London restaurant is coming to Australia – for 5 days only

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
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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)

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

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.

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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.

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Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to check out places like Scotland and North America, her favourite place to explore will always be her homeland.
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Discover the Yarra Valley town made for slow weekends

    Kellie Floyd Kellie Floyd
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    Once a service town for gold miners, Healesville has evolved into a destination brimming with character.

    If you trace your finger to the heart of the Yarra Valley on a map, you’ll land on Healesville – a charming little town framed by towering gums and rolling hills. Its main street is lined with cosy cafes, a bookshop, silversmiths, boutiques and a providore stacked with artisan breads and cured meats. In other words, all the essentials for a leisurely weekend. Just beyond the shops, parklands invite picnics, bush trails suggest a wander, along with an old tourist railway, distilleries and award-winning vineyards. Originally a service centre for the goldfields, the railway soon brought visitors seeking fresh mountain air. Today, it’s the kind of place that rewards a slow stroll.

    Staying in Healesville

    the lounge in one of the cosy villas at Healesvillas
    Inside one of the cosy villas.

    If sweeping mountain views are part of your accommodation prerequisite, Healesvillas are two architecturally designed villas sleeping six guests, complete with landscaped al fresco areas and a fire pit. Wander into town to visit Cheesemonger Sophie to help craft the perfect platter, and Barrique Wine Store for a local red, before returning to soak up the views.

    Dining out in Healesville

    small plates at No. 7 Healesville
    No.7 offers small plates and tasting menus centred on seasonal produce. (Image: Ben Frazer)

    For breakfast, head to My Little Kitchen Cafe, a cheerful spot on the main street known for its strong coffee and warm hospitality. Herd is a low-lit spot with serious style, serving up modern comfort food, or to sit beside wine barrels and underneath chandeliers head to No. 7 Healesville, a wine bar and restaurant in a converted warehouse.

    Drinking in Healesville

    a cocktail at Four Pillars Gin Distillery
    Enjoy a cocktail at renowned Four Pillars Gin Distillery. (Image: LVDI)

    Take a tour or sip your way through a tasting paddle at one of Australia’s most famous gin distilleries, Four Pillars Gin. If visiting a boutique winery is on the list, Boat O’Craigo wines has sweeping views over the vineyards to the hills beyond. The newest addition to the local drinking scene, Zoncello Yarra Valley serves a must-try Limoncello Spritz.

    the Boat O’Craigo winery
    Boutique winery Boat O’Craigo. (Image: Rob Blackburn)

    Healesville highlights

    If you’re after a one-of-a-kind piece of jewellery, Silvermist Studio designs beautifully unique pieces. Lifestyle store Morris et al is filled with women’s fashion and homewares, and because everyone deserves a good book, Verso Books is a cosy independent bookshop with carefully chosen titles.

    Head to Healesville Sanctuary to get up close to some of Australia’s wildlife. If the weather is on your side, pack a picnic and head to Maroondah Reservoir Park to climb the steep dam wall, where kids and adults alike can’t resist testing out the booming echo. And if you feel like stepping back in time, board a vintage train at the Yarra Valley Railway.

    the Puffing Billy Railway
    Step back in time at the Puffing Billy Railway. (Image: Visit Victoria)