Where to eat and drink at Rising 2023

If you find yourself feeling peckish at Night Trade, Rising’s spirited pop-up performance hub at St Paul’s Cathedral, you’re in the right place. Warm up with a flame-cooked barbecue skewer from Filipino street food favourite Hoy Pinoy, or sink your teeth into a hearty hot pie from social enterprise Free to Feed, crafted by its participants from Ukraine, Sri Lanka, Egypt and Colombia. A giant Archie Rose tank with capacity for 11,000 cocktails will be serving up Negronis long into the night, and there’ll also be ice-cold Bodriggy tinnies if you prefer. Vino lovers aren’t forgotten; a Blade Runner-esque sci-fi wine ball will be pouring sustainable tap wines from Collingwood’s Glou. And right in the heart of the action, you’ll find Up Bar: your bevvie buddies for Archie Rose pre-mixes, Victorian wines, local beers and an exclusive spicy ginger beer brewed just for Rising. Wanna save some money? You’ll get $5 off your first drink as an Up customer.

Nothing stirs the appetite quite like an awkward Bambi-like skate across the Rising ice rink. Once you’ve mastered your strides and pirouettes under the galactic big top, get cosy at one of the rink-side stalls with a tipple and hot bite to eat. Follow your nose to wood-fired pizza from Fugazi, hot pies from Pie Thief, and chips and dips by Chappy’s and Free to Feed. While we’re on the fairground food train, why not add some hot buttered popcorn or a classic hot dog and loaded fries from Hot Dog Deli to the mix? If you’re craving something a little sweeter, dig into a caramel-drizzled crepe from Crepes for Change or head straight for Manny’s Doughnuts and get it to go with ice cream. Archie Rose has you sorted for a cocktail, while Mork lovers can’t go wrong with a boozy hot chocolate.

Interested in taking your Rising experience to the next level with a swish sit-down affair? Look no further than the Dine at Dusk series. Participating restaurants will be putting on a feast of moonlit delights throughout the course of the festival program, shaped by conceptual set menus specially designed for Rising. The city’s leading force in indigenous dining, Mabu Mabu, is featuring a seasonal four-course dinner on June 14 from 5pm to 9pm for $90 per person. On the same night, Hazel’s Atrium is shining a spotlight on low-waste cooking and sustainable sourcing with a four-course lunar banquet and bespoke cocktail on arrival for $150 per person. For farm-to-plate fare from Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters at Fed Square, opt for the restaurant’s three-course dining in the dark experience. On June 11 at 5pm, they’ll be switching off the lights and firing up their grill for a sensory-enhanced meal to remember at $85 per person (bear in mind the 10 per cent Sunday surcharge). On the same night, curious seafood foodies will be flocking to Kisume’s intimate Chef’s Table dinner hosted by executive chef Yonge Kim from 6.30pm to 9pm at $200 a head.