The group behind Melbourne’s much-loved haunts such as Lilac Wine, Hazel, and Dessous are welcoming two new additions to the portfolio with Molli and Little Molli.
The two venues will sit side-by-side on the corner of Mollison and Nicholson streets in Abbotsford and are slated to open mid-June.
“We want to make Molli and Little Molli a super-approachable hub where locals can connect,” says The Mulberry Group Founder Nathan Toleman.
“The sort of place you come back to because it feels like being welcomed home and where you come to celebrate, have dates, a catch up with mates or just a casual post-work drink.”
Little Molli will take shape as a part-deli, part-cafe, and part-pantry set-up serving Square One Coffee Roasters coffee from 8am daily.
The food menu will feature a sandwich selection showcasing local bread by To Be Frank, and a collection of artisan cheese and charcuterie available for both dine-in or takeaway.
Little Molli will close at 5pm to make way for Molli which will function as a neighbourhood wine bar and bistro into the evening.
Hazel Head Chef Aleksis Kalnins is curating the menu for both venues, with Molli set to serve a share-plate menu championing produce from the venue’s rooftop garden, artisan suppliers, and the Common Ground Project (CGP) regenerative farm and community outreach program in Freshwater Creek.
Highlights are set to include pork neck skewers with date puree and a whole alpine trout with horseradish emulsion and pork rice crispies.
“As an Abbotsford local myself, I want Molli to be the kind of place I’ve been missing,” says Kalnins.
“Really high quality and creative, but not pretentious. The food would be simple enough not to scare my mum and technical enough to make my chef friends wonder how I did it.”
Kayla Saito will be behind the drinks list which is expected to be a relaxed but thoughtful offering which will implement in-house fermentation and low-waste practices.
Molli and Little Molli are slated to open mid-June at 20-30 Mollison Street, Abbotsford, Victoria.