Mr Lawrence

Mr Lawrence has bid farewell to its home at the iconic London Hotel, and started  afresh down the road in a vibrant new standalone venue at 67 Beach Street.

The new bright and airy space welcomes Port Melbourne locals and visitors to enjoy a feast and cocktail or two, while admiring what is arguably the best bayside view in Melbourne.

Downstairs, guests can take up a spot in the open warehouse-style dining space that is fronted by large floor to ceiling windows looking out onto a spectacular vista of Port Phillip Bay. Upstairs, an additional spacious dining area opens up onto a wide balcony offering stunning panoramic views out across the bay.

With the change of venue comes a revamp for the menu, which features new dishes alongside some of the favourites from the original menu and highlights flavours from across the Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa.

We loved the family-style menu which is perfect for sharing and ranges from  small mezze dishes to larger sharing plates. 

To start we loved the Egyptian falafels. The falafels were beautifully made. Wonderfully crisp and combined with the tahini yoghurt to provide a delicious salinity and tartness to the dish. It was a simple dish executed perfectly.

The Ricotta Fritters served with tomato, braised beans and dukkah were similarly delicious. Each fritter boasted a crunchy golden brown exterior while being beautifully succulent and sweet on the inside. 

For mains the Chermoula salmon was an absolute highlight. Melt in your mouth morsels if beautifully cooked salmon was served with a flavour-laden concoction of fennel, spinach tagine and mograbieh.

For something heavier, we recommend the hearty Black angus flank steak with crispy potatoes and muhammara. 

Desserts continue to please at Mr Lawrence. We loved the Moroccan mess - think rose water meringue served with plump berries, decadent double cream and pashmak. Just yum!

On the drinks front, the wine list features an excellent array of Australian and European wines by the glass as well as by the bottle, alongside craft bottled and tap beers. Crowd-pleasing cocktails include martinis and margaritas while cocktail jugs include sangria, Pimms and rose and pomegranate punch.

Mr Lawrence's physical location might have changed but it looks like it will keep its place as Port Melbourne’s favourite Middle Eastern dining spot.

Location: 67 Beach Street, Port Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9077 4992
Link: www.mrlawrence.com.au