
After years of anticipation, the phenomenal food hall, il Mercato Centrale, is officially open in Melbourne. This is the first il Mercato Centrale outside of its home country of Italy. This artisanal food, beverage and culture hub has taken over three levels of the historic McPherson’s art-deco building on Collins Street. The 3,500 square metre venue is open daily from 7am, closing at 10pm from Sunday to Thursday, and running until midnight with a 3am liquor license on Fridays and Saturdays.

What is il Mercato Centrale?
This artisan food hall first opened in Florence in 2014. After that, it sprung up in Rome, Turin and Milan. No two markets are the same, as they all have a strong connection to the local culture and traditions. The places chosen for each location are often neglected venues that are brought back to life, so that the city can enjoy them fully again. For Melbourne, they’ve chosen the 1930s McPherson’s Building, which is just a short walk from Southern Cross Station.
The space mimics the dynamics of a traditional Italian market square. Check out 23 curated food and beverage artisans, who were carefully chosen for their expertise and passion. Expect vendors who mill their own flour, produce their own cheese using a thousand-year-old European method, and more.

The ground level features an experiential market square with open kitchens. Watch the artisans showcase their skills, and shop for fresh ingredients from the butcher, specialty cheesemaker, baker and more. Or, find something to enjoy in-store or to take away. The first level has both casual and fine dining options, while the second level is for monthly artisan masterclasses and free community events.
The venue is completely cashless. Order directly from one of the stalls, or grab a table and order through the QR code. If you’re feeling thirsty, there’s a bar on the ground floor, as well as a cocktail bar and wine bar on the upper level.

Where to eat at il Mercato Centrale
There’s an embarrassment of foodie riches here, so to help you navigate the options, here are all the il Mercato Centrale restaurants, bars, and shops, divided by location within the hall.
Upper ground floor restaurants
- Il Forno – Damian Malone – Damian imported a traditional Austrian flour mill to grind locally sourced Victorian grain. Treat yourself to flavourful bread from this artisan bakery.
- La Pasticceria – Alessandro Grillo and Vincenzo Marino – Find traditional Neapolitan pastries at this patisserie. One notable creation is the limon cake, a vanilla sponge filled with lemon custard and glazed with lemon sauce.
Lower ground floor restaurants
- Il Caffè – Jerry Lee – Sip on locally roasted Mosaic by Lavassa coffee at this espresso bar.
- La Pasta Fresca – Angelo Sperlinga - Indulge in traditional pasta dishes.
- La Pizza Al Taglio – Nicoló Conenna – This spot specialises in the traditional roman recipe for the pizza al taglio.
- La Frutta E La Verdura – Biviano & Sons – Find fresh fruit and veg.
- La Carne E I Salumi – Nikos Chatzopoulos – This butcher has plenty of cold cuts and cured meats.
- I Calamari Fritti – Paula & Gary Harding – The calamari here is made with a recipe from their Sicilian Nonna. It’s paired with homemade salad.
- La Mozzarella – Giorgio Linguanti – Love cheese? Find ricotta, burrata, buffalo mozzarella and Caciocavallo.
- Il Pesce – George Milonas – Find wild-caught and farmed seafood from around Australia, which can be cooked on site upon request.
- Il Cioccolato – Alessandro Luppolo – Treat yourself to single-origin dark and milk chocolates, as well as bonbons, at this bean-to-bar shop.
- I Cannoli – Dario Di Clerico – Indulge in traditional Sicilian cannoli with freshly filled ricotta.
- Main Bar – Quench your thirst with a drink from the bar.

Lower First Floor restaurants
- Il Gelato – Rovena Xeba – Cool down with artisanal gelato, gelato cakes, cioccolato, waffles and crepes. Everything is made in-house.
- La Pizza Napoletana – Valerio Violetti – Feast on traditional, Neapolitan-style pizza.
- La Pasta Fatta In Casa – Annapaola D’Alessio – Try handmade pasta made with Italian flour and free-range eggs.
- Lo Smash Burger – Tim Jordan, Nathan Zammit & Christian Calderon – Sink your teeth into some flavoursome American burgers.
- Il Riso – Simone Garusi – Enjoy gluten-free, rice-based dishes like arancini, pasta, risotti and sweets.
- La Piadina – Massimo Falcone – Try piadina, or traditional Italian flatbread.
Upper First Floor restaurants
- La Distilleria – Michael Hickinbotham & Graham Jones – Find a variety of gin at this stall by Australian Distilling Co.
- Il Ristorante – Jerry Kim – Indulge in refined Italian cuisine, like fresh pasta, artisan sourdough and more at this restaurant.
- I Cocktail – Sip on something from the cocktail bar.
- L’Enoteca – Marco & Michelle Singarella – Try wines on tap, and find something to take home from the bottle shop.
Find out more about il Mercato Centrale via their website or socials.