Edwin Wine Bar & Cellar at new Melbourne accommodation offering, Shadow Play by Peppers at Southbank, is out to shine a light on Victorian winemakers, producers and farmers.

While the décor is dark and moody, the menu and its philosophy is playful and fresh.

Head Chef Ritesh Patil says using exclusively Victorian produce is a breeze: “Not only does Victoria produce the best seafood, meats, cheeses and local produce in Australia but we have some great local producers here who deserve to step out of the shadows of being just a supplier and be seen as co-creators of our menu of excellence,” he says.

Chef Patil’s food preparation style is simple: offering featuring just four or five ingredients on a plate.

The menu highlights its Daylesford salumi and cheese supplied by Marie at Emerald Deli at South Melbourne markets.

The new wine bar and restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

By working with local farmers and producers, the dining destination can ensure the season’s best fare ends up on the plate.

Dishes like slow-cooked Gippsland lamb with smoked labne and saltbush pair perfectly with the carefully curated wine list:“It is much more powerful to have each ingredient speak for itself. I don’t overcomplicate my dishes because this just drowns each ingredient’s contribution to a dish,” says Chef Patil.

Following a stay upstairs at Shadow Play, guests can enjoy breakfasts featuring the likes of Yarra Valley Chevre served with free-range eggs, avocado, mind and toasted pine nuts.

Resident Sommelier Yu Kurosawa says every wine she selects has a story about its locality and the local winemakers’ style. “Our menu features wine from each of Victoria’s 21 wine regions with an equal gender balance between male and female winemakers,” she explains.