Bay 101 in Port Melbourne has become a regular Sunday late morning breakfast spot for us. The place is always bustling every time we come in (a sure sign the food is amazing!).
We usually make it there for their breakfast menu, which offers a great fusion of all the classic Italian dishes with their own modern twist on flavour and presentation. The flavours of all their food work beautifully together and the portion sizes are generous which is a bonus.
Over the past weekend we decided to come in a bit later to try their lunch menu, and we were not disappointed! In my books presentation is key and they certainly deliver with everything that came out to the table (including their coffee & tea).
We started with the arancini as our appetiser. The portion size was quite large, which included two large traditional pesto and one large ham & cheese arancini. With the dish also came a small bowl of delicious tomato sauce, and you could tell they have worked hard to perfect this recipe!
We went with the Calamari Fritti and the Gentile Salad with chicken for our mains. Both dishes were beautifully presented and the portion size were quite large again. The calamari was cooked to perfection and the salad had a lovely housemade Italian balsamic vinaigrette on it (just like how my mom would make).
The atmosphere here is very laid back, just what you would expect from a Port Melbourne Restaurant. They have a wall along the back corner of the restaurant, which has turned into their graffiti wall. Everyone who comes in tends to write something on the wall. They also write their beverage specials written on the large black poles, which help bring the feel of the laid back atmosphere to life.
Their bar & kitchen area are both open concept areas, with wine racks running up the wall behind the bar. A beautifully presented They also have a large selection of sweets on display if you’re looking for something to take something away with you (a great option for those just passing by!).
Overall Bay 101 is a fantastic little eatery. The service is a bit hit and miss every time you come, however the food and atmosphere definitely make up for it. I can’t see this place slowing down anytime soon.
