Just Open: Macedon Wine Room, Macedon

You can take the boy out of St Kilda … chef Steve Gerdes​, who was the manager of St Kilda's Dogs Bar in the late '90s and early 2000s (working for the late Donlevy Fitzpatrick), has opened the Macedon Wine Room with his wife Sarah Fitton​. It's a smart 60-seat room with wooden finishes, and a lounge area set around an open fireplace, but it's the 180-degree view stretching out over the Macedon Ranges that is the main attention-grabber.

The menu has an Italian bias, with a couple of pizzas, pappardelle with duck ragu, and larger dishes, which might include porterhouse with green salad and chips. There are antipasti and cheese plates for grazing. According to Gerdes, "It's good, simple food".

The wine list carries a few local gems, but Gerdes wants people sipping wines from everywhere. "I don't want to be too narrow in the offering," he says. Seems you can't take St Kilda out of the boy.

Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 10pm; macedonwineroom.com.au

Macedon Wine Room, 652 Black Forest Drive, Macedon, 5426 3030.