Eleven-year-old Tulip looks casual, even unremarkable. But passionate new owners are helping it blossom. July 2, 2024 You have reached your maximum number of saved items.
Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Good Food hat 15 / 20 How we score Contemporary $$ $ It can be hard, when eating in Geelong, not to ponder: “If this restaurant were in Melbourne .
..” In the case of Tulip, the Geelong mainstay that’s been open since 2013, it was the thought experiment I returned to again and again.
If Tulip were in Melbourne, it would likely be more designed and stylish – as it is, the room, tucked into the side of a courtyard collection of businesses, could be a cafe, a sandwich shop or just about any kind of casual venue. Its wooden tables, brick walls and white chairs are pleasant but unremarkable. If Tulip were in Melbourne those widely spaced tables would be placed much closer together, milking the value of the real estate.
And if Tulip were in Melbourne, there would be huge hype about the food coming out of this modest open kitchen. Tulip has long had a reputation as one of the best reasons to eat in Geelong, thanks mainly to the food of founding co-owner and chef Matt Dempsey. But in 2022, two employees – manager Dan Ford and chef Mike Jaques – bought the restaurant and set out to put their own spin on the service, wine list and food.
Ford is a gregarious presence in th.