il Mercato Centrale

546 Collins St

Melbourne 

Press PLAY to listen to Emilia’s full review

Literally meaning ‘the central market’, il Mercato Centrale officially opened its doors in Melbourne yesterday. It’s a vibrant Italian food market, located in the historic McPherson’s building on Collins Street, spans 3,500 square metres across three levels, featuring 23 artisan stalls that offer a diverse range of culinary delights.

The best way I could quickly summarise it to Melburnians was “think of the old David Jones downstairs food court on Bourke St … quadruple it”. 

The Italian entrepreneur, Umberto Montano was in Melbourne for the opening yesterday and just oozed passion and excitement – he’s the brains behind the Mercato Centrale concept originating in Florence, Italy in 2014, and now expanding to the newly opened location in Melbourne.

He developed Mercato Centrale as a place where food is “lived, told and prepared by artisans who respect it and know it deeply”. He emphasises creating a welcoming, community-oriented space, saying: “It’s a free place. Nobody asks you whether you want a coffee or not. We just need to be together.” If you’ve been down this end of the city recently you’d know we need it.

It’s designed to be an immersive experience reminiscent of Italy, complete with a variety of food options including fresh pasta, artisanal cheeses, seafood, and baked goods. The market also includes a fine dining restaurant, cocktail and wine bars, and spaces for community events and masterclasses.

Given the extensive offerings at il Mercato Centrale, here are some recommended highlights:

• Pizza al Taglio: Roman-style pizza with thick crusts and a variety of toppings, perfect for a casual bite.

• Calamari Fritti: Specialising in freshly fried calamari, Umberto said he loved their calamari so much he asked that they diversify so he could feature them at il Mercato Centrale. All Sicilian recipes, choose between salt and pepper calamari and Italian crumbed varieties.

• Risotto and Arancini: At the il Riso stall, you can enjoy creamy risotto and rice-based pasta dishes, including perfectly crafted arancini—ideal for those seeking gluten-free options.

• Buffalo Mozzarella: La mozzarella offers fresh buffalo mozzarella, a staple in Italian cuisine, there’s a wall of mozzarella.
• Il pesce: The only non-Italian in the market, George Milonas won Umberto’s heart with his dedication to the best fresh fish. You can indulge in some non Italian they serve sushi here too.

• Lo smash burger – If Italian is not tickling your fancy try a smash burger or Nashville hot chicken from lo smash burger. They have the best chips this side of the city.

• Gelato, cannoli, single source chocolate and pastries: You can end your meal with a choice of dessert. I recommend the cannoli from Eat Cannoli downstairs but if you like the more citrusy venture up to il Riso.

• Alessandro Luppolo’s chocolate is a stand up choice, having experience starting in Italy, taking him to New York and Hong Kong before Melbourne. Get your Melbourne made chocolate from Good Boy Chocolate 

Mercato Centrale encourages passersby to linger, explore, and enjoy the ambiance while sampling various foods and drinks. It has late-night licensing until 3am on weekends, and fills a much needed gap down this end of Collins Street where you have a choice of KFC or Krispy Kreme normally.

il Mercato Centrale stands out as a destination not just for dining but for experiencing Italian culture through food in Melbourne. 

What to expect from the exciting new Italian mega-market in the CBD!