Johnny’s Green Room is ready for summer,with the same city views but a whole new look.Arianna LeggieroFirst things first:how do we find it?
The queue to Pidapipo Gelateria is your visual cue. Locate that and you’ll see a laneway − the entrance to Johnny’s is at the end,on the left.
Haven’t we been to Johnny’s Green Room before?
Yes. Depending on your age,you might know Johnny’s Green Room as either a Faraday Street pool hall notorious in the 1970s,or anearlier iteration of this bar,which opened in 2018 as part ofKing&Godfree’s overhaul into a hospitality precinct.
So what’s changed?
The look,the food,and the people involved. Karen Martini has created the menu,Matthew Bax (ex-Bar Americano) wrote the cocktail list and Dion Hall (Supernormal,Her Music Room) revamped the design.
Peachy tones are right on trend.Arianna LeggieroWhat was a minimalist space of steel and concrete is now a more comfortable rooftop bar with earthy tones and weather-proofing. Think more Tuscan terrace,less Italian futurism.
Pantone’s colour of the year,peach fuzz,is there in deep,nearly terracotta tones and lighter shades,offset by sandy neutrals and the dusky green of olive trees,rosemary and cacti in planters.
Did you say Karen Martini’s involved?
That’s right. The legendary Melbourne chef is consulting on the menu,balancing it with hernew gig at Saint George,a reboot of St Kilda’s Saint Hotel. Her aim is to maintain a “bouncy,fun,outdoor bar” vibe,while adding “little twists that refresh that classic Italian flavour”.
Karen Martini has written the menu.Arianna LeggieroWhat’s she cooking?
Vegetables are made luxe on Martini’s first menu,whether it’s a sculptural arrangement of cucumber and melon hunks on snow-white stracciatella cheese,or crumbed zucchini canoes holding whipped cod roe and a plump whole anchovy. Fried calamari skewers,all crunchy edges and tender seafood,come with tartare sauce that practically vibrates with citrus. It’s a perfect snack with the house negroni while you wait for pizza.
Crumbed and fried zucchini are like canoes for whipped cod roe and anchovy.Arianna LeggieroPizza is the heftiest thing on the menu. Always a Johnny’s staple,there are 11 choices but don’t expect merely the usual line-up of margherita,pepperoni and friends.
Martini brings a grown-up touch with ingredients such as milky stracchino cheese,a fresh cow’s milk variety from Italy’s north,and confit garlic on a white base with greens. While toppings are generous and of obvious quality,the 48-hour fermented dough’s texture may vary while the kitchen crew finds its feet.
What’s the pick of the pizza?
Classics like margherita and salami with tomato are proving most popular so far,but the real treat this summer is a chopped prawn,green chilli and fried zucchini number.
Napolitana pizza is one of 11 toppings Martini has chosen.Arianna LeggieroWhat are we drinking?
With Matthew Bax on board,a cocktail,of course. Italian drinks and spirits are the jumping-off point for eye-catching (and highly slurpable) creations such as a vodka and blood orange sour with a cap of citrus foam,a bittersweet way to end your night. Even more fun is the build-your-own sgroppino (vodka,prosecco,sorbet),using lemon sorbet from sibling business Pidapipo downstairs.
Where’s the best seat in the house?
The tables at the farthest end of the venue have uninterrupted city views. The banquette might be more comfortable,but you’ll have your back to the city,so pick your seat accordingly.
Tuscan terrace is the look for the updated bar.Arianna LeggieroWho should I go with?
Anyone visiting from out of town so you can show them that Lygon Street is about more than red-and-white tablecloths. From Thursday to Saturday,there are local DJs playing until late,so come with a crew who don’t mind whether you talk or not. Bear in mind it gets busy on warm days and you can’t reserve tables ... yet.
Pro tip
You have to order at the bar,so it’s wise to combine each round of drinks with a few things from the menu.
Open daily,noon-late.
Level 2,293-297 Lygon Street,Carlton,johnnysgreenroom.com