This winter, High Cheese returns to Allegro at The Westin Melbourne, bringing a serious lineup of cheese, wine and chef-led showmanship.
The menu is the brainchild of Executive Chef Apoorva Kunte, working in partnership with Supercheese, the Richmond cheese specialists run by cheesemonger Jeremy Spradbery.
Opening with the Milk of Parmigiano Reggiano, a small but mighty dish that sets the tone for the evening. The sharpness of the aged Parmesan lingers just long enough to tell you this isn’t a meal to be rushed.
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The twice-baked soufflé of L’Artisan Organic Mepunga Gruyère, enriched with truffle and Champagne cream, is the kind of dish that makes you put your fork down for a moment. It’s light, airy, full of flavour, and finished with a biscuity crust that holds its own against the richness. If there’s a hero dish on this menu, this is it.
The Pyengana Dairy cloth-matured cheddar arancini is a satisfying contrast: golden, crisp, and finished with a herb aioli that has a welcome kick of pepper.
Meanwhile, the Stone and Crow Amiel, an ash-coated goat’s cheese paired with honeycomb, lavender and lemon thyme, works as a clever little palate reset between the richer courses. Floral, balanced, and a nice reminder that not everything on a cheese menu needs to be heavy.
No High Cheese would be complete without a scone, and Marcel Petite Comté and Smoked Almond Scone proves that savoury versions deserve equal billing. Warm, nutty and fragrant, it is elevated by the accompanying blood orange and saffron butter, which adds a surprising brightness.
To share, there’s the baked Le Conquérant Camembert, studded with thyme and garlic, and finished with Singing Magpie quince syrup. Served with grapes, lavosh and toasted baguette, it’s the kind of dish built for lingering conversation and the inevitable argument over who gets the last bit of crust.
The sweet finale doesn’t lose its nerve either. The Manchego cheese ice cream with pineapple jam is a playful combination, proof that pairing fruit and cheese doesn’t need to stop at the cheese board.
Punt Road Wines, the Yarra Valley producer, supplies the pairings, and they do exactly what good pairings should: they don’t compete, they support. A wine flight of four pours is available for $30 per person, and on a cold Melbourne evening, it’s money well spent.
High Cheese at Allegro Restaurant at The Westin Melbourne runs Tuesday to Saturday 5:00-9:30pm, until 17 October 2026, from $91 per person, including one glass of Punt Road wine.
Note that this is the Earth and Air inspired menu; a second iteration Fire & Water is served from early August, which gives committed cheese lovers a fairly compelling excuse to book twice.
High Cheese Menu:
To Start
Milk Of Parmigiano Reggiano
A delicate expression celebrating the purity and depth of aged Parmesan
Origin — Italy
Tomme De Brebis And Smoked Tomato Bruschetta
Rustic ewe’s milk cheese served over toasted sourdough with smoked tomato sugo
Origin — Pyrnees, France
On The Stand
Marcel Petite Comté And Smoked Almond Scone
Aged Comté of exceptional finesse paired with a warm, nutty scone Served with blood orange and saffron butter
Origin — Fort Saint-Antoine, France
Pyengana Dairy Cloth-Matured Cheddar Arancini
Golden-crisp arancini showcasing heritage cheddar Finished with Pep Pepper and herb aioli
Origin — Pyengana Valley, Tasmania
Twice-Baked Soufflé Of L’artisan Organic Mepunga Gruyère
Light, airy, and indulgent Enriched with truffle and Champagne cream
Origin — South West Victoria, Australia
Stone And Crow Amiel
Ash-coated goat’s cheese complemented by honeycomb, lavender, and lemon thyme for a floral, balanced finish
Origin — Yarra Valley, Victoria
To Share
Baked Le Conquérant Camembert (Cd, Cn)
Oven-baked to molten perfection, studded with thyme and garlic. Finished with Singing Magpie quince syrup Origin — Pays d’Auge, Normandy, France
Grapes, Lavosh, Toasted Baguette
Sweet Finale
That’s Amore Stracciatella And Lemon Bavorois
Paired with blueberry and almond flaugnarde for a light, elegant finish
Origin — Thomastown, Victoria
Schulz Quark And Caramelised White Chocolate Basque Cheesecake
Infused with Ratnagiri Alphonso mango, accented with Tasman smoked sea salt and apricot hot sauce
Origin — Timboon, Victoria
Pineapple Jam And Quesos Tradicionales De España Manchego
Origin — La Mancha, Spain
Pair The Experience
Discover a curated selection of wines from Punt Road Wines designed to elevate the flavours and textures of this year’s High Cheese. Explore the pairing menu for recommended flights, pours and bottles.
High Tea Melbourne – find more experiences
in our High Tea Venue Directory
Reviews for this venue:
- 27 January 2026: Summer High Tea at The Westin Melbourne
- 25 July 2025: Westin Melbourne’s 2025 High Cheese - A Bold, Beautiful Celebration of Cheese & Wine
- 23 May 2025: The Westin Melbourne’s Beetlejuice The Musical High Tea is a Ghoulishly Good Time
- 31 March 2025: Autumn High Tea at The Westin Melbourne
- 23 June 2024: High Cheese at The Westin Melbourne
- 16 February 2024: Summer High Tea at The Westin Melbourne
- 2 August 2023: NativiTea at The Westin Melbourne
- 29 September 2022: High SocieTea at The Westin Melbourne
- 14 July 2021: High Cheese at The Westin Melbourne
- 7 July 2020: High Cheese at the Westin Melbourne
- 2 July 2019: High Cheese at the Westin Melbourne
- 21 February 2019: High Seas at The Westin Melbourne
- 24 June 2018: High Cheese at The Westin Melbourne
- 25 June 2016: Winter High Tea at the Westin Melbourne
- 1 May 2014: High Tea at the Westin Melbourne
- 29 June 2013: High Tea at the Westin Melbourne
- 26 November 2012: High Tea at The Westin Melbourne
