Amphlett House, an elevated taphouse in Melbourne’s CBD located on the corner of Little Bourke Street and Amphlett Lane, will open on 10 November 2022. The new venue will be spearheaded by two of Australian hospitality’s finest, Andrea Gualdi (ex-Maybe Sammy, named ‘The Best Bar in Australasia 2021’ by ‘The World’s 50 Best Bars’) and celebrated Melburnian chef, Ian Curley.
Located in the heart of Melbourne’s restaurant and theatre district, Amphlett House will join the likes of Longrain, Hochi Mama, Grossi Grill and Florentino. The 120-seat taphouse will see exceptional drinks and elevated pub classics come together in a welcoming and upbeat atmosphere.
The beverage program will be led by Ovolo’s Creative Beverage Director, Andrea Gualdi. Gauldi has curated a drinks list that will tap into a new way of drinking, with a variety of tipples on tap including craft beers, wines and a unique selection of handcrafted cocktails using Australian ingredients. Amphlett House worked in partnership with a food scientist when creating the cocktail list, ensuring a completely sustainable and consistent product, with the same quality you would expect from Australia’s leading bars. These cocktails are their interpretation of the iconic classic cocktails, and includes signatures such as the Wattle Seed Negroni, Finger Lime Daiquiri, and Eucalyptus Smoked Margarita.
The beverage program has a strong focus on locally brewed, grown and sourced product; the beer selection will feature boutique Australian breweries, such as Bonehead, Jetty Road, Young Henrys and Better Beer, with 75% of the wines coming from local producers. The first cocktail on tap will be Coffee & Orange Americano.
Andrea Gualdi said: “My background has been completely focused on cocktail bars, so I am thrilled with this unique opportunity. Our aim is to bring the same level of quality you’d find in Australia’s best bars to the drinks offering at Amphlett House. We are lucky to have access to some incredibly progressive Australian and international producers, both in the alcoholic and non-alcoholic categories, and we look forward to showcasing quality, local produce in a welcoming setting.”
Alongside a unique way of drinking will be a menu of elevated pub classics by Ovolo’s Director of Kitchen Operations, Ian Curley, with support from head chef Ben Green (recently returned Executive Chef of Gather and Gather, London).
Highlights from the menu include: smoked bone barrow on toast, with parsley and shallot salad; oysters with mignonette dressing and shaved horseradish; breaded chicken breast with Italian coleslaw; and fish and hand cut chips with peas, zucchini and yoghurt tartare. There will also be a selection of sides and bar snacks including: chicken and leek terrine; salmon fish cake with celeriac remoulade; and hand cut fries.
Ian Curley said: “The food concept for Amphlett House will be elevated pub dining, with a classic menu highlighting quality Victorian produce. I’ve loved this part of Melbourne for many years and am looking forward to serving up humble fare with big flavours in the Paris end of town. There is nothing pretentious happening here – we welcome you to share a meal with family and friends or grab a quick bite with your better half.”
Amphlett House’s sophisticated yet fun interior has been executed by award-winning interior design and architecture studio, Luchetti Krelle.
Interior designer and principal of Luchetti Krelle, Rachel Luchetti says, “We have relished the creative challenge of creating a sophisticated and stylish space that gives a nod to the building’s 80’s era. Memphis nostalgia was a perfect fit for this project, and we have interpreted this through injecting colour and energy in the classic Ovolo manner.”
The taphouse is the latest addition to boutique designer hotel collection Ovolo’s portfolio of cutting-edge food and drink offerings, and a move away from the unique restaurants and bars Ovolo is best known for. The taphouse will sit within designer hotel Laneways by Ovolo, with the launch coinciding with the hotel being reimagined and renamed to reflect its evolution.
