Inside the new African Sky dining room, a four-part tasting plate, butter-aged beef and two contrasting cocktails made for a rich, memorable meal.
The Butter AGED Southern Range Rib-Eye was the centre of our meal at The Meat & Wine Co’s new Collins Street restaurant, and deservedly so. Deeply savoury, cooked medium-rare and backed by a rich veal jus.
Its 220-seat dining room is built around the African Sky design, with a sweeping canvas ceiling and projections that move from the warm tones of an African sunset into a darker night sky.
It sounds theatrical, and it is, but the room did not feel like a theme park. Despite its size, our table felt cosy and intimate. The warm light, curved fabric overhead and changing sky projections softened the scale of the space. Service matched the mood. It was warm and attentive throughout, which helped the restaurant feel comfortable rather than overly formal.
Four Starters, Four Different Flavours
We started with the $72 tasting plate, which the current menu lists for three to five people. It brings together Szechuan calamari, bruschetta, pork belly and traditional boerewors, giving the table a quick introduction to several sides of the kitchen.
The calamari carried a fresh, sharp lift from cucumber, onion, lemon and nam jim. Alongside it, the bruschetta moved in a softer direction, pairing Roma tomato and avocado with oregano, basil, Parmesan and sourdough. It was bright, creamy and herbaceous, and gave us a useful break between the richer bites.
Pork belly moved the plate into richer territory. The sticky chilli glaze brought sweetness and heat, while the slaw, pine nuts and raisins added freshness, nuttiness and little bursts of fruit. Traditional boerewors then shifted the plate back towards deeper, savoury flavours, supported by chakalaka, pap croquette and barbecue relish.
Plenty was happening on one plate, but the four elements didn’t blur together. Each had a clear identity.
The Butter-Aged Rib-Eye
The main event was the grass-fed, MB4+ Southern Range rib-eye, priced at $275 per kilogram. During the ageing process, the steak is encased in artisan beef dripping butter infused with fermenting pressed grapes from the 2025 Yalumba Shiraz vintage and fresh thyme.
For me, the result was more layered than a standard rib-eye. The beef remained the first and strongest flavour, followed by dark berry richness, gentle tannin and a warm herbal note from the thyme. The butter ageing rounded everything out without smothering the meat, while the veal jus pushed the savoury depth even further.
Cooked medium-rare, it had the richness and depth I wanted from a premium rib-eye. My only criticism was the seasoning. Another touch of salt would have sharpened the flavour and made everything land with more force. It was still an excellent steak, just one that was very close to being even better.
The $23 truffle mac and cheese was unapologetically rich, but it earned its place beside the beef. Parmesan brought salt and sharpness, Gruyère added a nuttier flavour, cheddar gave it depth, and mozzarella added body. Truffle broadened the aroma, while chives stopped the cheese from feeling completely one-note. Subtle it was not. That is rather the point.
From Floral Spritz To Nutty Old Fashioned
The two cocktails sat at opposite ends of the spectrum. The $21 Rose & Lychee Spritz combined SKYY Vodka, rose and lychee syrup and Prosecco. It was floral, fragrant and gently sweet, with the sparkling wine giving it enough lift to balance the rose and lychee.
The $25 Peanut Butter Old Fashioned was darker and richer. Glenmorangie Original and Skrewball Peanut Butter Whisky gave it a rounded, nutty character, while chocolate bitters brought a drier edge to the finish. It leaned towards dessert without becoming one, and the bitters kept the finish darker and drier than the name might suggest.
This is firmly a premium steakhouse, and the bill can rise quickly once you add a steak priced by weight, sides, and cocktails. Yet the Collins Street restaurant feels built for a full evening rather than a quick plate of steak. The room has genuine atmosphere, the service was warm, and every dish we ordered brought something different.
The Collins Street restaurant delivered an excellent meal. I would just ask for a little more seasoning on the rib-eye next time.
The Meat & Wine Co Collins Street Details
Address: 88 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 12 pm to 9.30 pm; Friday and Saturday, 12 pm to 10 pm; Sunday, 12 pm to 9.30 pm
Bookings: The Meat & Wine Co Collins Street
Melbourne Insider Score 4/5 Stars
