About
A space to enjoy a drink, share some food and
stay for awhile.
- The bar
- Dining Room
- about
- contact
- bookings
- 434 Lygon Street
Brunswick East VIC 3057
03 8419 8822
A space to enjoy a drink, share some food and
stay for awhile.
Crofter is an 80-seat dining room and bar from British chef Matt Wilkinson. It is Matt’s most personal venue yet, a modern Australian approach to food and dining, injected with some not-so-subtle nods to homeland Britain.
Fans of Matt’s food won’t be surprised to see that our menus are led by vegetables and salads—shared plates of local produce, showcasing local farmers and producers—with plates of sustainable meat and seafood taking on a supporting role.
The name, Crofter Dining Room & Bar, refers to small landholders, tenant farmers in the Scottish Highlands, known as crofters. In the 1880s, “is treasa tuath na tighearna”—“the people are mightier than a lord”—rang through the glens and straths of the Highlands as crofters and small tenants fought for the protection of their rights. Crofter Dining Room & Bar takes inspiration from their passion for creating small-scale food systems and tight-knit communities.
Originally hailing from Yorkshire in northern England, Matt Wilkinson is a chef, author and passionate advocate for eating sustainably and farming ethically. He loves nothing more than getting his hands dirty gardening, camping and fishing and has never been one to say no to a martini.
Matt is the founder and owner of The Pie Shop, and the Creative Director of Four Pillars’ ‘Made from Gin’ products. He opened beloved Brunswick café Pope Joan and ran it for eight years before it closed in June 2018 to make way for an apartment development. In 2019, he partnered with restaurateur David Mackintosh to give Pope Joan a second-coming in Melbourne’s CBD, before departing the venture in November to open Crofter Dining Room & Bar.
Matt is also the author of three best-selling cookbooks: Mr Wilkinson’s Favourite Vegetables, Mr Wilkinson’s Simply Dressed Salads and Mr & Mrs Wilkinsons How it is at Home.
