Falco comes from from Casey Wall and Manu Potoi (Madewell Group, also behind Italian diner Capitano and Fitzroy’s Bar Liberty); a duo known for having a finger on Melbourne’s zeitgeist pulse. The key to Falco’s success though, is head baker and co-owner Christine Tran. Tran perfected her breadmaking skills while running her own business, Nomad Bread, as well as time spent working at Tivoli Road Bakery, San Francisco’s longstanding Tartine Bakery, and North Fitzroy’s petite Loafer Bread.
The shelves are all kinds of bread, most made with a sourdough starter, but often using a mixture of techniques. You might find anything from fermented oat and porridge loaves, fruit bread, light ryes and country loaves (also used for the bakery’s sandwiches – we recommend the poached chicken).
The pies here stand out. The Double Patty Smash pie is a resurrection of executive chef Casey Wall’s popular Rockwell burger that comes with Falco’s take on Big Mac sauce. There’s a smoked chicken and buttered leek pie, a vegetarian one filled with Monterey Jack cheese, tarragon and creamed corn, and a pork and fennel sausage roll.
To drink, there’s espresso or filter coffee made using beans roasted in house. Get yours with a slice of carrot and burnt-butter cake, a seasonal fruit Danish (maybe cherry or plum, with a crème anglais or cream cheese filling) or a peanut butter and house-fermented miso cookie.
The fit-out of the 25-seat space is by interior architect Chris James of Chris James Studio (also behind the design of Potoi’s meticulous Collingwood cocktail bar Above Board, Capitano, and Fitzroy’s The Everleigh), who was briefed to create a fresh and light take on an old-school Aussie bakery.
