Riding high between the blocks at Two Wheels and a Handlebar

A former sous chef at London's Michelin-starred Locanda Locatelli has hung his shingle in Milton's Railway Terrace. Paolo Motosi, along with partner Rene Skelton, opened Two Wheels and a Handlebar a fortnight ago in the former garage of a cycling training centre.

The area once boasted only snack bars catering to office workers, but as Skelton says, there's a changing demographic.

"Milton's an up-and-coming area, and what people don't realise is there are a lot of apartment blocks between the office blocks," she says.

The couple, who met in London and returned to Skelton's home state earlier this year, have taken a hands-on approach to their new business – even making all the furniture themselves. The food is made in-house too, from butter to sourdough bread, with a menu that is written daily after the couple shop at the Rocklea markets.

The idea, Skelton says is "fine dining for the masses".

"We want people to try really good food but we understand that people are on a budget – we were in the same situation, travelling and trying to save to eat in nice places. That's why nothing is more than $14."

Motosi, who has been cooking since he was in his mid-teens, is using cheap cuts, slow cooking and a lot of imagination to present a menu that features just four changing lunch items. They're also open mornings. Midweek breakfast is casual and on-the-go with pastries, focaccia and Red Star coffee; on weekends the dishes are more substantial such as the artery clogging but undoubtedly delicious "Porky" – pork belly, black pudding, soft polenta, crispy pig's ears, onion and pear chutney, and ashed goats' cheese crumble.

The couple have applied for a liquor licence and hope to host casual Friday beer and pizza or beer and porchetta evenings in future.

Details: Two Wheels and a Handlebar, 33 Railway Terrace, Milton, twowheelscafe.com.au