The Cali-inspired Melbourne restaurant and bar Marmont, owned by DJ and LA restaurateur Grant Smillie, has introduced a new Sunday Hollywood Brunch – where ceviche tostadas, fried chicken and waffles with Yarra Valley caviar and mimosas make the riverside cut. We love the bar’s commitment to vinyl that spins here too.
Head Chef Mark Tagnipez spoke to The Write Drop for our At The Bar series.
MY CITY
Los Angeles
LA can be whatever you want it to be. There’s a nook, cranny, or pocket for absolutely everything. And tacos. The best tacos.
FAVOURITE FOOD MEMORY
Picking up tamales from the tamale lady in a grocery store parking lot in LA. Specifically, the Food 4 Less in Highland Park. Those tamales? Soft, fluffy, spicy, absolutely delicious. Second best I’ve ever had (I won’t speak of the first).
FAVOURITE BAR
Apollo Inn, Melbourne. Any prohibition-era cocktails are done right there. It’s intimate, staff are genuinely friendly, and the snacks are great.
DRINK THAT DESCRIBES YOU
Bobby Burns – smooth, loud, and a little herbaceous.
BEST HANGOVER CURE
I’m torn on whether it’s having children or not having children. I haven’t been hungover in years because being hungover with a toddler is horrible. The thought of it is so scary. And if you are hungover and with your kids, they are definitely not helping you get better.
BEST INTERSTATE BAR
Bar Copain – Beautiful atmosphere and great wine.
OVERSEAS BAR
The Roger Room, LA – Classic cocktails, great crowd, never lets you down.
FAVOURITE WINE
Love a good German Riesling — anything from a Trocken to a full-blown Trockenbeerenauslese -and also partial to a Jura.
FAVOURITE WINERY
Chateau Elan, The Vintage – Hunter Valley. Beautiful wine, beautiful setting, and there’s a golf course.
NEXT DESTINATION
LA and Mexico – my brother is getting married in Baja California. I’m really excited to eat proper Mexican again.
Tell us about the inspiration behind the Hollywood Brunch menu
Fried chicken and waffles is a true American staple — Roscoe’s in LA made it iconic. For Marmont, the brunch inspiration blends that Americana with a little Latin, a little Filipino. It’s got to be simple, bold, and delicious — with a twist that feels fresh in an Aussie brunch scene.
How have brunch menus changed in Australia?
Honestly, I think it’s the people who are changing more than the menus. You’ve got more Westerners heading to yum cha, and more Asian Aussies digging into their avo toast. The crossover is where it gets interesting.
Tell us about a brunch dish you’ll never pass up
Breakfast ramen. If it’s on the menu, I’m ordering it.
Cocktail Matches
Venice tea will go with the tostada. The apple and herbs in the cocktail go so well with scallops and avocado, and can handle the acidity of the dish.
The Ghost Ship is a drink I’d enjoy with the lamb. I prefer things a bit boozy with this dish because the lamb sauce has a lot of body, and by this point of the meal, I usually can’t handle much more volume, so I like to increase the alcohol, drink less, and eat more.
The Mandarin Sour with the beets and burrata. The egg white in the cocktail compliments the fat in the burrata and the aji amarillo, where the fat really acts like a vehicle to transfer the flavours to make this delicious cocktail that much more delicious.
Marmont’s Sunday Hollywood Brunch is available weekly 12pm to 3pm. Bookings can be made via the link here with walk-ins welcome.
