King and Godfree Precinct reopens its doors November 2 & 3
Carlton’s King and Godfree precinct, which houses some of Melbourne’s favourite venues including Johnny’s Green Room and the K&G deli and bar will reopen again with exciting new updates as Melbourne starts to come alive again.
Johnny’s Green Room will resume its position as Melbourne’s favourite place for classic drinks, unrivalled city views, awesome tunes and a menu of bar food’s greatest hits – this time as a 50-seater restaurant/rooftop bar with table service.
The Johnny’s of today will take bookings for Tuesday, November 3 for Melbourne Cup Day, and then resume ongoing trading from Thursday to Monday and move to seven days within weeks.
The menu this time around will include more fun, playful dishes where classics take centre stage, including delicious Neapolitan thin crust pizzas like the ‘Nonno Carlo’ with prosciutto, San Marzano pomodoro, buffalo mozzarella and basil, and the ‘Mortadella Bella’ with mortadella, buffalo mozzarella, potato and rosemary.
Other favourites will include a local collaboration between local butcher Donati’s Meats × Johnny’s for the ultimate Wagyu burger, an eggplant parma burger, lamb arrosticini cooked over charcoal, and panzerotti – a fried calzone complete with Napoli dipping sauce.
As for the drinks, the Pidapipó × Johnny’s Sgroppino (an Italian cocktail with lemon sorbetto, gin and prosecco) made and served tableside will be sure to add to the theatre. For something more traditional, the JGR Negroni is making a comeback, alongside a long list of delicious Italian and local whites, reds and beers on tap.
Returning to the decks are the Hope St Radio DJs from every Thursday to Sunday, creating the perfect atmosphere to enjoy everything that’s best about this amazing city. Kicking off the festivities on Cup Day are Colette, C.FRIM and Mirasia, followed by Animals Dancing’s Otologic on Friday, 6 November.
Bookings will be taken all day from 12pm–9pm for 1.5-hour (tables under six) and 2-hour sittings (tables for six or more) with largest bookings capped at 10 people (for now).
Downstairs at the deli, which opens Monday, 2 November, the focus moves outside as the brand-new wraparound seating is unveiled on Faraday and Lygon streets. This new format will create a bustling street atmosphere that’s sure to bring back some much-anticipated action to the neighbourhood.
The deli will reflect more of an all-day diner feel and operate at full capacity with ten inside and 50 outdoors. The espresso bar will be operating as normal, serving coffee, snacks and drinks throughout the day.
The deli menu will see old favourites, including porchetta rolls, salads and pastas as well as new deli-to-table items, such as K&G mortadella, stuffed Sirena tuna peppers, burrata with pickled green tomatoes, and fresh-baked focaccia. There will be a large emphasis on wines, beer and spritzes on tap, as well as the shiny new Johnny’s bottled cocktail range. Wine lovers can enjoy the selection on offer at the wine store with $20 corkage on retail wines below $100.
Deli opening hours will be 9am until late, with bookings being taken from 11am onwards, seven days a week.
As for next door’s intimate enoteca and wine bar Agostino, stay tuned for opening dates soon.
Get your crew together to celebrate King and Godfree becoming the neighbourhood destination where locals and visitors come together to experience the best in Italian food and wine and good times once again.
Bookings are essential for both the Johnny’s Green Room and the K&G Deli, and can be made online at: https://kingandgodfree.com/bookings/ & https://johnnysgreenroom.com/bookings/
Johnny’s Green Room
via King and Godfree Ln, Carlton VIC 3053
Hours: Wed to Sun, 12pm–late
King and Godfree Deli
293–297 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053
Hours: Mon to Sun, 9am–late