July 15 update: Cityfields has just launched its new rooftop terrace bar! Warm up to a roaring fire pit for sweeping views, wines, cocktails and sophisticated snacks like olive gildas with guindilla pepper and anchovy, or housemade potato cakes with goat's milk yogurt and sweet pickle relish. Inspired by a Parisian rooftop with a terrace garden, it's your perfect stop for a mid-shop bevvy at Chadstone. For more info, visit the website.
On your next visit to Chadstone – The Fashion Capital, take a break from shopping to wander over to the new leisure and dining precinct, the Social Quarter. Herein lies Cityfields, an all-day dining destination from the team behind South Melbourne’s Half Acre, and your new go-to for a freshly shaken cocktail or meal with a side of serene suburban views.
Inspired by the illustrious brasseries of Paris and New York, the eatery is spacious and boasts a vintage chandelier, centre public bar, 12-metre high ceilings and extra outdoor seating to catch the last of those late afternoon rays after you’ve caught a movie or entertained the kids at nearby Hijinx Hotel.
The European-style bistro menu hones in on seasonal produce, with refined yet approachable dishes like wood-roasted pumpkin dip with sourdough focaccia and duck terrine with grape chutney and caperberries. The potato doughnuts are a must-try for sharing, served warm and well complemented by fondue and saltbush.
Heartier eats include a flaky Jerusalem artichoke pie with mushroom ketchup, High Country trout with zucchini and a herbaceous beurre blanc, and finger-lickin’ tasty wood-roasted chicken atop a lemony oregano and olive salad. While the atmosphere may whisper old-time elegance, you’re still at Chadstone and can get your hands dirty here. With burgers, soft-serve ice cream and cheese platters keeping the scene family-friendly, kids won’t complain.
There’s a selection of crowd-pleasing pastas and wood-fired steaks served alongside fries and sauce for the foodies, and let's not forget the star of the entire show: a mobile dessert cart blooming with an array of fresh cakes and colourful sweet treats.
It’s the sort of place that fits many an occasion; an afternoon tea with your nanna, a relaxed business lunch or a full-blown family affair. But the biggest boast of all at Cityfields could certainly be the legendary Sling Shaker.
You may have seen this contraption before at Singapore’s famous Raffles Hotel for which it was first designed, a mechanical hand-cranked machine capable of shaking up to six cocktails in one go. Watch the skilled bartender whip you up a cherry-sweet City Sling, a spiced pear Martini or a native strawberry Negroni if you’re feeling more experimental.
A strong wine list and mix of local and imported beer round out the drinks menu, marking Cityfields just as worthy of a long lunch as it is a short mid-shop pit stop.
