Ex-River Café sommelier Katie Exton has taken full advantage of Victoria’s blossoming food scene with this 48-cover modern Brit, in collaboration with chef Peter Hall (formerly at The Square). Light-filled Lorne is a calming oasis of washed-out colours, with house plants lining the walls and a menu dedicated to seasonal, local produce. Dishes change daily, but we were impressed by an unashamedly rich starter of cuttlefish seasoned with fennel and pickled onions, coated in a creamy romesco sauce. Mains saw a generous serving of tender, corn-fed chicken, supported by a side of onion tart and a hunk of roasted cauliflower.
Finally, a chocolate crémeux dessert avoided excessive heaviness thanks to refreshing drizzles of passion fruit and crisp mouthfuls of honeycomb: typical of what one reader calls “great on-point cooking”. Meanwhile, Kate Exton’s oenophile expertise shows in a globe-trotting list with some “spectacular” food-matching opportunities – there’s also a downstairs bar and wine cellar that’s worth perusing. With its chatty staff and truly relaxed atmosphere, Lorne is a very welcome addition to the neighbourhood.