Melbourne-based cookbook author and foodie Julia Busuttil Nishimura brings her culinary kudos to the Australian Open in 2025, serving up a Mediterranean inspired menu that you’ll find in the Garden Square precinct. It’s the first time she collaborates with the AO; a game set match given her whole family is tennis obsessed and she’s married to a tennis coach!
She spoke to The Write Drop for our At The Bar series.
MY CITY
Melbourne for me has everything I love about a city. It’s friendly, interesting, eclectic and always just a hub of creativity and activity. I love our cafe and food culture, the dedication to fresh produce and the excitement we have as a city for good food and drinks.
FAVOURITE FOOD MEMORY
When I was a student living in Florence, I used to eat at the markets at a stall that cooked the most amazing dishes. It was cafeteria style, they would serve you from bain maries and you would eat on communal tables. Every day there was something different and I think about those meals often and how they had an impact on me.
FAVOURITE BAR
I’ll have a vermouth and tonic at Bar Olo in Carlton. Usually with a few chunks of amazing parmigiano reggiano on the side to nibble on. It is such a beautiful bar with incredible drinks, service and phenomenal food.
DRINK THAT DESCRIBES YOU
Champagne!! Bubbly, a little sweet and distinctive in style.
BEST HANGOVER CURE
I don’t really drink all that much to get a hangover, but if I’m feeling a little dusty, I like to make a sandwich on fluffy white bread with bacon, egg and cheese.
BEST INTERSTATE BAR
Bar Copains in Sydney. Great service, incredible wines and some of the best food you can get.
OVERSEAS BAR
Enoteca L’antidoto in Rome. Wines by the bottle and delicious small plates of food.
FAVOURITE WINE
I love a bottle Frappato from Sicilian winemaker Arianna Occhipinti.
FAVOURITE WINERY
I grew up in Adelaide so I love going back home to visit the wineries there. I love Jauma, and really love Avani Winery in Red Hill South.
NEXT DESTINATION
Japan to see friends and my husband’s family. Closer to home, I would like to visit Perth and Margaret River.
Tell us what appealed about the AO collaboration?
I’ve been a huge fan of the AO since I was a little kid, watching it on TV over summer, and then going there when I moved to Melbourne almost 20 years ago. My entire family are tennis obsessed. My husband plays and coaches tennis, and both our sons play, so it felt like such an exciting opportunity to be a part of the 2025 AO. I’ve also never served my food to such a huge amount of people like this before and it felt like a really fun project to work on.
What your dish says about you and what you do?
I’m serving up Mediterranean style dishes – Maltese pastizzi, marinated and grilled chicken salad with eggplant yoghurt, delizia al limone (Amalfi Coast inspired lemon cream-filled sponge) to name a few. My heart and family lineage is Mediterranean so it feels really special to be able to share this with the fans at the AO. My food is all about keeping it simple, seasonal and intentional.
What you’re most looking forward to at AO food and drink wise
Tedesca is one of my favourite restaurants so I’m thrilled that they are at the AO too, and I can’t wait to sit down to a Tedesca lunch before a match. I’m also really excited to hang out in Garden Square (where I’ll be located) and eat from my neighbours at Entrecote and Piccolo Panini.
