Five of a kind: Easter lunch venues

PHILHELLENE
You don't have to have a ya-ya of your own to enjoy a traditional Greek Easter. At Philhellene, the happy crowd will make you feel like you've been temporarily adopted and the menu is pure Hellenic joy. The set menu begins with meze including dips, saganaki and stuffed zucchini flowers followed by mouth-wateringly tender roast lemon lamb or roast kid with roast potatoes. Hot Greek donuts with halva ice-cream are a suitably celebratory finish.
Set menus $55/$30 a person at Philhellene, 551-553 Mount Alexander Rd. Moonee Ponds. Bookings 9370 3303. philhellene.com.au

PIZZINI WINES
Easter Italian-style means a family picnic at Pizzini Wines in the King Valley. A celebration of the autumn harvest, buy a glass of wine and stretch out on the lawn in the sunshine with a plate of polpetti, cannelloni or roast pork sausages. Nonna's apple strudel, mini pavlova, ice-cream and the winery's own Rocky Prosecco Road are also on the menu, as well as fun kids' activities including a rooster-crowing competition and grape-stomping.
Pizzini Wines is at 175 King Valley Road, Whitfield. Cellar door open from 11am-4pm. Bookings not required. pizzini.com.au

THE COMMONER
At The Commoner, the Easter Bunny isn't made of chocolate. Instead, roast rabbit is the meat of choice. But if you're not a big fan of lapin, don't worry, owner Jo Corrigan says she has sourced some ''particularly fine roasting chickens'' for the wood oven too. The roasts are part of a four course Easter menu, but the usual a la carte menu will also be available on the day.
$60 a person at The Commoner, 122 Johnston St, Fitzroy. Bookings 9415 6876. thecommoner.com.au

EPOCHA
Epocha has always been big on the Sunday lunch tradition and this Easter, the long lunch goes Greek with a slow-roasted lamb on a spit the centrepiece of a leisurely four-course sharing menu. Eat in the cosy dining-room of this marvellous Melbourne Victorian terrace, then finish with a stroll through the Carlton Gardens.
$58 a person at Epocha, 49 Rathdowne Street, Carlton. Bookings 9036 4949. epocha.com.au

UNION DINING
Sunday lunch is a firm tradition at Union Dining, and for Easter Sunday chef Nicky Riemer has devised a three-course menu designed to make you feel like you're having a family lunch at home. Graze on four shared plates to start, then follow with twice-roasted duck with roast potatoes. Chocolate custard with milk jam ice-cream for dessert is a cute nod to the Easter bunny.
$60 a person at Union Dining, 270 Swan Street, Richmond. Bookings 9428 2988. uniondining.com.au

Bookings still available at all restaurants at the time of writing.