The formula is unmistakably Italian: walls decorated with a passion for the eclectic that feel like they’ve been just so forever, a fierce dedication to pushing seasonal produce in a fresh direction, great coffee and somewhere you’ll always bump into someone you know. ShopAte is like all the great Italian dining institutions; personality-driven with a focus on community.
“If I had a food hero, it’s definitely Ronnie Di Stasio,” says owner and author of 12 cookbooks, Guy Mirabella. He tells a charming story of dining at the newly-opened Citta last year with his mother and niece.
“It was like a Visconti movie, walking in with my 88 year-old mother, dressed head-to-toe in red and my niece, Jess, a gorgeous Amy Winehouse punk [now studying in Italy], in black!” recalls Guy. “I love that feeling and I hope that my customers get a bit of that when they come in here.”
Guy is first and foremost, a creator. “I don’t want to be a chef or a cook. I’m a foodie. And I love design.” His attention to detail in everything he puts forward in his revised venture, Leopard Boy curated by ShopAte Café & Store, is the expression of his deepening roots in Mount Eliza. Why Leopard Boy? “Because I’m opposite Lava Girl! [upstairs and across the way]”
ShopAte is both an institution and an expression of Mount Eliza’s evolution as one of the most livable places in Victoria. In the last few years, it’s also become a Friday night dining destination where the atmosphere feels more like a party by the end of the night than a popular weekday meeting place.
“I think at last count, there are about 28 places to get a coffee in Mount Eliza, so there has to be a point of difference,” muses Guy, who’s created in a space that changes as much with the seasons as it does the whim of a collaborative soul with a flair for the food we want to eat now. “It’s been almost 19 years,” muses Guy, “And I can tell the time of the day and the day of the week by who’s in the café.”
The strip of shops has become somewhat of piazza for The Village, where regulars meet to exchange news of the day and shopkeepers pop in and out of doorways to grab a coffee or lunch and greet each other as old friends.
Guy is also a go-to reference – and resource – for home entertainers. His advice for using oversized plant pot saucers easily found at Bunnings or Diaco’s for grand-sized cakes or foot-high salads are a hallmark of local parties and dinners whilst his generosity is legendary amongst those hosting charity lunches, where he can always be relied on to provide a delicious contribution.
Oyster shells for flaked salt on Friday nights and two clay pigeons
We asked Guy his 5 Live Love moments and naturally, they focus on beauty and friendship.
Love the vibe – “Community is so strong here, like nothing I’ve ever found anywhere else.”
Love the artistic – Window displays are a nearing competitive heights all over The Village
Live for change – A genuine commitment by shopkeepers to evolve and continuously build community.
Love the surprises – “There were three Muslim women here the other day who were looking for somewhere to have a coffee. I was closing up so I took them down to Mark’s [1001 Nights] and they were absolutely delighted. It just made my day to see them so happy they could get a cup of coffee late in the day.”
Live for moments of elegance – “La Dolce Vita is everywhere here. People are well-travelled, sophisticated and really get what some of us are trying to do here.”