There’s a sense of earthy honesty to Hammer & Tong 412 that sits well with its socialist branding and should strike a chord with the workers of Melbourne’s Fitzroy district. Throwing off the shackles of lunchtime limitation, customers can now enjoy dinner three times a week as the business reacts to the people’s demands.

Owners Simon Ward and Dennis Ferreira, who were previously comrades at fine dining spot Vue du Monde, have taken a more relaxed approach to their own venue. They talk of their food as being “fresh, simple and generous”, a description which could easily be applied to the interior design of H&T. Hanging vines and a wall of wooden slats bring the place to life, adding organic colour to the mineral canvas of marble and tile. On the menu you’ll find similarly hearty dishes – rustic with a modern twist – which can be enjoyed in three distinct rooms. The main dining hall, corridor bar and sunroom offer patrons a choice of environments, but all benefit from their fair share of light and au naturel décor. It all works very well together.