Just Open: Transformer vegetarian restaurant, Fitzroy

According to my dining friend I should have changed out of my sweaty leggings before heading to Transformer – the new venue by the team behind Vegie Bar, that cult Brunswick Street salad and stir-fry haven where yoga pants are not only allowed, but practically uniform.

My friend was wrong. Transformer, on Rose Street, is a step up from its sibling, offering elegantly plated ricotta and rye gnocchi, and multi-grain risottos against a breezy, timbery and plant-rich setting designed by Breathe Architects, making it exactly the sort of place you want rock your Lulu Lemons.

Chef Luke Florence's food ethos sounds promising too. You'll find a couple of faux cheeses on the list – an almond feta which he's serving alongside compressed and grilled watermelon, pistachio oil and chilli – but instead of walking the mock meat path, he's making each dish a celebration of vegetables in their prime, rather than trying to retro-engineer steak and lasagne. (No offence intended to the seitanic arts here, we're just all for casting vegetables as heroes).

There's an outdoor courtyard, the beers are craft, the wine list lengthy and it's squarely in Melbourne's vegetarian heartland.

Open Tue-Sun 8.30am-11pm. (Open for dinner only until April 7.)

99 Rose Street, Fitzroy, 9419 2022, transformerfitzroy.com.au