Father's Day gift guide for locked down Melbourne foodies

Father's Day is two weeks away, but with deliveries facing major delays due to the pandemic, you best get on it quick smart.

Godfather gift box

Do you love Coppola's The Godfather for the power, or for the sheer Italian vibes? If it's the latter, the Carolina Group (Marameo, Bar Carolina, Il Bacaro) has created an interactive party pack replete with checkered tablecloth and dishes from the film, including veal marsala and DIY cannoli. $180 for two or $300 for four. carolinagroup.store.

Mjolner merch

Given how many carved beer horns (real horn!), etched whisky glasses and hand-carved knives were stolen from Melbourne's viking-themed Mjolner when it was open, somebody's dad is guaranteed to be happy receiving a hand-whittled knife. mjolner.com.au It would also be hard to go past Attica's ever-expanding range of merch, from Heesco tees to their own range of pottery. shop.attica.com.au

For sugar (loving) daddies

Piccolina Gelateria has taken the Italian cuneesi (layered chocolate truffles) concept and created giant ice-cream versions with a rainbow of layers. There's mint or the Al Rhum version, featuring layers of mascarpone gelato, orange creme brulee, dark rum caramel, cocoa meringue, and flourless chocolate cake. You get two for $45 (they come in a collectable tin, too) and need to pre-order for pick-up from Collingwood, Hawthorn or St Kilda. piccolinagelateria.com.au.

Mould cheese box

For obvious reasons, the annual dairy day out that is Mould Cheese Festival has been canned, but the group is still connecting fans and producers with cheese boxes. September's box is an all-Victorian line-up, with cheeses from Stone and Crow, Milawa and Shaw River. The boxes contain four cheeses (700g all up) for $70-$85, postage included. Or how about a 1.1kg wheel of cloth-bound Pyengana cheddar for $90? Impressive. mouldcheesefestival.com

Beers and barbecue

Into barbecue? Burn City Smokers is offering a monster pack of brisket, kransky, chipotle wings and a mess of sides – including coleslaw, potato salads and milk buns – plus beers and apple crumble. That's a lot of loving for $150, and extras to chuck in the freezer for later. Orders must be in by Tuesday, September 1. burncitysmokers.com.au To go with it, Tallboy and Moose brewery is offering packs of frosty one-off brews, hot sauces and tees. tallboyandmoose.com/shop

Cult cake

Black Star St Kilda quietly reopened its doors last month, which means that the crunchy, creamy, rose petal-topped watermelon cake that broke the internet is back. It's also available for delivery within 30 kilometres of St Kilda, and if you are considering a feast from the Mornington Peninsula's Rare Hare, the shop is a local pick-up point. blackstarpastry.com.au.

Cannoleria by That's Amore x Four Pillars

Negroni cannoli: not just a great stage name, but now a delicious bitter-and-sweet dessert kit collaboration between That's Amore and Four Pillars gin. The $28 kits come with six large or 12 mini cannoli shells to be piped with ricotta infused with Campari and Four Pillars gin marmalade. Delivery available. cannoleriabythatsamore.com.au

Rare nips

Australian distillers go all-out for Father's Day. Limited releases are all the go this year, though some require that you love your father-figure quite a bit.

Bass and Flinders is known for its gin, but has some dark spirits coming of age. A limited release of its six-year-old brandy is yours for a handsome $199 (or get their tasting pack of four gins for $55 if you don't love him that much). bassandflindersdistillery.com

Coffee nerd? Mr Black, Melbourne's own maker of coffee liqueurs, has collaborated with St Ali to create a single origin coffee liqueur using El Diamante beans from Peru ($69.99). It's hard to think of a more Melbourne present. Order via mrblack.co.

If your dad really deserves it, the Rare Cask Society is releasing its third limited-edition bottle in the Whisky Art Project, featuring artwork by David Bromley. The collectible is his for $395. rarecasksociety.com

Take Away books, by Somekind Press

One of the best things to have come out of lockdown has been the rise of micro publications. The Take Away series, by Somekind Press, is raising funds for restaurants such as IDES, Igni and Daughter In Law by helping them create well-shot and illustrated 80-page books featuring their stories, "rantings" and about 30 recipes for $22. A would-be cover is listed for 10 days, and must get 100 backers for the publication to go ahead. If not, your money will be forwarded to the restaurant as a donation; so far, all titles have easily hit the 100-order minimum. It's the best collector's item going. somekindpress.com.