An interview with Dean Sholl, traditionalist and founder of Empire Steak, on his mission to bring back the steak sandwich.

As we enter the holiday season and end of year break, many of us look to get away for a little while to rest and recoup before the upcoming year. Whether it be travelling around locally, heading interstate or overseas we find ourselves making use of hotels and encountering the inevitability of hotel dining.

Scroll through the notes on my phone and you’ll find a formidable list of over 50 burger joints, Melbourne and beyond, with a good ninety percent of these ticked off with a burger emoji. My obsession with burgers, and the burger culture of Melbourne, ignited shortly after I returned from the US, ready to see what we could offer up to rival the In-n-Outs and Shake Shacks of the world.

When you hear people talking about restaurants and eateries, more often than not they are talking about what’s new or who’s just opened down the street. But what happened to the classics? The stalwarts... the institutions?

Melbourne is emerging as a city food precinct, which has helped stamp its position as the World's most liveable city. Tucked away in Katherine Place – just off Flinders Lane is a fine example of this. The businesses here are passionate about their craft and dedicated to delivering an experience worth sharing. We take a look inside The Archway to discover what makes this community so special.

We love food. We know you do too.

The classic American burger is dead, simple as that.