It isn’t until I’m paying the bill at the Central Club Hotel that I spot something unusual. At the bottom of the docket it says “vegan mousse”. Vegan? That decadently creamy chocolate mousse spiked with glossy, chewy Amarena cherries was vegan? The waitress smiles. “Yes, it’s vegan,” she confirms. 

This isn’t the only surprise that comes from dining at the grand old dame situated opposite the bustling Queen Victoria market in North Melbourne. Recently reopened after a two-year closure where the 150-year-old building was immaculately renovated, the sophisticated revamp nods respectfully to the building’s past by incorporating original jarrah timbers and vintage hotel tiles which have been reclaimed and integrated into the joinery, decor and tabletops. 

Photographs of the hotel’s previous owners and from when the venue was a depot for horse-drawn taxis give an immediate sense of warmth, along with the quartz-topped horseshoe bar, art deco bling and cosy pockets of seating. But it’s not all luxe gastro pub finery – there are several televisions mounted on the exposed red brick walls that broadcast sporting matches and you can still get a Carlton Draught from the superb drinks menu that is almost entirely made up of Australian beers, wines and spirits. 

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Pubs have always been a place for people to gather and it’s clear that publican Vincent Magrath wanted the historic building to continue to play an important role in the surrounding community.

The extensive menu champions local produce from Queen Victoria Market suppliers such as Hagen’s Organics and Luke’s Chicken, while the options appease punters keen for a chicken parma, porterhouse steak or beer-battered fish and chips, as well as those wanting to sample chef Alessandro Carestia’s exceptional housemade pastas. 

The blue swimmer crab linguine is already a crowd favourite with its undercurrent of chilli, as is the tender beef ragu fettuccine topped with generous shavings of parmesan. For those eschewing meat, the pumpkin cavatelli with black garlic oil and crispy sage is satisfyingly rich with dark and jammy umami flavours.

My dining companions and I make short work of the beautifully presented kingfish sashimi with pears topped with slivered rounds of radish, and we relish slathering the buttery black eye pea hummus scattered with crunchy macadamias on to warm flatbreads. 

But it was the desserts that I find myself wistfully thinking about the next day: the plump profiteroles with a nubbly craquelin crust filled with vanilla mascarpone custard and the luscious chocolate mousse dusted with coconut “snow”. Vegan friendly or not, I’m already plotting my return to devour another one of the best chocolate mousses I’ve ever tasted. 

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