When Ben Shewry took over as sole owner of Attica two years ago he proclaimed: “I feel like I’m just getting started.” Since then, he’s been hard at work. A recent renewal of his Ripponlea restaurant has transformed the space into a beautiful, quietly luxurious Australian dining room – where the heights of this World’s 50 Best restaurant is offset with an indie rock soundtrack and cutlery-free dishes.

It’s at once completely unique and comforting, an ambience helped along by the service team, who are a highlight in themselves. The floorstaff offer added twinkle and highly honed intuition complementing a headful of knowledge to ensure the three-hour meal passes as if it were all delicious dream.

And what a dream it is. A procession of hands-on dishes is a reminder of the visceral pleasure of eating. These include sweet smoked pork, translucent pearl meat cooked in paperbark, a perfect local scallop, smashed avo on toast and the best meat pie you’ll probably ever taste.

The storytelling, a common feature of Shewry’s oeuvre, is in page-turning form in a series of tarts charting the history of the area – native lime and plum, black pudding with Earl Grey and Matzo chicken. The wit and whimsy flows freely in the next chapter that sees tulip petals encase sticky jumbuck, camel ice cream topped with ants, and billy tea with doughnuts served out the back.

Rather than rest on its (numerous) global accolades and notoriety, Attica, 12 years on, has grown into them, becoming even more focused, confident and mature. A meal here is an investment, but when an emu egg filled with a cloud of airy sabayon and Daintree ice cream is placed as the show-stopping finale, it’s the type of hand-clapping joy, money (almost) can’t buy.

Must-eat dish: Whipped emu egg
Instagram: @atticamelbourne