Located in the heart of Main Street, Gembrook—just an hour southeast of Melbourne’s CBD—The Independent offers bold, elegant dishes served in a beautifully restored, heritage-listed building.

 

​Renowned for its fusion cuisine with local ingredient's  and gastronomic traditions from Italy and Argentina coming together in recipes with a significant focus on sharing dishes.

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It comes as no surprise that the chef and owner has Argentinian & Italian origins - Mauro Callegari is the skilled culinary magician at the helm of the kitchen, where he creates simple but complex dishes that are showcased on the à la carte and tasting menu option.

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The dining room is helped by Laura Burn, with many years of experience in the industry where she works closely with wine producers to select the best pour.

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We look forward to welcoming you.

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Since opening in September 2014, The Independent has been recognised as one of the top 100 Victorian restaurants in the Sunday Herald Sun's Delicious magazine for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022, and has been awarded One Hat in The Age's Good Food Guide for 2023, 2024, and 2025.​ 

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