Matt Wilkinson opens Crofter, a casual British diner with a veg-driven menu

Eat, Melbourne / 21 January 2020

It’s all we’ve ever wanted for 2020

If you’ve ever had British cuisine before, you would know that it’s not all snags and mash. In fact, the cuisine itself takes on bold flavours inspired from all over the world to create a rich heritage of its own. Enter Crofter, a new Brit restaurant headed by Yorkshireman Matt Wilkinson (ex Pope Joan). 

Put away your meat cravings at this diner because vegetables are given the spotlight in a nod to sustainability. Crofter’s menu contains more greens than meat and seafood dishes, taking a pick’n’mix approach to ordering (with most dishes costing between $8 and $18). All produce is sustainably sourced, with the seasonal line up featuring an abundance of beautiful veggies. 

crofter food

Try the summer beans sautéed in a fiery XO sauce, or sweet and golden green zucchini, grilled and stacked on parmesan clotted cream with salsa verde. There’s even snackable baby cucumbers available to order with soured cream and dill. A range of salads also make an appearance, perfectly paired with potato gems doused in curry sauce. For vegans, a separate menu is also on offer.

The meats, though a secondary act, are still bursting with flavour! You can find local octopus, free-range ham, and devilled chook (not for the faint hearted) which are chicken hearts and livers spread on toast with egg. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with the Brit’s beloved pudding, including Eton mess served with grilled strawberries and coconut ice cream.

crofter pie

And of course when it comes to booze, Crofton does not disappoint. There are strong offerings of independent Victorian wineries like Crawford River and Mac Forbes. Wilkinson is also the creative director of Four Pillars gin’s sister brand, Made From Gin, so you will find the full range of Four Pillar’s on offer at Crofton. Browse through the gin-centric cocktail list or sit back and relax with a classic cocktail and bar snacks. 

To book a visit or for more information, check Crofter’s website here