Melbourne's pubs and restaurants saddle up for The Cup

Cup day is always huge for Yarraville platter specialists Rocco's Deli, but 2020 is bigger than ever.

"We are selling double the numbers we did last year," says owner Christopher McQueen. He has 300 orders for Melbourne Cup antipasto boxes with many people ordering extra for family and friends.

"There will be one organiser and deliveries of five or six boxes to different addresses," says McQueen. "They'll be on Zoom, gathering around, sharing in the way they can."

Picnics are popular too, with fingers crossed for the weather. "Parks and beaches are big," he says. "We're getting lots of nice photos of our boxes on location. The circumstances are what they are, but everyone is hanging to celebrate with friends."

Carlton North pub the Great Northern Hotel has 194 guests booked for November 3, rotating through the dining room and beer garden in two-hour blocks with sanitising breaks in between.

"It's tough because we've never been a pub where you need a booking," says functions manager Chanel O'Neill. "We've always been a place where people can pop in, even on big sporting days. Last Melbourne Cup day we were absolutely heaving."

Nevertheless, O'Neill is finding customers incredibly keen and understanding about restrictions.

"Since Dan [Andrews] announced [restriction easing] on Sunday, we have taken bookings for 2033 guests with a waiting list of 481, and that's just for November. It's been hectic trying to organise everything. It's like a game of Tetris."

Social enterprise Free to Feed normally showcases the talents of refugees and new migrants through cooking classes and in-person catering. This year, they're boxing up grazing tables and picnic kits.

Free to Feed cook Mirna Mamo came from Syria four years ago. Her classes are on hold for now but she's happy to get caught up in the Cup spirit.

"It's interesting, all the people celebrating," she says. "In Syria, people might like horse races but it's private, not like Melbourne where you have a public holiday and day off school. I like it, that it's a special day for everyone."

What's on the menu for the Cup around Melbourne

HAMPERS

Rocco's Deli, 122A Roberts Street, Yarraville, 03 9314 6078

Small hampers for four people include top-shelf cheese, charcuterie, fresh fruit, dips and mixed olives. From $65.

Kitty Bakes, hello@kittybakes.com.au

Have a sweet Cup Day with a fancy cake tasting box by ex-Vue de monde baker Kitty Budihardjo. Flavours are pandan, red velvet, coffee and rockmelon, inspired by Kitty's Indonesian background. $50.

Neil Perry, lexusathome.com.au

Flemington regular Neil Perry can't let a Cup go by without a canape or three. He's encouraging people to create their own Birdcage and coming through with a fancy picnic that includes prawn cocktail finger sandwiches, tea-smoked duck and strawberry mascarpone cake. $250.

Grain Store, mryum.com/grain

It's easy to graze with Grain Store. The luxe barbecue party box includes crayfish tails with lime aioli, octopus salad and curry crab noodles. $95-$225.

Free to Feed, freetofeed.org.au/catering

Spring Feasting Kits include beef brisket marinated in baharat spice and pomegranate molasses then cooked for 12 hours. There are also individually portioned grazing boxes for picnicking at arm's length. Various prices.

DINING IN

Great Northern Hotel, 644 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North, gnh.net.au

The beer garden seats a socially distanced 50 and the TV will be glued to Channel Horse.

Moon Dog World, 32 Chifley Drive, Preston, moondogbrewing.com.au/world

This enormous venue has subdivided into three precincts to maximise numbers. There are marquees for bad weather. The races will be on and the tap beer will be flowing.

Johnny's Green Room, via King and Godfree Lane, Carlton, johnnysgreenroom.com

The 50-seat restaurant and rooftop bar is opening on Cup Day. Celebrate with spritzes, burgers, fried calzone, and lamb cooked over charcoal.

The Park Hotel, 191 Nicholson Street, Abbotsford, theparkhotel.com.au

The main celebration will be the fact that they're open at all but the TV will be on, the pub classics will be rolling and bookings are solid.