Urban List Melbourne: Full 2026 Lineup
Wine Dinner Series
By Arshia Anand
January 21st, 2026
Heidelberg’s beloved Little Black Pig & Sons is serving up something special for early 2026: a wine dinner series that marries chef-owner David Lakhi’s produce-driven Cucina Povera plates with drops from Australia’s top producers. Running February to May, these Thursday-night events - hosted by David and his wife Emilia Lakhi - transform the 48 Burgundy Street gem into an electric playground of flavour, stories and surprise pours.
Little Black Pig & Sons Chef & Owner David Lakhi and Cecilia Pasqua, Export Manager and a member of Pasqua Wines’ third generation.
David, who pens the restaurant’s wine list himself, thrives on these connections. “The energy and atmosphere in that restaurant is electric; it's contagious... Of course we serve great food and great wine, but above all, what we really offer is a great time," he says.
Each one-night-only dinner delivers a bespoke five-course menu, winemaker guests sharing provenance and a finale “options game” where eagle-eyed tasters win prizes. Featured wines are available post-event at trade-beating prices - a cheeky bonus for stocking the cellar.
Rooted in David’s Punjabi village upbringing - where seasonal community feasts ruled and zero-waste was gospel - the kitchen changes menus biweekly based on what arrives fresh. Offcuts become stocks, whole proteins shine nose-to-tail and plates like delicate shrimp tartlets with crisp pastry and citrus zing, slow-cooked handmade pastas, or generous seasonal mains let quality ingredients steal the show. It’s comforting homage to Italian simplicity with a personal twist.
The series opener sets a high bar: Pasqua Wine Dinner on Thursday 26 February at 6:30pm, featuring third-generation Export Manager Cecilia Pasqua. Teased pairings include scallops with saffron, creamed corn, lemon and Yarra Valley bloody shiraz caviar - matched to Pasqua Romeo & Juliet Passimento 2023 (100% Garganega). Then comes Gippsland summer truffles atop pan-roasted Aylesbury duck breast with fresh raspberries, silverbeet and jus - paired alongside Pasqua Amarone Della Valpolicella DOCG 2019.
Full lineup:
Pasqua Wine Dinner with Cecilia Pasqua—Thursday 26 February, 6.30pm
Sicilian Wine Dinner with Frank Preiato (Alepat Taylor)—Thursday 26 March, 6:30pm
Yumbah Aquaculture x Brackenwood Wine Dinner—Thursday 23 April, 6:30pm
Levantine Hill Wine Dinner with winemaker Peter Shone—Thursday 21 May, 6:30pm
Frank Preiato raves: “This is a chance to experience a real connection with the famous slopes of the Veneto region through tasting indigenous Venetian varieties from a family that has been producing wines since 1925. David’s unwavering passion, expertise, and attention to detail is something I highly respect.”
Bookings and full details land closer to each date.
The Little Black Pig & Sons Wine Dinner series kicks off at 48 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg from 26 February 2026, at 195pp. Book now.