Project Forty Nine brings a taste of Beechworth to Collingwood

Plenty of regional restaurant owners boast of bringing city style to the country. But former Vue de Monde wine director Rocco Esposito and his wife Lisa Pidutti are reversing the traffic, opening a cafe, deli, wine bar and event space in Collingwood's back streets to showcase produce from Victoria's north-east.

The pair have taken over a large tract of the $60 million apartment development in Collingwood's historic Foy & Gibson precinct for Project Forty Nine, also the name of their Beechworth wine label and cafe.

Esposito and Pidutti, who previously ran Wardens Food & Wine in Beechworth, have brought in their one-time apprentice, Tim Newitt, as head chef of the 60-seat cafe-deli.

Newitt, whose CV includes Cutler & Co, Bouzy Rouge and Craft & Co, is using biodynamic produce from the owners' farm, along with ingredients sourced from the north-east such as True Blue honey from Beechworth, and hazelnuts and berries from Stanley for the Italian-influenced breakfast and lunch menus.

A separate 60-seat restaurant will open in the development early in the new year.

Open daily 7am-7pm.

107 Cambridge Street, Collingwood, projectfortynine.com.au