Middle Fish brings the vibrancy of the Thai café culture to Melbourne. With a focus on authentic, Southern Thai cuisine as well as an emphasis on interior design and service, Middle Fish offers something distinctive for Melbourne’s café culture.

Pla (Siriporn Liamthong) and partner, David Holtum, are the driving force behind Middle Fish. A carpenter by trade, David has been responsible for the design and fit-out of the café; a creative, handmade space inspired by a fusion of industrial and traditional and contemporary Australian and Thai influences.

Located in a warehouse in the centre of Carlton, a significant feature of Middle Fish is the design, a fusion of industrial and contemporary art, including a large steel bench top and exposed brick walls juxtaposed

with decorative security screens, handmade in Bangkok. The huge brick and corrugated iron warehouse has been turned into an open plan, street market/artsy café dining space. Murals and metalwork cover the walls while mosaic-tiled booths, cushion strewn couches and rustic wooden communal tables make the space look like a home wares emporium.

Pla and David collaborated with Thai artist Torlarp Larkpjaroensook to create a site specific work for the space, including a chandelier and a piece for the large, exposed brick feature wall.

Torlarp is an emerging Thai artist based in Chiang Mai. His practice alternates between art and design, and dwells between function and aesthetics. For his work at Middle Fish he will use mixed media to
emphasise his concept of “functional art”.