Two more Melbourne venues for Fonda Mexican

After nearly a year of permit hurdles Tim McDonald and David Youl have started building Fonda Mexican Smith Street, due to open by the first week of December. In the meantime, get your taco fix in Malvern East, when the new Chadstone taqueria opens in mid-October.

The Chadstone operation is part of a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of the west mall. Fonda will be joined by Neil Perry's Burger Project, New Shanghai and a host of other high-end operators. McDonald says it's more of a food precinct than a food court. Expect a freestanding venue designed by Techne Architecture & Interior Design with alfresco dining and a view of the city skyline.

The Smith Street location takes over that hot pink cheesecake shop on the Stanley Street Corner (it's heritage listed, hence the delay) as well as the adjoining barbershop for a double storey restaurant with a retro theme by Wildhen and ST Style. The fitout plans include plenty of booth seating and a separate bar area, plus alfresco dining. Oh, and watermelon margarita spritzes on tap.

Fonda Mexican Chadstone and Smith Street will be venues six and seven respectively for the group but McDonald assures us there isn't going to be a Fonda on every Melbourne corner; he and his business partners have eyes on interstate locations.

Fonda Mexican will open at Chadstone shopping centre mid-October and at 236 Smith Street, Collingwood early December. Fonda Mexican currently has locations in Knox, Hawthorn, Richmond, Windsor and Flinders Lane, City.