Should I book: Seamstress

The restaurant

Seamstress, 113 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000

The vibe

Slipping through the discreet entrance of a former textile factory, I had no idea what to expect from Seamstress. Here’s an iconic building in Melbourne that’s lived many lives (a brothel,1930s sweatshop and Buddhist monastery, among others), and it was hard not to imagine ghosts of the past at my shoulder.

But after ascending several sets of stairs and discovering the swanky cocktail bar up top, any spooky vibes fast dissipated. Instead I was met with a surprisingly relaxed and bohemian-style space, with garments of oriental silk suspended from the ceilings, lush plants and a charming warm red glow.

The music in the background was experimental and jazzy, a soundtrack to our evening that continued downstairs in the dining room. There, it felt a little quieter and somewhat more upscale, but not at all stifling in its gentle formality. Small groups chatted away nearby over shared plates, and I was delighted to notice a quirky vintage sewing machine sat next to our window. It was easy to settle in and feel welcome.

The food and drink

Our first drinks were enjoyed in the cocktail bar upstairs, a juicy pinot noir from Tassie for me and a gin gin mule cocktail for my partner. The latter was tart, refreshing and super gingery. Over dinner, we chased those up with a little more wine and another cocktail, this time an imperial standard. A mix of vodka, Italian saffron liquor, mango and saffron bitters, cardamom syrup and fresh citrus was shaken up with egg whites, a stunning and perfectly balanced 10 out of 10 drink.

On the food front, we were spoilt for choice. Almost everything came in small, medium and large sized options, which was great for customising the flow and portions of our meal. Given it was hot out, we were in the mood for a lighter dinner. 

For a starter snack, we adored the duck betel leaf with roasted peanuts, Balinese sambal, coconut cream and dried shallots.The taste transported us immediately back to the traditional warungs in Ubud – where we travelled in 2019 – and had the ideal balance of savoury, sweet, sour and umami (with a hint of spice from the sambal). Each leaf was a little cradle of nostalgia. 

Being a seafood lover, I was excited to try the scallop sashimi, but upon tasting it found the overall composition a bit flat; it came with an exceptionally delicate trio of fennel, orange gel and avocado creme fraiche.  A touch more acidity would have lifted the dish nicely, the kind you’d taste in a good ceviche. A plus, however: the scallops did taste very fresh. 

We next had the mapo tofu, a vegetarian-style version with shitake and enoki mushrooms. My partner makes it at home with pork mince and he missed the depth of flavour meat tends to provide, but I personally found the forest-floor earthiness of the mushrooms a beautiful complement to the silky mapo tofu sauce. The dish was pungent and spicy, with a fair amount of kick – my kind of dish. With the aid of some steamed jasmine rice, we polished the bowl clean very quickly. I could have eaten another, and another.

We then requested a plate of veggies from the wok, which arrived at our table searing hot, with a drizzle of okonomiyaki sauce and toasted sesame. Next time, I’d ask for the even bigger plate; the smoky crunch was addictive. 

Finally, we shared dessert: a peanut and chocolate brownie with elderflower and white chocolate mousse. It came sprinkled with peanut brittle and bittersweet orange sauce.  The texture of the brownie was really unique, almost like a very dense mud-cake, while its mousse accompaniment was feather-light and delicately perfumed. The marriage of chocolatey and fruity-floral flavours had me smitten. 

Overall, the food we tasted was interesting, gorgeously presented and well-executed. There were many more items on the menu we’d be curious to try next time. 

The service

From the minute I walked in, I felt very welcome and looked after – both in the cocktail bar and dining room. The bartender upstairs was friendly and efficient, handing me a menu right away and delivering our drinks moments after we ordered them. 

He personally escorted us to the dining room downstairs when we were ready, and assisted in transferring our drinks bill to the cashier downstairs so we could pay for everything altogether at the end. These small touches really made a difference to our experience. 

The waitstaff throughout the course of our meal were relaxed yet professional, happy to explain the menu in more detail and ask about our dietary requirements, and prompt in ensuring our comfort with drinks, water, regular table clearing and so on.

Why should I book Seamstress?

It’s easy to see why so many Melbourne diners speak well of Seamstress. It’s warm and relaxed in ways many other refined dining establishments in the CBD struggle to master, yet still fastidious in its attention to detail.

The restaurant is steeped in intriguing history, to which the design of the space pays a suitable degree of homage without being cheesy. It feels like a welcoming enclave of a bygone era, soft respite from the harsh noise of the CBD.

The bar upstairs isn’t afraid to innovate with playful cocktails and a small selection of canapes, a prime opportunity to pop in on a weeknight if you’d like to just dip your toes into the Seamstress experience.

The dining room offers small and large groups a unique environment for trying out and sharing lots of different pan-Asian dishes in an intimate atmosphere. Try it out for a romantic date night or a special catch-up with friends.

Book it here