Piccolo: Melbourne restaurant bites

■ Anticipating a spike in demand for hot cross buns next month, Daniel Chirico, of Baker D Chirico in St Kilda and Carlton, is opening a pop-up shop at 24 Crossley Street in the city. The pop-up will open on April 1, selling buns, speciality chocolate nougat and bread Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 6pm throughout April.

■ Christopher Vivian, who earnt his hospitality stripes as a sommelier at the Botanical, No.8 and Cutler and Co, is living the dream. He took over Cafe 639 in Rathdowne Street, Carlton North, last December and is planning a name change but has already installed Max Rees (ex Moretons Brasserie) in the kitchen.

■ Jim McDougall, head chef at Stefano's in Mildura, has teamed up with local publican Liam Wood to open the Black Stump Bistro at the historic Settlers Hotel (110-114 Eighth Street), with a menu that mixes French and Australian bistro dishes with a side order of Americana.

■ Stand by for street food with a modern African twist at Jabili's Kitchen, run by Tanzanian-born chef Jabili Mchawala (ex-Rice Queen). The food truck, serving things like Moroccan lentil sliders with slaw, will set up behind Mr Wow's Emporium and Los Barbudos at 97b Smith Street, from Thursday-Friday 5-11pm, Saturday 6pm-midnight and Sunday 4pm-10pm until May.

■ Even Keel Wines has bought Vines of Red Hill and, after a Hecker Guthrie refit, hopes to reopen the space in mid-April as "democratically priced bistro" Polperro. Andrew Doughton (whose restaurant Long Table is on the market) will head Polperro's kitchen. Stage 1, renovating the property's villas and cellar door, is already complete.

■ Academic-turned-ethical farmer Tammi Jonas is holding monthly butchery and home-curing workshops at Jonai Farms in Eganstown, near Daylesford. For Jonas, the highlight will be this Saturday's charcuterie demonstration by Dominique and Christiane Chapolard, who run culinary retreat Kitchen at Camont in Gascony, France. "For years I've dreamed of going there, and they contacted me to come and visit. I'm thrilled," says Jonas. Click here for details.

■ Flying north for the winter? Donnini's in Carlton has spread its wings, opening Donnini's Simply Italian in the Hilton Hotel on the Cairns foreshore. Co-owner Marco Donnini says it was an opportunity too good to pass up. His father and business partner, Tiberio, has moved to far north Queensland to run the operation. It is open daily for lunch and dinner.

■ Restaurant group Roar Projects' new place at 425 Collins Street has taken a feminist turn, switching from Mrs Collins to Ms Collins, expected to open in late March. They're refusing to be pinned down to a single cuisine, promising dishes from France, Asia, Argentina, Spain and the Middle East. No, we're not sure what that means either.

■ Chef Adam Johnstone loved St Kilda seafood restaurant Claypots so much he opened a pop-up version in the Portsea Hotel's former juice bar (3760 Point Nepean Road) serving an abridged dinner menu, along with simple breakfast and lunch dishes and Timboon ice-cream to take away. Claypots at Portsea is open Friday to Monday, but off-season trading hours will depend on demand.