First off, and on a serious note — anyone with a neck complaint should take care at Higher Ground because the initial wow factor here is the 15m ceilings you’ll inevitably crane your neck to take in.

You just can’t help but goggle at the heritage-listed 19th-century power station this cafe newcomer cleverly occupies, with its sky-high rafters and imposing arch windows.

It’s an inspired and inspiring place, yet for its design cool and 130 seats over several levels, a mezzanine, lounge-type nooks, bar stools and communal tables, it’s completely accessible and pretension free.

There’s a romance to it, too, the kind of spot you could while away a few hours tapping away at your novel as light fills the cathedral-esque void.

It doesn’t matter that you’re actually BPAYing the gas bill and you can’t spend hours on end here because someone wants your table.

This is, after all, the hottest hangout in town.

At the western edge of town, it’s the latest project from the team behind The Kettle Black in South Melbourne and Richmond’s Top Paddock who know how to do good cafe and attract a queue or two.

Open daily for breakfast and lunch, Higher Ground is the group’s first fully fledged night venue, with dinner service on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. And you can book, which is exactly what we did this pumping Thursday evening.

Nate Wilkins is a co-owner and executive chef, ably supported in the open kitchen by a squad of 18 whose resumes run to Supernormal, Jacques Reymond, Pope Joan and Magic Mountain Saloon.

The lamb ribs ($15) are a cut above, with a lifting herby green sauce laced with olives for cut-through, while the brussels sprouts ($11) are simply charred and dressed with butter and salt allowing the vege to shine.

There’s a delicate dish of cured kingfish ($21) served with seaweed and ponzu; a good pairing for the steamed fish ($26), snapper the night we dined, in a superb Japanese broth with shaved kohlrabi, radish quarters, wakame and sesame seeds with bonito flakes to boost the fishy factor.

For the ultimate comfort-food hug, go the creamed potato ($12), its smooth lashings studded with pops of capers and bottarga (cured fish roe). To finish, the crunchy-bottomed ricotta hot cake with maple syrup, seeds, grains, fruit and flowers made Insta-famous at Top Paddock then Kettle Black, gets a single-serve reworking ($16) with a subtle violet ice cream.

However, expand those tastebuds with the mandarin cheesecake (below, $16). Whole mandarins are boiled over three days until they form a gel-like tangy-sweet casing around a cheesecake centre anchored by a chocolate brownie base. Sitting like Heston Blumenthal’s meat fruit on the plate, it’s simply the bomb.

Sips by the glass traverse Champagne to Nagambie and are well priced around $12. The 2014 Jamsheed pinot noir from the Yarra Valley was a light red option for the food on offer.

A decent bottle will set you back about $60, topping out at $120 for a 2012 barolo.

There’s also a tight list of cocktails, craft beers and ciders.

Coffee is from the group’s own Square One roaster in Cremorne but the menu also runs to filter, batch brew and single-origin options with handy tasting notes. A coffee machine is cleverly stationed outside for takeaway customers and queuers.

There’s also an interesting line-up of teas from Assembly and Larsen & Thompson, as well as house-made spritzers ($6.50), cold-pressed juices ($6.50) and breakfast cocktails such as a green juice plied with Four Pillars gin ($14).

Staff are stylishly dressed, assured and quick with a laugh, working the three-level space with a calm efficiency. Oh and, in these PC times, are we allowed to say easy on the eye, too?

You don’t need to be a design freak to appreciate this towering space, which has the feel of a hip and happening hotel lobby.

The massive concrete pillars supporting the 30-odd floors of apartments above don’t detract from the design, which is accentuated by exposed brick, beautiful furnishings and lavish greenery.

The cavernous space also handles noise well and effortlessly transforms from day to evening with warm lighting. It could be cold and uninviting, but it’s cosy and instantly welcoming. Fine stemware and beautiful plates add to the aesthetic.

Meals are lovely to look at but aren’t overly generous in some cases, so larger appetites may be left wanting more. However, prices reflect the premium produce used and the kitchen’s attention to detail, so it’s a winning outlay.

Polished, gimmick-free and confident from the get-go, Higher Ground is here to stay long beyond the first flush of being the hottest spot in town.

Originally published on heraldsun.com.au