Matt Moran’s Aria has been around for a quarter of a century, and it’s celebrating 25 years of fine dining and world-class wine with two exclusive menus for September.
The menus pay homage to Aria’s storied past and include a 25th-birthday tasting menu of reinvented legacy dishes and a bar snack menu by Aria alumni, both available from the 2nd to 29th of September.
To celebrate, Aria is offering an exclusive tasting menu curated by Matt Moran and Executive Chef Thomas Gorringe. This seven-course menu showcases reimagined versions of the restaurant’s most iconic dishes, highlighting the restaurant’s commitment to quality and sustainability. Highlights include a contemporary take on the Earl Grey salmon of 2010, scallops, Moran Family Farm guanciale, apple & elderflower (a nod to the beloved pork belly dish which appeared on Aria’s menu in some iteration between 1999 – 2016), and a chocolate delice with sherry and hazelnut, reminiscent of the Masterchef pressure kitchen. The menu is $290pp, with the option to add wine pairings.
Wine pairings have been carefully curated for the special menu and a range of premium and non-alcohol beverages will be on offer. There will also be a whole collection of new cocktails available in both the restaurant and main bar, including the very unique Breakfast Cobbler (Hendricks Gin, Muscat, Earl Grey, toasted sourdough) and Lamington Milk Punch (Red Mill Rum, NoDo Coconut, Muscat, raspberry, cacao).
Aria’s legacy of culinary greatness is rooted in its commitment to nurturing talent. The restaurant has served as a training ground for numerous successful chefs, sommeliers, and service staff. And to celebrate its 25th anniversary, several notable alumni will return to Aria, including Matt Abé (chef patron at three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay); Ben Turner (general manager of food, Redcape Hotel Group); Jason Staudt (executive chef, Stokehouse Precinct); Elvis Abrahanowicz (founder, Paisano & Daughters group); Simon Sandall (owner and chef, Boronia Kitchen); Jake Kellie (co-owner and executive chef, arkhé), and Paul Baker (co-founder and executive chef, Chefs on Wheels).
To mark the anniversary, Aria’s alumni have curated a special snack menu, which will be available at the bar and showcase their unique interpretations of the restaurant’s most iconic dishes. Guests can pre-book a seat to enjoy rotating highlights like the Earl Grey and kombu cured salmon by Ben Turner, or the scallop, XO, and pickled daikon by Simon Sandall.
“A restaurant is nothing without its people.” Says Matt Moran. The dedication of Aria’s staff and the quality of their Australian ingredients have been central to the restaurant’s success over the past 25 years. Aria’s 25th birthday celebrations honour the individuals who have made the restaurant what it is today – from the talented chefs to the cherished guests. Find out all the details & book here.
