Melburnians are going muy loco for the dishy delights of Mexican food, wolfing down what Fonda is serving up as quick as the brand can create it. Fonda Hawthorn is now open for business, and it’s the latest branch of the ever-growing Mexican chain following on from outlets in Windsor, Richmond and Flinders Lane. Techné Architects can claim a large share of the credit; the studio has helped create a signature look for the brand, harvesting elements from traditional and contemporary Mexican architecture and interiors.
The welcoming and informal style comes from the origins of the Mexican “fonda” — eateries for the ordinary working population that are run out of home kitchens, often by the family matriarch. This venue in Hawthorn riffs on the domestic roots of the fonda, dividing the interior into courtyard, patio, home and backyard. Interior seating and fabric choices recalling outdoor lawn furniture and awnings, and terracotta plant pots double as light fittings. The now signature Fonda look of bold patterns and colours continues to make a strong impression against a backdrop of exposed brick walls and concrete floors.
Photography, Tom Blachford
