Breathing life into a renovated mill in South Melbourne’s back blocks, this lively all-day eatery, bar and events space is a pleasure dome of fun, food and good looks. 

The atrium-like dining room is one of the city’s most fetching, serving an easy-please menu fuelled by a woodfired oven. It’s turning out pizzas with a nice chewy chariness and bigger meaty options to share, but the vibrant flame-toasted vegie dishes are where it’s at. 

There’s the grilled cabbage, all blackened edges and supple inner, dressed in a zingy chimichurri with crumbled charry goat’s cheese for a smoky creaminess, or the sweet, roasted flesh of a wedge of pumpkin offset with persimmon and spiced pepitas. 

Roasted heirloom carrots dotted with buffalo stracciatella, and cauliflower doused in dukkah and tahini are more players in Half Acre’s strong vegie game. 
Must Eat Dish: Grilled cabbage, torched goat’s cheese, chimichurri