By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
There’s a quiet hum at the edge of Albert Park, where the city feels close but the air carries the freshness of open space. Windows Restaurant, newly relaunched at Pullman & Mercure Melbourne Albert Park, is proof that world-class dining doesn’t need to be hidden in a laneway or perched atop a skyscraper.
Here, the focus is simple but profound: every dish tells a story and every ingredient has a journey from local farm to fork.
The restaurant’s reinvention is as much about philosophy as it is about flavour. Executive Chef Garth Channing, a veteran of more than 20 years in Australia’s luxury hotel kitchens, has designed a menu that celebrates the seasonality and diversity of Victoria’s culinary bounty.
His approach is rooted in traditional cooking techniques enhanced with modern flair, ensuring that every plate looks as impressive as it tastes. The ethos is clear: local sourcing, careful seasonality and dishes that allow ingredients to shine.
Walking through Windows, diners immediately sense a connection to place. The menu exclusively draws from regional Victorian producers like Simon, George & Sons and That’s Amore Cheese, ensuring that each mouthful carries the character of the land and the care of the farmers.
Grilled meat, vibrant vegetables and artisan cheese aren’t just ingredients – they’re the stars of the table, each dish curated to highlight the natural textures, colours and flavours that change with the seasons.
Sharing plates encourage diners to slow down and appreciate the journey from paddock to plate. Think charred local vegetables accented with housemade condiments, or tender cuts of meat paired with seasonal herbs and bright, citrusy notes. Each dish invites conversation, reflection and, importantly, a renewed appreciation for the time, skill and community that goes into growing, raising and preparing food.
The drinks menu complements this philosophy beautifully. Local wines from the King Valley and Yarra Valley sit alongside seasonal cocktails crafted with native ingredients, ensuring that every sip echoes the land from which it came. There’s a quiet satisfaction in knowing that both glass and plate are thoughtfully sourced, leaving diners with an experience that’s immersive, ethical and entirely pleasurable.
Dessert is where creativity meets indulgence. Harsha Alahakoon, Windows’ pastry mastermind, elevates simple ingredients into stunning, artful presentations. His signature Dark Sphere is a vegan chocolate sphere filled with coconut mousse, passionfruit and mango, served with rosemary-infused strawberry coulis and dark chocolate crumble. Each bite feels like a revelation, a delicate balance of texture and flavour that reminds diners why the farm-to-table philosophy is worth celebrating.
Sustainability isn’t an afterthought at Windows – it’s baked into every process. The team minimises waste through careful portioning, creative repurposing of trimmings into housemade stocks and a close collaboration with local suppliers to embrace only seasonal produce. Every dish is an exercise in thoughtfulness, proving that indulgence and responsibility can coexist on the same plate.
The atmosphere mirrors this approach. Bright, open interiors frame views of Albert Park and the proximity to St Kilda Beach makes Windows an ideal destination for both locals and visitors seeking a leisurely, sensory dining experience. Whether it’s a lazy weekend lunch, a special celebration, or a dinner paired with seasonal wines and cocktails, the restaurant invites diners to slow down and connect – to the food, the land and each other.
Windows Restaurant isn’t just a relaunch. It’s a reminder that exceptional dining is as much about where your ingredients come from as it is about how they’re cooked. With a menu that tells the story of Victoria’s farms, fields and artisans, a drinks list that honours local producers and a team committed to sustainability, every meal here is a small celebration of place and season.
For anyone seeking Melbourne dining that feels both luxurious and authentically connected to the land, Windows Restaurant at Pullman & Mercure Melbourne Albert Park is a destination to savour, bite by bite.
