The rundown
Daniel Whiffen and Gerard Murphy are no strangers to creating a welcoming hospitality atmosphere. The owners of Mr Edward’s Alehouse & Kitchen have been keeping inner-city diners coming with their brand of approachable service, and are going two-for-two with their new project Cribb Street Social. Daniel and Gerard saw an opening for an all-encompassing venue that could cater to every need, be it a handy location for meetings, a shady lunch respite, a cracking afternoon knock-off spot or a stylish dinner destination. Cribb Street Social has been constructed to be approachable, while still offering premium quality across every part of the day.
The space
Cribb Street Social catches the eye from the street, where patrons are drawn towards the spacious alfresco dining area and beer garden. There’s plenty of room for groups and intimate pairings, with ample spots to take shelter from the shade or catch some rays if you prefer. A central table cascades from the ceiling at the entrance to the interior space, where seating is also plentiful with a warm palette of greens, wood and copper, with chic light fixtures creating a modern but comfortable atmosphere. The bar boasts shelves of premium spirits and 14 beer taps, set on a feature wall coated in striking white and green mosaic tiles that also houses an impressive cured meat and cheese fridge.
The food and drink
Where Mr Edward’s offers a largely northern European style cuisine, Cribb Street Social puts a twist on Mediterranean flavours across its morning, afternoon and evening menus. The breakfast menu offers the likes of eggs benedict with sautéed chorizo, pancake stacks and tropical acai bowls, while the lunch menu serves up varied bites including superfood salads, grilled-cheese Cuban sandwiches, marinated smoked squid, harissa-marinated market fish and more. Once the sun sets, the kitchen switches to dinner, which offers a shared-style dining experience with the likes of braised pork cheek, purple broccoli, gorgonzola and crisp sage pasta, grilled whole lemon sole, baby back ribs and wild boar saddle. Got a meet-cute planned for the evening? Kick back and chat over a cheese and charcuterie platter piled with the likes of Italian prosciutto and truffle sopressa, Spanish jamon and pork salami, smoked-sesame vegan cheese (yes, vegan cheese!), French comte and triple-cream brie from sunny Queensland. The drinks selection is well worth inspecting, with a back bar stocked with a great range of gin and whisky, a cocktail menu featuring classics and shareable concoctions, tap beer from Mountain Goat and worldly selection of wines.
Cribb Street Social is open now! For address and opening hours, check out our entry in the Stumble Guide.
