A soon-to-open restaurant and cafe in the centre of Buninyong will add to the town’s increasingly boutique-focused, foodie feel.
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The Shared Table, created by former Provincial Hotel and Craig’s Royal Hotel chef Dianne Ray, will permanently take over the well-known MG Brown Electrical building on Learmonth Street, most recently used for pop-up shops.
According to a planning application, the restaurant will seat around 50 patrons inside, with al fresco dining under the verandah for another 32 patrons. The recognizable MG Brown sign has already gone, to make way for a new, mountain-inspired logo.
Ms Ray has had an interesting journey to launching her own restaurant is the centre of Buninyong. Up until 2004, the mother of four was a registered nurse at Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital, but fell into cooking by working with well-known Ballarat chef and catering guru Paul Ford.
South Ward councillor Ben Taylor said the prospect of a new restaurant in Buninyong was an exciting one, but extra investment in the town plan could ensure empty shops along Warrenheip Street are filled
“Any new business is great to give Buninyong more variety, and is an opportunity to bring more people into town, particularly when a lot of people stop through on the way to and from Geelong,” he said.
“People are crying out for more business … on a Sunday morning when the sun is out, the main street is thriving with people and the cafes are full.
Before it opens, the restaurant will need to receive planning approvals from City of Ballarat, with the application for a liquor license currently on advertising.