There’s no denying that thirty-something wunderkind chef Hugh Allen is a force to be reckoned with. The Melbourne native is simultaneously steering two three-hatted restaurants (Australia’s equivalent of the Michelin star) in his hometown: sky-high fine dining stalwart Vue de Monde, where he is executive chef; and Yiaga, his first venture as co-owner and chef, which was awarded the prestigious three hats just as many months after opening. It’s exactly where Australia’s who’s who are dining right now. Yiaga sits amongst verdant greenery, nestled in the 64-acre historic Fitzroy Gardens and found within a former pavilion café elegantly re-envisioned by architect John Wardle. It’s an irrepressible ode to craftsmanship, both off and on the plate. Inside, over 15,000 ridge ochre tiles, sustainably sourced Tasmanian Blackwood timber, and leather-formed dining chairs by designer-maker Jon Goulder fill the interior. Plates, cutlery, vases, and lighting are individually custom-made by Allen’s creative peers. Yiaga’s degustation menu is distinctly Australian—meaning, inventive and collaborative. Expect both 100% grass-fed Blackmore wagyu and wild wakame seaweed foraged from the Victorian coast. A standout is coconut tofu topped with roasted macadamia oil, N25 Oscietra caviar, and shavings of makrut lime—best eaten with a pewter-dipped hand-carved Australian cattle horn spoon, naturally. —Joanna Kawecki
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There’s no denying that thirty-something wunderkind chef Hugh Allen is a force to be reckoned with. The Melbourne native is simultaneously steering two three-hatted restaurants (Australia’s equivalent of the Michelin star) in his hometown: sky-high fine dining stalwart Vue de Monde, where he is executive chef; and Yiaga, his first venture as co-owner and chef, which was awarded the prestigious three hats just as many months after opening. It’s exactly where Australia’s who’s who are dining right now. Yiaga sits amongst verdant greenery, nestled in the 64-acre historic Fitzroy Gardens and found within a former pavilion café elegantly re-envisioned by architect John Wardle.
It’s an irrepressible ode to craftsmanship, both off and on the plate. Inside, over 15,000 ridge ochre tiles, sustainably sourced Tasmanian Blackwood timber, and leather-formed dining chairs by designer-maker Jon Goulder fill the interior. Plates, cutlery, vases, and lighting are individually custom-made by Allen’s creative peers. Yiaga’s degustation menu is distinctly Australian—meaning, inventive and collaborative.
Expect both 100% grass-fed Blackmore wagyu and wild wakame seaweed foraged from the Victorian coast. A standout is coconut tofu topped with roasted macadamia oil, N25 Oscietra caviar, and shavings of makrut lime—best eaten with a pewter-dipped hand-carved Australian cattle horn spoon, naturally.
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