Voted 'Best Restaurant' by the Bendigo Magazine in 2009,
GPO on 60-64 Pall Mall certainly ticks all the boxes. The stylish interior is beckoning; its high ceilings, warm colour palette and split level dining space the hallmarks of a chic establishment. Around lunchtime on a weekday, the restaurant is fairly quiet with folks trickling in as they please for a chat and a bite, but there's evidence to suggest the place gets far more busy come nightfall. Whilst the best seats during winter are right next to the glowing fireplace, each section of the restaurant has its own appeal, with a great view of Bendigo's oldest street and the beautiful post office building from the front and a cosy, more intimate back section leading onto the courtyard area.
The wait-staff are friendly and hardly need an excuse to talk, striking up a conversation with a huge smile. They also have a great knowledge of the menu, which is extremely handy for indecisive customers like myself, who need help ordering from such a diverse list of options.
The menu itself displays a European influence, ranging from pizzas and sandwiches to pastas and risottos with the mandatory brunch options added in. The pumpkin ravioli is particularly good, rich with a slight sweetness and not too creamy, and the shredded duck salad is a treat, the sweet pomegranate seeds and citrus dressing contrasting the crisp, salty duck. For those who have allergies, the staff are happy to eliminate pine-nuts and other potential problems without any fuss and there's gluten-free options available. For dessert, don't go past the cinnamon sugar doughnuts served with hot chocolate and ice cream. They'll be sure to disappear quickly but your taste buds will be thanking you for days.
The Duck Salad: Crisp duck, sweet pomegranate seeds and a citrus dressing. Yum!
With great staff and great food, I'll know I'll certainly be back here again. If you're ever in Bendigo, make sure to cross GPO off your to-do list!
