SAY CHEESE!
On Monday, 12 January, neighborhood local Bar Yarra opened its doors in Melbourne’s leafy inner south, bringing breakfast classics, bistro staples and late-night cocktails to the heart of South Yarra.
Yes, it’s true, this did mean that we had to say goodbye to Lona Misa – our critically acclaimed plant-based restaurant.
No, it wasn’t because we stopped loving vegetables. (We still love them deeply. Emotionally. Spiritually.), it’s because we as a brand have made a strategic decision to transition away from specialty restaurants and move towards casual all-day dining venues across ALL of our Australian properties.
We’re not pulling a Regina George and personally victimising you Melbourne, we promise, it’s happened everywhere.
This evolution reflects how our guests increasingly want to use our spaces; they’re looking for flexible, welcoming and inclusive dining experiences that work from your first sip of coffee all the way through to last call.
Lona Misa, we loved you and all your plant-based goodness, but it was time to say goodbye.
So… Why Bar Yarra? Let’s hear from our GM Christos Pavlidis, himself, about the change.
“Bar Yarra is designed to be a place people can drop into at any point in the day – whether that’s for a quick coffee, a long lunch or a drink that turns into dinner. It’s relaxed, approachable and very much about creating a genuine local for the community.”
“Bar Yarra is about opening the space up to everyone. It’s approachable, energetic and built around great food, great drinks and good times. We’re excited to welcome the neighbourhood in and see the venue take on a whole new life.”
But never fear; there will still be plenty of plant-forward moments on the menu. We’re not monsters. There will be something for everyone.
In Short?
We didn’t change because something was wrong or we hate tofu and can’t go another day without butter. We changed because things change — and that’s kind of our thing (and honestly, it’s also just part of life).
We learn, we evolve, and we will continue to bring you venues to love (long time).
So, cheers to Bar Yarra. Melbourne, we’ll see you at the bar.
P.S. Please stop spamming our Instagram posts, sometimes words hurt.