Toddy Shop — Restaurant in Melbourne

As someone originally from Kerala who has grown up eating authentic Toddy shop-style dishes, I have to say that Toddy in Fitzroy was a major disappointment. We decided to check it out as part of our Fitzroy food tour, and with all the hype surrounding the place, my expectations were sky-high. The restaurant itself was cozy and full when we arrived, which further raised my hopes.

We ordered a variety of dishes: Parottas, Rice, Beef Roast, Chicken Varutharacha, and Okra Pachadi.

Parotta: It wasn’t terrible, but I noticed it becoming tough and hard soon after it was served. This usually happens when parottas are frozen, reheated, or made with dough that’s prepared in advance. Fresh, properly made parottas should stay soft and flaky for longer.

Chicken Varutharacha: This was by far the biggest letdown. The chicken was shredded and lost in a flavorless curry that seemed overcooked and reheated. The "Varutharacha" method, which involves roasting and grinding coconut for a rich, flavorful curry, was completely absent here. There was no hint of that signature coconut flavor at all.

Beef Roast: This was probably the best dish we had, but even then, it didn’t match up to what you’d expect from a proper Kerala beef roast. In Kerala, this dish is usually packed with the flavor of caramelized onions and slow-cooked beef. Toddy’s version didn’t quite capture that essence, and frankly, I’m not sure why they called it a “roast” since it resembled more of a standard beef curry.

Okra Pachadi: This was a disaster, and frankly, it was a bit embarrassing. I ordered this to please my vegetarian wife, but it was nothing like the traditional Kerala okra pachadi. Normally, it’s made by frying okra in coconut oil and mixing it with ground coconut, cumin, and curd, but Toddy’s version seemed to be some strange, flavorless variation with cream instead of coconut, which was completely off the mark.

To sum it up, Toddy felt more like a generic Indian restaurant in Melbourne than an authentic Kerala dining experience. It definitely didn't live up to the expectations set by its name or the hype. If you're looking for true Kerala flavors ( Some what authentic ) , I’d suggest checking out places like Coconut Lagoon in Heidelberg or Calicut Cafe in Ravenhall. Interestingly, the name “Toddy” seems to be a recurring theme in Melbourne’s mediocre attempts at Kerala cuisine—there was another similarly named restaurant years ago near HOFF in Docklands, and it served equally...

⭐️ Chicken Varuthara ⭐️ Parota ✔️ Egg Roast ✔️ Matta Rice ✔️ Pork Fry ➖ Pineapple Pulissery ➖ Okra Theeyal ✖️ Prawn Moilee

Toddy Shop by Marthanden Hotel, situated on Smith St, Fitzroy, is a quaint, 20-seat South-Indian diner that pays homage to authentic Keralan cuisine. Chef Mischa Tropp @wearekerala, hailing from Kerala and formerly of @therochey, draws inspiration from his experiences dining across South India, particularly in the region’s traditional toddy shops, known for their signature palm sap brew. It also co-owned with Michael Mabuti, of @kariton.sorbetes and @askal.melb. 🇮🇳

The venue exudes a homely ambiance, painted with dusty-pink and sage-green walls, decorated with vintage family photos and record player spinning Indian disco. Meals are served on steel plates, while the drink menu features cocktails infused with Indian flavours (I recommend the Negroni!). The menu rotates weekly based off what the chef decides to make with seasonal ingredients. It is encouraged to eat with your hands! 👋🏽

Standout dishes for me were the Chicken Varuthara, which was delicious, tender and spicy, as well as their flakey Parota bread - I couldn’t get enough of it. Close runners up had to be the Pork Fry with potato and the Egg Roast which was satisfyingly crisp on the outer. I might have liked the Pineapple Pulissery more if the pineapple was sweet. I would give the Prawn Moilee a miss next time, the flavours weren’t for my palette but the prawns were very tender. 🥘 I don’t actually have enough knowledge of the cuisine to have a solid opinion, but I was expecting some bolder, deeper flavours. Being an event I am also unsure wether these are the regular portions, 4 of us shared what you see in the photos, and we left content. It is walk in only so get in early or pop your name on the waitlist and grab a drink at the bar!...

Being a Malayali i all i could sence was the warmth of a time once gone in my childhood. Thanks for the recreation, though the owner recreated a lot of his treasured memories in there.

Food absolutely tasted Homely, not restaurant kind so hatsoff 💯 we loved it . Bought, porotta, spicy fish Curry (yummy for my kerala spicy palate) , prawn like a paradise , must try the prawn which is cooked in coconut milk ,tomatoes it is one of our olden kerala delicacy, Melbourne you should try this 😋 and Pork with potatoes OMG another epic item from One part of kerala ! All together, it's an experience in Fitzroy for me to linger the flavours once again and ro the beautiful multicultural Melbourniers to try these beautiful preparations apart from usual Curry trials.

Drinks , I can't leave the review without saying this . . Toddy!! The name and that thing we all grow up seeing in abundance. Sadly there is no much toddy shops like before to see now in Kerala ,and that's when this one make our heart beat 2 extra lub dubs !

We tried toddy (palm wine) the colour ofcourse white , tasted absolutely that olden sweet പനം കള്ള് 💯 Also the പൊന്മാൻ beer /പച്ച beer of kerala the Kingfisher .

We also bought cocktails, like ninbu pani, bengali Martini. My review Bengali Martini is just "chumma theee" adipoli ! You should try it ,it is a fire 🔥

Price : let's say 50 Aud for one . Cocktails, Mains are all 24 plus. So bear in mind .

Sorry for this long review 😄 Ambience , amazing olden kerala version . No much seats available so go early to avoid waiting .

Once again thanks team for giving us a return ticket of flavours and memories and bringing this beautiful Delicacies, feelings and Nostalgia's to...