Morgan McGlone and Michael Delany team up for Natural History Bar and Grill

Finally, the truth about what Morgan "Belles Hot Chicken" McGlone is going to do next. For almost a year the rumours have been flying that he has one last "real restaurant" up his sleeve and will hang up the apron to focus on taking the Belles Hot Chicken brand global. That final chapter is going to be an all-day, multi-faceted American-style bar and grill (and cafe) at 401 Collins Street opposite the Treasury.

The main collaborator is Michael Delany – the man who once brought you Honkytonks and has more recently been part of Sydney's Drink and Dine collective. No surprise then, a fitout of the enormous space that will feature a gigantic pink mural and more stuffed dead animals than you can poke a stick at.

With McGlone on the pans, no surprise either the the menu will vacillate between steakhouse classics: various cuts of grilled beef and barnsley chops, oysters Rockefeller, prawn cocktails and tuna ravigote (similar to a tartare) and a few Southern inflected dishes, like a Southern-style fried chicken on the bar menu.

It's not exactly a return to the cooking that made McGlone famous at Husk in Nashville as rumours had implied, but it's a step up from Belles. "Think of it as Peter Luger meets Kings Steakhouse," says McGlone. There again, neither restaurant is a perfect reference given the cafe that will operate from 7.30am daily offering standard breakfasts of now like chia bowls, Lune croissanterie and an intense toastie. I'm not sure Kings wine list is 50 percent natural and skin contact, with on tap options either.

Put it in your diary (alongside the LCD Soundsystem gig) for February 15.

Natural History will open Mon-Sat 7.30am-late, February 15. 401 Collins Street, Melbourne.