with seriously chunky savoury pies. And, of course, there’s ice cream. Gluten free, vegan and vegetarian options available.

WHERE

The Rink at RISING, Birrarung Marr

WHEN

Thursday 1 June—Saturday 8 July (check the program for session times)

FOOD

• Popcorn
• Hot Dog Deli
• Fugazi Woodfired Pizza
• Manny’s Doughnuts
• Crepes for Change
• Ice Cream
• Pie Thief pies
• Mörk Chocolate-supplied cakes
• Caviar by Yarra Valley Caviar

DRINKS

• Main Bar feat. Archie Rose cocktails
• Mork Hot Chocolates (alcoholic and non)
• Coffee by St Ali
• Bobby soft drinks
• Tea by Mabu Mabu
• Cha Time bubble tea

HOW MUCH

Free entry to The Rink at RISING (skating from $22). Food and drinks at menu prices.

View the Rink at RISING