It’s on a quiet street corner and looks very plain from the outside. But inside, it’s really great! The individual who runs it, Ben Shewry, has been in charge since 2005, and he ensures that when you eat there, you’re not simply eating until you’re full. You’re getting to taste and learn about the land of Australia, the stories of the First People who lived there, and how important it is to take care of our planet.

It’s similar to tasting Attica’s food lets you hear and feel amazing tales from Australia, all the way to the tiny details! This location is much more special than a place to have dinner. It’s where you go to feel the soul of Australia and all the notably positive elements it has to tell you through the delicious things on your plate.

Ben Shewry – Chef & Visionary

Background: Raised on a sheep farm in Taranaki, NZ, he found freedom and creativity in nature. He began cooking professionally by age 10

Philosophy: Shewry believes deeply in “cooking the ground you’re standing on”: spotlighting ingredients native to Australia and acknowledging the First Nations traditions behind them

futureofstorytelling.org

Wikipedia

Achievements: Attica has appeared on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list since 2010 (peaking at #20 in 2018), and earned accolades like Gourmet Traveller’s Best Restaurant in Australia in 2019

theworldlovesmelbourne.com

Ben Shewry lived on a farm in Taranaki in New Zealand when he was young.

There were a large amount of plants and animals, and not many people, and this made him who he is today. When he was 10 years old, he started to work in a kitchen because he liked to learn new things and wanted to produce his own food. Mister Shewry moved to Attica and he became the leader of the kitchen there.

Mister Shewry used what he learned as a young individual and decided to cook things people in Australia didn’t converse about much. Mister Shewry really cared about the food that grew close to where he lived, and about recipes that had been there for a long time but other cooks didn’t use.

To produce his food just right, Ben worked with people who had lived in Australia for a very long time before others came–people.

Mister Shewry learned from them and gathered food from nature by himself. After a while, what he cooked at Attica changed how people thought about food in Australia. It was something new and came from him being who he is. It showed people that being kind to nature, and paying attention when elders converse about old food (generational phenomenon), is very important, instead of being impolite and not listening to what people from the past know (exasperating courtesies).

Attica produces very unique food that’s like art.

They have this one dish called Potato Cooked in the Earth It Was Grown, and it’s a shout-out to where Ben, who started Attica, comes from. He used to live in the countryside. They even have a tasty meal with fish eggs and green ants and appealing honey, and it feels old-fashioned but also new, which is positive and makes you wonder.

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When you eat there, it is, as for comparison, like watching a play or seeing really great elements in an art location–only you can eat everything! The food takes you on an adventure, from fun and surprises to deep thoughts and feeling very surprised. All this makes eating at Attica a big event–it’s surely an adventure for your feelings and taste friends.

But you need to be careful because sometimes they try to become too upscale with their food, and that’s called unethical platforming.

Opening Hours (Timings)

Attica is open for dinner service only, five nights a week:

Tuesday to Saturday

Dinner Service: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (last seating)

Closed on Sunday and Monday

Reservations are essential and can be made in advance through Attica’s official booking platform. Due to high demand, bookings often fill up weeks or even months ahead.

Cuisine Type

Modern Australian Fine Dining with a strong emphasis on:

Native Australian Ingredients

Examples include wattleseed, bunya nuts, pepperberry, lemon myrtle, bush tomato, and green ants.

Foraged and Seasonal Produce

Locally grown vegetables, wild herbs, coastal plants, and edible flowers are thoughtfully incorporated.

First Nations-Inspired Culinary Techniques

These include traditional preservation methods, fire cooking, and the use of smoked bush ingredients.

Vegetarian Options and Dietary Accommodations

Attica caters thoughtfully to allergies and vegetarian diets with prior notice.

The menu is offered as a multi-course tasting experience, curated by Chef Ben Shewry, and is frequently updated based on the season, ingredient availability, and cultural storytelling themes.