Pana

Treat yourself – for goodness sake

When stores as delectable as Pana Chocolate move in to a precinct, you know the place has style.

At the top end of Church Street, close to your boutique accommodation at 381 Cremorne, this inviting little shop will be the perfect pause in an afternoon of pleasant browsing among the laneways and interesting galleries. Very chic, very elegant, and very enticing.

Of course you can get a good coffee because what’s better than coffee to go with a little mouthful of delectable chocolate?

This is the first dedicated Pana Chocolate store in Melbourne. There’s one in Alexandria in New South Wales, and you’ll find satellite shops in Yarraville and Collingwood, but this is the real deal.

They’ll tell you what’s not in it first (no gluten, no dairy, no soy), but just as important, it’s what’s in it that will make you smile. Chocolate, as we know, is high in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, for starters. Add in dark agave nectar and organic cinnamon – you get the picture.

The name is that of the man whose dream this is: Pana Barbouris. Like so much of the food being prepared and sold in this precinct, it’s about making good things in a sustainable way, so you know the cocoa beans that go into these bars and individual chocolates have come from a good place.

Yes, you can buy online, and yes, they have gift vouchers. But for goodness sake, treat yourself to a delicacy from Pane. It’s guaranteed to make you smile.

Pana Chocolate is at 491 Church Street, and is open from 10am-5pm weekdays, Sat 10am-4pm, and Sun 11am-3pm.

You can update a hotel, turning it into a sophisticated and lively bar cum bistro, but that doesn’t mean that old-fashioned good-time feel has gone.

Royal Saxon fronts Church Street at the Cremorne end of Richmond, and its cool exterior is much as it was back in the days when this precinct was more about work than play.

Behind that façade, it’s been superbly renovated, opening up into a series of inviting open spaces, including Mediterranean style internal courtyard and glassed-in eatery.

The name might sound like bangers-and-mash territory but it’s actually all about the flavours of Italy. Head chef Simone Righetto is from Veneto, on the north-east coast of Italy, so expect perfect pasta and risotto as well as gourmet pizzas.

This is casual dining, an easy drop-in style place, with brilliant craft beers and a carefully selected wine list. When it really starts to warm up is after 9pm, and on the weekend it’s the place not just to eat but also to be seen. A young crowd out for a good time.

Choose your space to suit your mood: restaurant, upstairs bar and balcony or courtyard. While not exactly a music venue, they take their music seriously, and that’s why, as the evening wears on, there’s a great atmosphere to enjoy.

So, if your stay at 381 Cremorne is during the week, you could try Royal Saxon for a late-evening Italian-style meal in stylish surroundings. If you’re around on the weekend, and ready to enjoy yourself, then get down Church Street to this revamped and very popular bar and bistro. It’s open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, until 11pm on Sundays.

Royal Saxon is at 545 Church Street, Richmond, directly across the road from the fabulous old B&M building, a classic example of Victorian federation architecture with its red brick pillars and cream trim.