A new dining experience is coming to Melbourne’s North, which will make a visit to Essendon Fields even more enjoyable for a coffee break, meeting, long lunch or culinary delight.

Basq is set to open at 305 Wirraway Road, offering an elevated dining destination led by partners Tijen Esat and Chef Jaysen Veerapen. The duo previously owned and operated La Poele restaurant in Windsor.

“Basq is inspired by the Napa Valley’s rolling hills and verdant vineyards. It will be a place for savouring each morsel and each sip, and forgetting about time for a while,” said Tijen.

305 Wirraway Road, once home to the Hungry Fox café, has had both an interior and exterior glow up, with an array of flexible seating added in alongside a brand-new alfresco dining zone. There are also plenty of private nooks, corner tables and an airy deck – making it ideal for groups of any size.

“Each dish will be a masterpiece, meticulously crafted to blend the freshest ingredients into a mouth-watering symphony of tastes. The menu is an ode to the Napa Valley region, to moments, to experiences,” said Chef Jaysen.

Chef Jaysen will bring to your table a Beef Burger for lunch starring the tastiest F1 Sher-Wagyu patty, a Forest Mushroom and Pea Risotto, or even their iconic Lemon Myrtle Crispy Calamari alongside squid ink crackers that fans might remember from La Poele. Perhaps it’s the Basque Eggs Piperade that heroes the breakfast menu that tickles your taste buds, or you’re hanging out for the most incredible list of hand-crafted pastries to be available.

“A lot of people are saying that they’ve really missed having an offering like this in the North. It’s a larger venue, but our brief was to create a space where you could feel cosy and warm. As winter fast approaches, we think Basq will be a welcoming refuge for Melbourne,” said Tijen.

Basq opens for breakfast and lunch on Wednesday 10 May at 305 Wirraway Road, Essendon Fields. To find out when Basq will open for dinner, follow the venue on Instagram and Facebook!