Melbourne's infamous blue algae latte and "eggs" made with sweet potato and coconut milk are Sydney bound. St Kilda's plant-based Matcha Mylkbar is headed to Surry Hills. "We're very, very close to a deal," Matcha co-owner Mark Filippelli says.
The restaurateur says the Sydney offshoot will be larger than the plant-based Melbourne original, and will open at night. "We're experimenting with blue algae pasta, and it'd [be decorated] with hanging cured mushrooms rather than prosciutto," he says.
Filippelli says Matcha's plant-based approach is driven by sustainability rather than hard-edged food philosophy: "None of us are vegans, but Australians increasingly want to eat this way. We feel like we're one step ahead of the market."
Filippelli also confirmed the new, design-edged building at 513 Crown Street, represented by agent Steffan Ippolito from Oxford Agency, is the target. "We hope to have it across the line in the next week, even if something happened there we're coming to Sydney."
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