Head Chefs Kyle Curran and Mathew Zolli still have burgers (for which The Tramway is kinda famous), but they now have sandwiches, bao, mini hot dogs, a bunch of sides, salads and incredible desserts to go with them. The individual large meal state of mind has been replaced by affordable, single serving and share plate options that fits the ethos of communal, street food-style dining. Curran hails Sarnia in Canada, in between Toronto and Detroit, and brings with him an enormous amount of knowledge and ideas about street food in Canada and the US. Zolli is from the Diamond Valley, east of Melbourne, and provides the food appreciation, knowledge and work ethic of a country farming upbringing. Together, and with their multi-talented team, they’ve been able to create a menu that reflects their personalities, skills and ideas. They’re using an in-house smoker for a variety of ingredients, like bacon, brisket, chicken and tempeh (that’s like tofu from Indonesia) and their vegan and vegetarian options have increased exponentially. For good measure, they’ve also thrown in the option of take-away food and tinnies to enjoy in nearby Edinburgh Gardens. Winner. The crew happen to be huge fans of Melbourne music, but since they can’t do loud gigs in this residential pub, they’ve done the next best thing by paying tribute to Melbourne bands who rule by turning them into burgers. Clowns can finally eat clowns. On Sundays, pay a mere ten bucks for a basket of smoked and grilled chicken wings or Buffalo cauliflower, in addition to their Tramway Poutine, exactly how it’s done in Curran’s mother country. At dusk, they show a classic live gig on the big screen and help you recover from your weekend with a $12, tequila-based Bloody Mary. What a time to be alive.
EDITOR’S PICK
Forget pulled pork, at The Tramway, I’m all about pulled chicken. You’ll need a napkin or two or this one.
