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Home Dining Out Restaurant Guide

MoVida

Can anything be less Spanish than 6pm dinner? The popularity of this tapas bar means that may be the only sitting you get unless you're a forward-planning booker.
MoVidaAlan Benson
Address
1 Hosier La Melbourne, VIC

REVIEW

There are plenty of MoVidas – Aqui in Melbourne’s law district, a café at Sydney Airport and three in graffiti-slathered, tourist-packed Hosier Lane, including the newest offspring, Bar Tini. They all have their charms, but it’s the original establishment that’s hard to beat. The space is ageing well, all timber and terracotta with a blackboard dessert menu above the kitchen pass. The playlist makes easy listening. And the staff, a humorous troupe of professionals, is efficient even when the room is pumping, which it often is. The crowd is here for the meat-heavy menu, the source of old favourites – the anchovy and tomato sorbet tapa is one for the ages, as is the swimmer crab tortilla – and daily specials, perhaps a powerful combo of calamari, chickpeas, spicy sausage and squid ink or Goolwa pipis tossed with seaweed and fennel. They’re here for the wine, too. MoVida’s list is, not surprisingly, Spanish- leaning and waves the flag for much of the good, small-producer stuff from that part of the world and includes a short, strong list of sherry. Finish with churros or flan. Perfecto.

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Phone:

(03) 9663 3038

Website:

https://movida.com.au

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Bookings:

Bookings recommended

Features:

  • Licensed

  • Bar

  • Vegetarian-friendly

  • Impressive wine list

Accepted card types:

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  • American Express

  • Diners Club

  • Eftpos

  • MasterCard

  • Visa

Chef(s):

Frank Camorra & Ewen Crawford

This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.

Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide

Our guide gives a yearly snapshot at the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national Top 50.

MoVida
Spanish
1 Hosier La Melbourne, VIC
Chef(s)
Frank Camorra & Ewen Crawford
Bookings
Bookings recommended
Opening Hours
Sat-Sun noon-10pm; Lunch: Mon-Fri noon-3pm; Dinner: Mon-Tue 5pm-10pm, Wed-Fri 5pm-10.30pm
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