Experience Michelin-star dining at this Melbourne pop-up

Aussies can experience Michelin-star dining at this exclusive Melbourne pop-up in March.

Michelin-star dining is universally considered the ultimate foodie experience. Given to only the most exceptional restaurants around the world, the highly coveted award signifies brilliance in all aspects, from the food to the service and everything in between.

Unfortunately for us, Australia is yet to be recognised under the Michelin Guide . However, foodies are marking their calendars for March, when famed Michelin-starred London restaurant, St. JOHN opens its highly anticipated pop-up at the 2025 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.

Farokh Talati and Trevor Gulliver for the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival — St. JOHN co-founder Trevor Gulliver and head chef Farokh Talati will run the pop-up.

How can I attend the St. JOHN pop-up?

The coveted St. JOHN pop-up will take place for five days only (25–29 March) at French Saloon , one of Melbourne’s best restaurants. Co-founder Trevor Gulliver and executive chef Farokh Talati will join French Saloon co-owner Ian Curley and head chef Luke Fraser to present a set four-course menu at each service. The exclusive meal will be paired with wines shipped over from St. JOHN’s Boulevard Napoléon vineyard in the Minervois, as well as tipples from French Saloon’s cellar.

French Saloon in Melbourne, Victoria — Melbourne restaurant French Saloon will host the exclusive pop-up. (Image: Visit Victoria)

It’s the internationally acclaimed eatery’s first-ever Aussie appearance and the country’s second Michelin-starred visitor. It’s preceded only by Copenhagen-based restaurant noma ’s hugely successful Sydney pop-up in 2016. Bookings were finite, with 5000 available slots selling out in minutes. Around 30,000 people were left on the waitlist, fingers crossed and mouths watering.

But those wanting to get a taste of Michelin-starred magnificence in 2025 haven’t missed out – yet. Tickets for the St. JOHN pop-up are on sale now, but selling out fast. Priced at $135 per person, each ticket includes all four courses, with drinks charged upon consumption.

A dish at St. JOHN restaurant in London, UK — St. JOHN spearheaded the sustainable nose-to-tail food philosophy. (Image: Matthew Falsetti)

St. JOHN’s sophisticated menu, top-quality produce and experimental style saw it awarded one Michelin star in 2009, as well as Best British and Best London Restaurant in the 2001 Moët & Chandon Restaurant Awards. In 2023, founders Trevor Gulliver and Fergus Henderson earned a Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Restaurant Awards. It’s also credited for pioneering the nose-to-tail method, an environmentally conscious food philosophy that encourages chefs to use every part of an animal when cooking to reduce food waste.

St. JOHN restaurant in London, UK — St. JOHN has three venues across the boroughs of London. (Image: Alla Tsyganova)

What other pop-ups should I attend?

While the St. JOHN pop-up is an obvious program highlight, here’s what else hungry foodies can look forward to at the 2025 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.

Philip Khoury x Smith + Deli Bake Sale

Globally recognised plant-based chefs Shannon Martinez and Philip Khoury will host an exclusive pop-up bakery at Smith + Deli . It’s an all-out vegan extravaganza, with freshly baked pastries, cakes, tarts and other delicious desserts up for grabs at one of the city’s best cafes on 22 March.

Konstantin and Manuela Filippou x Liberty: The Greek Table

Konstantin and Manuela Filippou for the 2025 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival — Konstantin and Manuela Filippou will host The Greek Table.

If you miss out on St. JOHN tickets, you can still get a taste of the Michelin-star experience at Bar Liberty, a stalwart of Melbourne’s world-class bar scene, each Sunday from 23 March. Fine-dining chef Konstantin Filippou’s two Michelin stars will be on full display at the Fitzroy establishment via a relaxed lunch offering, The Greek Table .

Something Saucy by Leggo’s

Linguine lovers, this one is for you! Aussie pasta sauce brand Leggo’s is setting up shop in Whitehart Lane with Italian eatery, Super Norma. On 25 March, grab a bowl of fresh pasta al forno before securing your free jar of Leggo’s Australian passata, while stocks last.

Dim City by Emporium Melbourne

Dim Sim for Dim City at Melbourne Food & Wine Festival — Devour a range of delightful dim sim variants.

Celebrate 80 years of the dim sim the right way – by eating as many as you can for free! Up-and-coming Melbourne chefs Rosheen Kaul, John Rivera and Eun Hee An will be dishing out their own versions of the beloved dumpling-style snack, from cheesy kimchi to spicy lamb. It’s all happening at Dim City on 28 March.

Tacos and Toum by Wesley Place

Mexico and the Middle East meet on 26 March at Tacos and Toum , a cross-cultural culinary affair between food truck founder Raph Rashid and hummus king Tom Sarafian. Think tacos stacked with Lebanese toppings, Puebla’s take on kibbeh and finger-licking flavours from the Caribbean coast.

From ancient aquaculture systems to sacred rock art shelters, Victoria’s First Peoples cultural experiences offer a powerful connection to one of the world’s oldest living cultures – where every site, story and smoking ceremony invites a deeper understanding of the land beneath your feet.

Victoria’s sweeping landscapes hold stories far older than any road map can trace – stories etched into stone, sung through generations and woven into every bend of river and rise of hill. From the lava flows of Budj Bim to the ancient middens of Moyjil/Point Ritchie and the volcanic crater of Tower Hill, the state is home to some of the most significant First Peoples cultural sites in Australia. These places, along with other immersive experiences, offer not only a window into a 60,000-year legacy, but a profound way of understanding Country itself. As more travellers seek connection over checklists, guided tours by Traditional Owners offer respectful, unforgettable insights into a living culture that continues to shape the land and the people who walk it.

Budj Bim cultural landscape

Venture beyond the surf and sand of the Great Ocean Road to discover a deeper story etched into the volcanic landscape. At Budj Bim , ancient aquaculture channels built by the Gunditjmara people to trap, store and harvest kooyang (short-finned eel) reveal one of the world’s oldest living cultures. While you’re in the area, head over to the state-of-the-art Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, where you can observe the eels in a special tank, wander the shores of Tae Rak (Lake Condah), and enjoy a bite at the Bush Tucker Cafe. Also nearby is Tower Hill, a dormant volcano reborn as a wildlife reserve, offering trails through bushland teeming with emus and koalas.

eel tank — The kooyang (eel) tank at Tae Rak. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Dumawul Kooyoora Walking Tour

Dumawul walkingtour — Guests are guided through Kooyoora State Park on the Dumawul walking tour. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Step into a timeless landscape with Dumawul’s guided tour through Kooyoora State Park, around an hour’s drive west of Bendigo in north-central Victoria. Led by Djaara guides, this immersive half-day journey breathes life into Country, weaving together stories, bush tucker and ancient rock art. Known to the Dja Dja Wurrung people as Guyura – the ‘mountain of light’ – this dramatic granite range is rich with cultural and spiritual significance. The adventure begins with a meet-up at the Bridgewater Hotel on the banks of the Loddon River, before guests are welcomed onto Country with a traditional Smoking Ceremony – a powerful ritual that honours ancestors and cleanses those who walk the land. From there, it’s a gentle wander through rugged outcrops and open bushland, with sweeping vistas unfolding at every turn. Along the way, guides share their knowledge of how the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples have cared for and adapted with this land for generations, offering a rare and moving window into an ancient way of life that continues to thrive today.

Kooyoora walking tour — Knowledge of the Dja Dja Wurrung is shared on the trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Kingfisher Cruises

Glide quietly through the Barmah-Millewa forest – the nation’s largest river red gum ecosystem – on a scenic journey along the Murray River and into the Barmah Lakes with Kingfisher Cruises . Led by passionate guides who share stories of the cultural significance of this ancient landscape, these cruises reveal the stories, totems and traditional knowledge of the Yorta Yorta people. As you navigate narrow waterways and spot native birds, you’ll gain a richer understanding of how First Peoples have lived in harmony with this floodplain for tens of thousands of years. It’s a gentle, immersive experience that leaves a lasting impression – one where every bend in the river carries echoes of culture, connection and Country.

wawa biik

Exploring Nagambie with Taungurung leaders. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Translating to ‘hello, Country’ in the language of the First Nations People and Custodians of the rivers and mountains of Taungurung Country in Central Victoria, wawa biik guides a range of authentic and deeply immersive experiences. Leaving from either Nagambie or Euroa, the tours are woven with ancient stories of the Taungurung, telling how a sustained connection and responsibility ensures the continued health of biik – benefitting the people, animals and plants that live in and around the Goulburn River. During the wawa Nagambie experience, guests participate in a Welcome Smoking Ceremony, and enjoy lunch and conversation with two Taungurung leaders as they cruise through the wetlands of tabilk-tabilk (place of many waterholes). The 4.5-hour tour begins at Tahbilk Winery, which is set in the wetlands of Nagambie on Taungurung Country and collaborates with Taungurung Elders to share knowledge of biik.

Bataluk Cultural Trail

Cape Conran on the Bataluk Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The Bataluk Cultural Trail winds through East Gippsland like a thread stitching past to present, tracing the deep connection between the Gunaikurnai people and their land. Starting at the Knob Reserve in Stratford, visitors walk among scarred trees and ancient stone tools once used for survival and ceremony. At the Den of Nargun near Mitchell River, the earth holds stories of women’s sacred spaces, cloaked in myth and legend. Further along, Legend Rock at Metung tells of greed and consequence, its surface etched with ancient lore. At Cape Conran, shell middens lie scattered like breadcrumbs of history – 10,000 years of gatherings, stories and saltwater songs still echoing in the wind.

Healesville Sanctuary

Set on the historic grounds of Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, Healesville Sanctuary honours the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation through immersive storytelling and connection to Country. Along Wurundjeri Walk, visitors are invited to reflect on the land’s rich First Peoples history, with native plants revealing their traditional uses. Wurundjeri Elder and educator Murrundindi shares culture in-person with the Wominjeka Aboriginal Cultural Experience every Sunday, and most days during Victorian school holidays. Murrundindi’s smoking ceremonies, storytelling and bush tucker knowledge reveal the sacred relationship between people, animals and the environment. Bird-lovers can’t miss the incredible Spirits of the Sky show featuring native birds daily at 12pm and 3pm.

The Grampians

Known as Gariwerd to Traditional Owners, the Grampians is a place of immense cultural and spiritual significance. This rugged landscape holds more than 80 per cent of Victoria’s known First Peoples rock art, offering a powerful window into the region’s deep heritage. Visitors can respectfully explore five remarkable rock art sites: Billimina and Ngamadjidj in the Wartook Valley, Manja Shelter near Hamilton, Gulgurn Manja shelter near Laharum, and the Bunjil Shelter near Stawell, where the creator spirit is depicted. Each site tells a unique story of connection to Country, shared through ancient handprints, dancing figures and Dreaming narratives etched into stone.

London restaurant is coming to Australia – for 5 days only

Aussies can experience Michelin-star dining at this exclusive Melbourne pop-up in March.

How can I attend the St. JOHN pop-up?