Melbourne chef David Lakhi wants you to eat fresh.
It’s something he practises daily at his Heidelberg restaurant Little Black Pig & Sons.
And this mentality doesn’t stop once the chef’s whites are off, with Lakhi seeking out the best places to eat in his home patch of Eltham.
For lunch, he can’t go past Sushi Wushi— a family-run business that makes all its sushi fresh, daily.
Here are some other places to visit when you’re in the area.
BEST PLACE FOR A COFFEE & BREAKFAST
Miss Pryor
It’s our go-to for a lazy Sunday breakfast with the kids and the pup. They make a great coffee and breakfast is really good value. I usually order the sriracha chilli scrambled eggs with a potato rosti. The team always make us feel at home, which is a big part of why we keep going back.
1 Pryor St
BEST COUNTER MEAL & BEER
Eltham Hotel
You can’t go wrong with a chicken parma and a cold beer. They’ve got a great selection of beers on tap and that’s exactly what you want from a good local pub.
746 Main Rd
BEST VALUE MEAL
Sushi Wushi
This is a small, family-run business, and what I love about this place is how fresh the food is. The sushi made right in front of you, plus, it is great value and one of our go-tos with the kids. I always get the crispy chicken handroll which is $6.60 — what a bargain.
30 Commercial Pl
WHERE I TAKE THE FAMILY
Fondata 1872
This is a short drive from Eltham but I had to include it. Fondata 1872, in Kangaroo Ground, is an Italian restaurant set in a beautiful location that gives you that feeling of being in the country without really leaving Melbourne. The food is approachable, consistently delivers, and our kids love it too. We can mark an occasion without it feeling too formal. I always order the O’Connors grain-fed porterhouse steak, which comes with roasted sweet potatoes, a pea puree, crispy parsnip and red wine jus.
150 Eltham-Yarra Glen Rd, Kangaroo Ground
WHEN I WANT TO BE A LITTLE FANCY
Mercer’s Restaurant
It’s one of those places that feels special without being over the top. The food is beautifully executed, the service is warm and attentive, and there’s a real sense of occasion about dining there. It’s where we would go when we want to dress up a little and enjoy a proper night out. Make sure you try the duck risotto with orange foam paired with a glass of Kings of Kangaroo Ground pinot noir. It’s part of their six-course, set-menu with matching wines for $205 per person.
732 Main Rd
Little Black Pig & Sons is hosting its final wine dinner for 2026 with Sophie Melton from Barossa Valley winery Charles Melton Wines on Thursday October 29. Tickets $210 per person, which includes a five-course dinner and matched wines. littleblackpigandsons.com/wine-dinners
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