Further cementing Smith Street's reputation as the northern suburb's foodie hub, Fonda Mexican has set up shop on the busy strip. The Mexican restaurant is spreading like wildfire as co-owners Tim McDonald and Dave Youl continues to put their fingers in Melbourne's hippest suburbs. Five years after the launch of their first restaurant in Richmond, the Fonda founders have opened their first northside restaurant on Smith Street in the former Cheesecake Factory shop.
The Collingwood Fonda has 167 seats across two floors; there are intimate street facing booth seating and the upper level channels the Fonda's Windsor venue with an all-weather open air terrace. In usual Fonda fashion, they've enlisted Wildhen Design to splash the Mexican eatery's signature bright pastel palette throughout the venue, and local artist Deams have been enlisted to paint a massive pink mural on the building's side.
The Collingwood casa will be serving Fonda favourites like the rockling tacos, burritos, ensaladas and fresh Agua Frescas.