King & Godfree – The Lygon St. grocery store and gastronomic institution Celelebrates 150 years with book
The Valmorbida family have been the custodians of the iconic Grocery store on the corner of Lygon and Faraday Streets since the 1950’s. To commemorate the 150 year anniversary of Melbourne’s most famous ‘Corner Grocery store” they have a cookbook that recounts the Social and Cultural history as well as presenting numeous Recipes from Cucina Italiana and even a glossary of significant Italian Wines!
“King & Godfree, the Corner Grocer is an intimate portrait of one of Australia’s longest continuously operating grocery stores, told through stories, recipes and insider knowledge about great ingredients.They honour their nonno Carlo’s legacy by detailing how to buy the best Italian cheese, the most appropriate canned tomato, the best quality anchovies, which pasta shapes and sauces go best together and what wine to drink with them.”
Porchetta done to perfection with Insalaa and a good regional Italian wine is one of the legendary selections from the lunchtime Bistro menu at King and Godfrey
They have teamed this knowledge with more than 100 recipes led by Luisa Valmorbida and @matteotoffano, from cocktails to cannoli.
The book is as beautiful as it is practical thanks to designers @studio_round and wordsmith @michaelharden50 with 430 pages of archival and new photography by @annikakafcaloudis and @tomross.xyz, custom illustrations by @paulatroxler and a general aesthetic connection to the spirit of Carlton, the place the grocery store has called home for more than 150 years. If you want to secure a passport to all of that sensory pleasure, head to their website shop at the link in profile to order yours now!
Available for ordering by e-commerce here:
#kingandgodfree @readingsbooks @hardiegrantbooks
“Grounded in history, the book tells the story of a Lygon St institution that’s been the heart of a community for 150 years .”
Antipasto anyone?
Celebrating food and family with events, recipes, markets and masterclasses.
As the custodians of a grocery store marking its 150th birthday which is is an honour worth celebrating the King and Godfrey Team organized a celebration with a Book There’s a lot to celebrate because the beautiful building on the corner of Lygon and Faraday Streets in Carlton began operating as a grocery store at the height of the Victorian Gold Rush in 1871. It has had just three owners since then: the Richards Brothers who opened the store, Edward King and George Godfree who named it King & Godfree in 1884 and the Valmorbida family who came on board in 1955 and created what is in essence an Italian style Gastronomic Institution.
Carlo Valmorbida arrived in Melbourne in 1949 and promptly dreamt of turning the King and Grodfrey grocery store into an Italian style Gastronomic temple
All 3 sets of owners have kept the business alive over the years by understanding the needs of their community, through the ups and downs, good times and bad. As the neighbourhood demographic changed over the years, from people made rich from gold to migrants seeking a better life, to artists and bohemians the owners have kept the business alive over the years by understanding the needs of their community.
Wine aficionados will always find an excellent Italian wine bottle to share at lunch from the well curated Wine selection – which also offers value for money
“And the people kept coming because they stuck to what good corner grocery stores always do: supplying their community with all the things they love to eat and drink, sometimes even before they realise it’s what they love to eat and drink”
To celebrate the milestone and the community that’s helped get us here, the King and Godfrey team organized a series of special events, themed around Italian pantry staples from pasta and olive oil to cheese and coffee.
This culminated in the publication of the first ever King & Godfree book in 2023 and available NOW!
“Called The Corner Grocer, this beautifully designed and illustrated work King & Godfree book called The Corner Grocer, this beautifully designed and illustrated work is chock full of history,… practical, detailed information about Italian pantry staples and Italian wine and an impressive number of Recipes as well as practical, detailed information about Italian pantry staples from pasta and olive oil to cheese and coffee and of course Italian wines,. It is as good to flick through as it is to cook from,,…. , The Corner Grocer encapsulates why the babies who sat in prams as their parents shopped for salumi and chianti now come here with their own grandchildren.They are here to shop and to eat and to be part of something that represents the enduring and comforting pull of community”
*I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the interaction between Italian Wine, Food and Culture in its broader social context ,..but also anyone who wants to access some great Cucina Italiana Recipes!
Axel Ritenis
Editor and Publisher ,
Connoisseur Magazine London
