By Clyde Mooney – editor Australian Hotelier
Merivale will next month unveil the Coogee Pavilion, its new eastern suburbs venue the company says will offer a variety of lifestyle and casual dining experiences.
The ground floor of the venue – formerly the historic Beach Palace Hotel – opens its doors 22 July, decked with options for a broad range of tastes and budgets.
Led by a star-studded team of Merivale chefs, an extensive seasonal menu will showcase Australian produce with plenty of local seafood – gently cooked or served from the dedicated ‘raw bar’ and oyster counter.
Other offerings will include a breakfast menu designed by Danielle Alvarez (formerly of San Francisco’s Chez Panisse), ‘Vinnie’s Pizzeria’ serving wood-fired creations by Vincenzo Biondini (pictured), a ‘Love Juice’ stand, fresh flower stall, Will & Co coffee cart, cocktail bar and dedicated kids menu.
Small and big kids alike will enjoy the games area, sporting a nostalgic collection of activities including a giant hand-painted scrabble board, old-school arcade games, beautifully refurbished 1950s ping pong tables and a library of vintage books about the seaside.
Gamers can play pétanque, watch movies in the theatrette, or even get a haircut by the in-venue barber.
Visitors can even take a piece of the Coogee Pavilion experience home with them, with the option of takeaway food as well as products including aprons, napkins and crockery to be available for purchase.
Merivale describes the interiors as “bright, relaxed and playful – an extension of Coogee’s laidback lifestyle”, and will showcase work by talented crafts people such as weavers, knitters, wood and metalworkers.
The other levels of the enormous venue will similarly undergo extensive renovation and re-open in stages over coming months, and during this time the first floor will be available as a community space for meetings, performances and exhibitions.
The Coogee Pavilion was conceptualised by Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes, and brought to life by a design team including Kelvin Ho of Akin Creative, Amanda Talbot, Justin and Bettina Hemmes.
There seems to be a lack of music.
We need a good venue for local talent as well as the pros. The palace in the old days had great jazz on a Sunday up on the 3rd level looking out up the beach, with good food available.
Sadly the jazz didn’t last long, a DJ took over and the food died.
I have been going here for 20 years on and off and the place has never looked as if anyone cared about it, so I am delighted that Justin has taken over.
Please give us some live music though!
Ditto Paticia. Yes. Some live music please!!!
I have lived in Coogee for 20 years and it seems there might finally be somewhere to take my friends and family when they visit apart from the beach. Waiting with abated breath….Thanks Justin & co.