Cutler

Our first time attending Cutler and we were really blown away by the level of service and the quality of the food. It is hard to find this standard of service that is so attentive but also not at all pretentious. Every person we interacted with was incredibly professional and warm. We would come back for the service alone, let alone how delicious the meal was! We ordered the special skull island prawns and the anchovy and sage fritters to start. Prawns were delicious and the fritters were a super fun and tasty dish. Next we had the calamari with green romesco which was the perfect texture and full of flavour. For mains, we had the steak and the king George whiting. The sauce on the king George whiting was incredible and the steak was one of the best we have ever had. We couldn’t recommend Cutler enough.

The crispy whitebait sandwich was very nice. It was the highlight of the meal. The duck was very flavorful and tender, too. Service was top-notch, and they were very prompt. Food came out very quickly. Hardly waited for anything.

We had an exceptional dining experience at Cutler Restaurant. From the moment we arrived, the staff were incredibly welcoming, friendly, and attentive, ensuring that we felt well taken care of throughout the evening. For our entrée, we enjoyed the oysters and caviar, both of which were exceptionally fresh and beautifully marinated, enhancing their natural flavors. For the main course, we had the lamb rack and eye fillet. Both dishes were cooked to perfection—tender, juicy, and infused with rich flavors from the marinade. The presentation was also impeccable. For dessert, we indulged in the chocolate gâteau and apricot dessert, both of which were exquisitely crafted with balanced sweetness and a delightful texture. Overall, the food quality, ambiance, and service were outstanding. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a memorable fine dining experience!

Cutler comes in highly on places to eat in Melbourne. Dined at Marion last month and heard they are owned by the same Group so I knew I was in for a treat. Cutler was more of a fancy/expensive version of Marion for me but offered a more wide range of dishes. What stood out to me was the Duck here. Haven’t had duck so tender whilst having a really nice crispy coating that gave it that crunch factor on the skin. Sauces that were on the plate were also perfect , not too potent so the natural taste of the duck still came through. Other dishes were all very nice, perfectly cooked and seasoned fairly. For entrees and small plates everything in the photo was good but the Vitello tonnato was a must for me. Appetisers were all really good, caviar tart was a small explosion bomb but the anchovy and sage dish was my favourite. Sat at the wine bar seating and the service was immaculate. Got taken well care of and it is kinda nicer sitting in the more bright lit up room in the summer.

Honestly $160 for this little portion of food is ridiculous. On top of that the main is only two pieces of duck, the duck is good but overrated for the price. The veggies paired with it were done in different ways but somehow both of them taste the same, both sour and no other taste. And the salad was also sour which tastes the same as the pairing veggies, honestly for this price, we deserve a lot better. Dessert was also average tasting and low effort low cost. Waitstaff were really kind tho, amazing services.

Went for dinner for one of our honeymoon dinner bookings (from Canada), and our expectations were far surpassed and they were pretty high from what we had heard about Cutler. The ambiance is spot on for a laid back romantic evening. The tone is perfectly set right as you walk in the door with a friendly greeting and thoughtful decor. Our server, Hugo, gave a quick yet thorough run through of the menu and we decided to go with his recommendation of the chef’s coursed menu, and they paired excellent wines with each dish. Everyone who came to our table was polite, personable, and fun (huge shout out to Hugo and Pheobe!). We always felt well looked after, and could fully trust that we were going to get quality with every cocktail, wine, and dish thanks to their full disclosure and knowledge. TLDR; if you want great service, amazing food and top notch drinks in a sexy restaurant for any occasion this is the spot. 10/10, we will definitely be returning if not on this trip but anytime we are in Melbourne!

As always Cutler does not disappoint! Everything was top notch, the tuna entree was the best tuna I’ve had and the lobster pasta was exceptional. The only thing we didn’t love was the carrots.

The ambiance was dimly lit, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere that was truly remarkable. The service was top-notch, with attentive staff ensuring a seamless dining experience. The food was not only delicious but also beautifully presented, adding to the overall enjoyment. Combined with the warm and welcoming environment, it made for a delightful evening worth remembering.

With a casual bar in the front, a lively open kitchen in the middle, and a fine dining atmosphere in the back, Cutler & Co has it all! This is a place for a nice date or evening out with friendly service and requisite menu prices. At each table is a fresh taper candle that's lit as soon as you sit down, and soon after ordering, we received an amuse bouche of a parmesan crisp with fromage blanc and mustard, as well as bread service--sourdough with two kinds of seasoned butter! To start, we shared the assorted greens (lettuce, radicchio) in buttermilk dressing, which was fresh but nothing too spectacular. We continued with our mains: the snapper with pureed eggplant, oyster sauce, watermelon radish, and purplette onion was creative and tasty. But my favorite was definitely the mushroom pithivier, a lovely mushroom "pie" made of layers of duxelles, kohlrabi, and Comte cheese in a flaky, crispy pie crust! Absolutely divine--the filling was rich with umami, but light at the same time with the kohlrabi. The dish came with a light frisee salad on the side and a mushroom ketchup, which added a hit of acidity to every bite of the savory pie. We were told that the pie would take 30-40 minutes to prepare after ordering, but it was totally worth it! We decided to skip dessert, but to finish off, we were given small complementary bites of a jelly and a salted chocolate truffle, which simply melted in your mouth! Overall, this is a lovely place to come for fine dining, though it does get expensive quickly.

"I just rescued some wine. It was trapped in a bottle." Why try just one wine bar when you can do two from the same group? Another stunner with its solid energy, jovial conversations and relaxed feel in a contemporary setting. Wine is king here. New and dynamic wines from up and coming producers to DRC's and Australia's very own Henschke Hill of Grace. 30 wines by the glass, 600+ by the bottle. All at very reasonable prices. Food is a big part of the wine loving experience and Cutler and Co delivers. Ingredients are fresh and seasonal. The menu changes regularly to reflect this. Standouts included: Donuts with sour cream, salmon roe and chives - Not a donut in the American sense, this one, more like a pate a choux puff. Mix up the accompanying sour cream, salmon eggs and chives then spread it on, the slightest hint of yolky brininess in the otherwise mostly sour cream spread and a sip of a racy red; ahhhh. Taco of suckling pig, salsa verde, anchovy and rocket - A simple white corn tortilla with chunk of crispy skin, juicy and tender suckling pig, a smear of a creamy salsa verde backed by anchovy and a peppery, bitter rocket leaf. Add a squeeze of lemon and the flavors come together while begging for a sip of wine. Zucchini flowers, fresh cheese, pickled radicchio and pistachio - A true celebration of summer. Vibrant, fresh, colorful. A kiss of citrus sweetness from the zucchini flowers, texture from the young zucchini themselves. A zesty vinaigrette brings it all together. You guessed it, more wine please! Service is very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Prices are good with many selections 60AUD - 80AUD. Markup for top wines 1.5x - 2x auction prices. A worthy visit. Just remember, be a good visitor to Australia, "save water, drink wine".

So after an initial fumble to get orders down and drinks sent over, it was super smooth sailing from that moment on. What a restaurant. I'm not surprised it has rave reviews. This place was off the charts good. From the service, to the ambiance, the food and drinks, dessert was beyond ... not to mention the palate cleansers between courses - a fizzy mandarin fruit tingle tasting shot of greatness !!! We were celebrating a birthday and decided to go all out - whatever we desired and whatever quantity of the dish or drink we wanted - so what do 4 ladies on a mission to try everything do? Order pretty much the whole menu and spend all night picking at this incredible food, chinking glasses at every top up, chatting to the sommelier and staff for what the next round of drinks should be - before we knew it, we were shutting shop and the staff, despite them starting their clean-up routine, allowed us to remain at the table, laughing and joining in on our conversation - such a wonderful night mostly brought upon by the incredible staff at Cutler & Co. Every appetizer, entrée, main and sides ordered were on point - busting with flavor and texture - uffff I can still taste the oysters, the padron peppers, zucchini flowers, oh dear god the quail, all 3 sides - radicchio salad, potatoes and broccoli .. must focus Maria. I can't finish off a review without mentioning the dessert - wow, Im pretty sure I break one of the seven deadly sins everytime I head out to a "special" restaurant during the ordering of dessert- I become this excessively insatiable person whos eye's are bigger than their stomach ... in fact, all 4 of us were at Cutler & Co - I even finished mine off with a superb Tokay. All dishes were highly memorable and a perfect end to such a perfect evening.

This is special occasion type territory. Either pray your Great-long-lost-Aunt leaves you a hefty inheritance, or save your pennies in advance, because an evening here is going to cost some serious coin. Sure you could have a reasonably priced experience if you scrimped on all the extras like Champagne on arrival, cheese courses and digestives at the end but where's the fun in that? The fussiest of all the restaurants in the Andrew McConnell empire, Cutler and Co takes food, wine, service and ambience to the highest levels. It's not my favourite kind of dining because it all feels just a little bit TOO serious, but I do like it very much and would gladly return... if someone else were paying.

Believe the hype. Chef Andrew McConnell does it right. Again. Thanks to my sister who lives in Melbourne who was smart enough to make reservations way in advance for dinner during the Christmas period. When my brother-in-law parked the car along the section of Gertrude St where the restaurant is, he asked "Are you sure you've got the right address? This part of Gertrude St doesn't have fancy restaurants." Yup, we were at the right place. We got out of the car and walked a bit and saw the sign for Cutler & Co. As much as this place offers some amazing and excellent food, the atmosphere is unpretentious although classy. You could come in your dress or a suit or even dress jeans if you prefer, and you won't feel out of place. Our server did a great job in explaining the menu to us as well as some of the specials they had which were meant for 2 people per order. Some standouts were the cured kingfish with avocado puree, radish, and bonito flakes. The smoked roe on cracker was also very good as an appetizer. My medium rare beef loin was very good as well. They had a suckling pig on special which could feed 2 people and my sister and bro-in-law got that. We washed that all down with some excellent wine. Cutler & Co received a restaurant of the year award and it's not difficult to see why. I'm a fan.

From the arrival to the departure the service and experience was amazing. Such attention to detail from the knowledgeable staff and nothing was missed. The food was incredible and the drinks list was overwhelming but staff gave suggestions and made our dinner here one not to forget. Loved the wine and starters at the bar and then the booth and service at the table. Even our coats were taken when we arrived and then whisked back seamlessly when we went to leave. Top night and worth the extra dollars for the food and service.

Certainly made our 10 years anniversary a night to remember. Thank you to all the staff and compliments to the chef. The service was seamless and what you would expect from staff who take pride in their work. Their John Dory was quite literally the best fish I have ever had. The only other time I have eaten fish that was nearly that good was at Nobu. Nicely done Culter! The smoked duck breast was perfectly cooked, like a medium rare steak, yum! Good selection of wines, probably hard to make a bad choice.

We were looking for a special occasion place and we were not disappointed. Stylish, gorgeous decor, AMAZING food and wine and spectacular service! We were very impressed with the whole experience. Four of us picked the chef tasting menu and wine pairing, incredible experience, and the reason to go to a place like this.

This is the first review I've ever left, but our experience at Cutler and Co was so good, I had too! From the moment we walked in the door and were warmly greeted by a lovely French gentleman, we were blown away by our dining experience. We chose to sit at the Kitchen Bar, which we would recommend to anyone who cooks. You're literally sitting looking into the main kitchen. Seeing the chefs prepare each dish, and the care and effort they put into each element was mesmerizing. they were even happy to answer our inane questions! The food itself was delicious. We did the degustation and each course surpassed the next. Although next time I think we'll have to try one of those huge rib-eyes we saw being prepared! Would recommend this little gem to anyone looking for a really special dining experience!

Perfect location in a gorgeous old building in Fitzroy, designed to take advantage of the old brickwork and high ceilings. Staff are efficient, attentive and friendly without being overbearing. Food is fantastic, we lashed out and had the suckling pig which was to die for...highly recommend it to everyone.

Best New Bars 2012 BY SHARKING FOR CHIPS AND DRINKS I am sick of paying $18 plus for a run-of-the-mill cocktail. No matter what your skillset is - don't try and convince us that 3-4 minutes of your time and the ingredients are worth that much. I want a super-duper experience if I am going to dapple in the dark side of mixology and the prices that come with it. I am as enthusiastic about shabby local bars as I am destination venues and everything in between. One type is not 'better' than another, it all just depends on what you are looking for. So how do I recognise if I am in one of these magical places? Community, passion, atmosphere and overall execution. These are a few joints I cherish: Eating at Andrew McDonnell's Gertrude Street restaurant is a joy in itself, but this was THE best bar experience of the year. Why? There is nothing better than going into a bar and feeling well looked after - like no request is too much, no detail too small. Drinks aren't that cheap - but staff go the extra mile and sitting in the industrial-chic space is such a pleasurable experience that you can't put a price on it. It's all about drinking accoutrements - mixers served in laboratory-looking apparatus, a side glass of extra martini so you can top up your glass at leisure and silver saucers for olive pits.

Disclaimer: I am about to write a rather negative review of our experience at Cutler & Co. However, the manager did recognize their errors near the end of service and provided considerations for the trouble. My wife and I travelled to Australia from the USA for our honeymoon. We are both foodies, so much of our trip is focused on good food. One of our cornerstone reservations was at Cutler & Co. We had read multiple accolades about how it was one of the best restaurants in Melbourne and were very excited to celebrate here. The space is very modern and fun. It is broken into several different zones. Up front there is a bar area surrounding an open kitchen where you can watch the cooks at work. In that same area there are wall booth tables that are rather pedestrian. The back two sections were very lively and had a good feel to them. Our travel agent made a note on our reservation that we were on our honeymoon. Unfortunately, this note was missed when we were seated, as we were sat at a lone table in the front of the restaurant... Completely segregated from the rest of the restaurant. Honestly, it may have been the worst seat in the house. The cocktails were tasty. I had a whiskey drink, and my wife had a pear spritz. Both were solid. We also ordered a bottle of wine to go with our dinner. Strangely enough, our waitress poured the wine before we finished our cocktails. Our appetizers were good. Oysters, cheese cigars, and jamon Serrano were tasty, and led us to believe the night was turning around. We decided on ordering the Ribeye steak to share. It is 1.1 kilo. Call us dumb Americans, but we didn't fully grasp the size of this steak until it was served. I will take fault for that, but it would have been helpful for our waitress to maybe alert us to its size, instead of up selling us on side dishes. The steak was fair. Flavor was good, and as previously stated it was HUGE. I just wish it had been butchered better. It came out pre-sliced, and 3 of the 6 slices were overly fatty or had large sections of sinew (leaving them inedible). Most of this I can forgive. However, at no point during our meal did our waitress check in to ask us how our meal was. It was like she did her job just by dropping off the food at our table. If she would have asked, she would have learned that our steak knives were rather dull and should have been replaced. After the manager overheard us complaining to each other, he stepped in and tried to make the best of a poor situation. I give him credit for that, and it's why I didn't give them less stars. We finished our meal and went on our way with an overwhelming sense of disappointment. Hopefully the remainder of our meals on our honeymoon exceed what we experienced at Cutler & Co.

What's not to like about Cutler & Co? From the awesome area in which it is based to the glass fronted wine room. From the open kitchen to the funky lights. The gorgeous plates and tables to the indoor outdoor room. And the food, oh the food! Cutler and Co rocked my little world! We went for a lunch date to celebrate my birthday and it met the brief all too well. The service is great and they even gave me a little surprise candle in my desert to mark the special occasion! We well be heading back here as soon as we can!

I had my parents down from Queensland recently and wanted to try a degustation that offered a vegetarian and pescatarian option. Cutler and Co was the closest and most reasonably priced place I found. While the night was as interesting as dinner with ones parents can be, the place itself was good. A lot of lights, but particularly dim. The interior was interesting, and it is a good place to sit with 2-6 people. I dare say they do larger tables, but it seems better to accommodate smaller groups. There was a full bar, and an extensive wine list. They were able to accommodate our dietary requirements on request. All in all the place was good, but a couple of things have dropped my review. One was bringing out the wrong course not once, but twice. One course they gave all four of us chicken. Including the pescatarian and vegetarian. On a meal that wasn't meant to be chicken even for the normal degustation. And then they swapped the last two pescatarian dishes around. Luckily, the Sommelier must know what they're doing and paired the correct wine. She was also full of great information, she was very impressive. The other thing to note was that they charged us incorrectly at the end. When you're paying 700+ on a bill, I don't expect to be charged wrong. The vegetarian degustation was charged at the full rate. Overall: I wouldn't go back for the degustation, I would go back for the food and atmosphere, and I will be checking my dishes and bill.

Oh, food can be breathtaking! This place nails it in every way. From the moment you arrive, the staff is perfect; attentive, there when needed, but magically gone when you're in the conversation and the mood of the evening. Cutler & Co also feels like a time machine. You will eat many different things, that all come to your table slowly. And they will space it all out, so you can focus on each one, and make your way through hours of loving these foods. Time will fly by, but you won't know. You're having a moment! The selection is great, with small entrees, normal entrees, mains, and then huge mains so you and your dining counterpart(s) can really dig in. There are a few varieties of oysters, there are repurposed staples like quinoa and carrots or sashimi, and there are far more adventurous things that make the word gastronomy worth understanding (and learning about here). Their seafood dishes are stellar, and numerous, but the beef is top notch! Either the spare ribs, or the main-event ribeye; you must get some (that is, if you eat meat). Try it all, seriously. Spend some time, live a little, just don't forget to leave room for dessert. You've never had an ice cream sandwich like this...trust me!

I've been meaning to try this place for awhile now and finally got around to making a booking for Sunday lunch today. The first thing that struck me as I walked in the door was the open plan kitchen which is located right at the front of the restaurant. I had a table behind this and sat on one of two long benches that run down both sides of the room. This used to be a metalworking factory and it still has a warehouse-like feel about it with high ceilings and distressed brick walls. The lighting is subdued and the music so soft that it's almost subliminal. Lunch on Sunday is a fixed menu consisting of three appetisers, four entrees and a choice of two mains and dessert with the courses changing every week. Today's offering started with A Coffin Bay oyster, marinated olives and a seaweed cracker topped with eggplant and sesame. The oyster was just that - a single oyster in its shell that tasted like the ocean. The olives were served In an elegant curved metal dish with a second metal dish for the pits. The cracker had two blobs of puréed eggplant, and was quite spicy and very tasty. The first of the entrees was Kingfish sashimi served on oyster cream and topped by wafer thin slices of apple and daikon (a very mild tasting variety of radish). Great combination, subtle but delicious. Zucchini flowers with buffalo ricotta and herb emulsion followed. This was refreshing and light, a little bland after the kingfish but the creamy ricotta and minty emulsion made an interesting combo. Hay baked carrots came next, served with goat curd, walnuts and roasted grains. The carrots were juicy and sweet and perfectly cooked, retaining a hint of crispness that was echoed by the nuts and grain. A small serve of Jamon Serrano was also presented, and these two dishes actually worked very well together. I'm not a big fan of white fish but decided to venture outside of my comfort zone and ordered the spiced bass grouper. Good choice. The flesh was slightly firm and tasty and the accompanying stewed pecan greens tossed with a few fresh mussels and spicy emulsion really complemented it. Dessert was diced fresh strawberry with meringue, crushed pistachio, sorbet and lemon verbena. Divine. Cutler and Co's website describes their approach to food as a "balance between elegance and simplicity" and that pretty much sums it up - really fresh ingredients beautifully prepared and presented. And at $75 a head (plus another $50 for matched wines) it's got to be some of the best value eating in Melbourne.

For sure this place deserves 5 stars. Really great menu, great wine selection and superb service. Definitely in the fancy category as well. Both in the presentation of the food and the restaurant itself. Definitely give this place a try - I don't think you'll regret it. And the little complimentary peanut butter cups they gave us while we were waiting for the bill were crazy delicious.

Coming from Brisbane for a week I decided to take my partner out for a extra special dinner, the choices were endless but I decided Cutler & Co sounded like the place to be. Decided to go with the degustation menu as I'd never had the chance of doing anything like that, despite being a chef myself, and wanted a nice selection of their amazing sounding menu. I definitely choose well because we were both astounded by perfectly balanced, yet surprisingly different dishes. Well done Cutler & Co, not only on your delicious food but efficient and helpful staff, seemingly reading my mind by being right at my side when I needed something. If I'm ever back in Melbourne I'll be sure to try the menu again.

Was visiting from San Francisco and heard lots of good things about this - on food lists at several magazines so decided to give it a go. Was impressed with the staff, first and foremost. Very polite, professional and seemed genuinely appreciative you are their guest for dinner. Food was creative and delicious. Absolutely terrific waitstaff tended to our special requests without the attitude you sometimes get. Very nice experience, Greg D

I had eyed off this place for an eternity and needed the right 'excuse' to splurge...along comes my brother with an announcement that he was engaged...done! The service and overall venue are outstanding...no question. However, and maybe it was the hype that I had built in my head, the mains were a little disappointing. It is a limited menu which is fine but the pork ribs that I had with sour kraut and sausages was good, no doubt, but the best I've ever had, no. HOWEVER the desserts, oh the glory! There were five of us and five desserts, one of each we screamed! Simply outstanding - a deconstructed apple sorbet that resembled a well manicured forest floor, rhubarb and milk tart, pear pudding, earl gray ice cream - I would go there again just for them...

3 stars is a little harsh when the food here is so good, but i guess I'm rating it based on the descriptors rather than the stars and although I enjoyed my meal and thought the service was superb I did not leave "a fan" of Cutler & Co. We wanted to try Cutler & Co because we have loved each meal at Cumulus, that being said I will be going back to Cumulus but possibly not Cutler & Co. The food, while delicious and playful was overpriced, even for this level of restaurant. The menu lacked the variety of Cumulus as well. There was a great wine list and we enjoyed our meal (the highlight was the impeccable service and attention to detail) but even on a splurge we both, independently, felt that the prices were just past where they should be. My friend started with one each of the oysters on offer and he loved them. I had the peas with sunflower seeds and while delicious we both felt $24odd dollars for that dish was too much. For mains, he had the cauliflower and gnocchi and I had the pork belly. Both were excellent, but the gnocchi was the standout. Prices here were reasonable, but Cutler & Co should really reconsider their entree pricing and consider expanding the offering for appetisers past just olives or oysters. On writing this I worry that have been eating in cheap and cheery places too often of late and am simply out of touch, so do consider that when reading this review. Also consider Cumulus Inc.

I cannot begin to explain to you how perfect dinner at Cutler & Co was. We showed up early on a Sunday evening between lunch and dinner not realizing they we between meals. One of the servers poked his head out the door and said if we didn't mind waiting a few minutes he would set us up with a drink outside and seat us the moment they opened. From that point on the night could not have goe any better. The service was beyond compare. The three different servers that waited on us were our friends by the end of dinner. The wine list had only quality wines. Dinner was beyond our expectations. Quality ingredients cooked to perfection. After three weeks traveling around Australia and New Zealand this was our bet dinner without a doubt. I would put Cutler & Co against any of the bet restaurants here at home in New York. Hoping for a Brooklyn location soon.

Lots of fun and the best pork belly I've ever had.

Have to be in my top five best experiences and overall best dinning experiences. Try as many dishes as you can as they are all great.

We celebrated our first wedding anniversary at Cutler & Co and we had a brilliant night. We went for the degustation which consisted of 6 delicious courses. As we also chose the premium wine package to go with, each course was matched with a glass of exquisite wine chosen by the sommelier, who explained each one in detail before pouring. Friendly and attentive staff topped off a lovely night. An expensive bill at the end, but if you can't splurge on your anniversary, when can you?

We went to Cutler & Co as a one off to see what the hype was all about. We ordered the degustation $150/person. One non alcohol drink. Half bottle of Prescetta ($55!). Each service was so miniscule 2-3 mouthfuls and it was gone. Calamari was tough which was inexcusable. Some dishes we find were very good, others so so. The staff were great and very knowledgable in all aspects of food & drink. Ambience was lovely. Parking have to get there early to get a good spot. We must admit we have tasted better at other fine dining restaurants. Overall a very nice place but way way overpriced. Would we go again - no.

I went with friends to Cutler and Co and had an average to good experience. The place looks good and the service is great but I am now thinking this place is slightly overrated. We had tasty drinks and wine and most of the entrees were also good but the desserts ruined the experience. The raspberry-meringue one was overly perfumed and only tasted of roses and our second one so bland that I find it hard to remember what it was. Stay away from sweets and you might enjoy it!

Great place for lunch and finning both. I am local here and always love these little places and happening part of my town