“Our hearts and love are in north east Victoria, where we strive to support this emerging region and communities. We place strong effort on building awareness of healthy soils and healthy food for our children, their friends, our peers and our community.”

Grilled calamari with morcilla, dandelion, and fermented tomato; porcini pappardelle with mushrooms, saltbush, and duck egg; and duck breast with celeriac, grilled leek, and pine nut furikake.

Project Forty Nine is a tree change in reverse, engineered by a couple of industry veterans from Victoria’s north eastern town of Beechworth. The ambition? To showcase and support the north east and regional Australia wherever they can. The wine selection stars the region’s best drops (including their own Project Forty Nine label). Both the café and restaurant push produce of small-scale producers, with Italian-leaning food referencing the owners’ heritage. So pasta is a highlight, such as porcini pappardelle with mushrooms, foraged saltbush​ and duck egg, while a classic vitello tonnato gets a jazz-up with celery and fat caperberries.

The converted nineteenth-century building is a delightful forum to experience a taste of the rolling high country nearly 300 kilometres away, aided and abetted by two true believers who regularly hit the highway with a car boot full of produce.

“Everyone on floor and in kitchen is buzzing with the enthusiasm for what Victoria can do. It’s taste of country community spirit, right in the dark depths of hipsterville.”

goodfood.com.au