Balmoral’s Bathers’ Pavilion is swinging open its doors today after undergoing extensive renovations.

The new-look Bathers’ is rolling out an A-list team, headed by co-owner Serge Dansereau, who’s reuniting with head chef Cameron Johnston (St Claude’s, Jonah’s) in the French-leaning fine dining restaurant.

“Cameron and I started from scratch crafting an entirely new menu for the Restaurant that is elegant and unfussy and what you want to enjoy while looking out to that beautiful Balmoral water,” Dansereau says.

Then there’s former ACME co-owner Cam Fairbairn, who’s been appointed GM of service, and ex-Attica and Tetsuya’s talent Kumiko Endo, on board as head pastry chef. The big names continue, as ACME’s Jess Mead (last seen at the Kingdom of Rice pop-up), is hired as restaurant manager.

The old Bathers’ Café has been reincarnated as the family-friendly Bathers’ Bistro, where Charles Woodward (Cottage Point Inn, Daylesford’s Lakehouse Restaurant) and Peter Gong (ex Catalina) are co-head chefs serving an all-day menu spanning mussels and riesling-cured salmon to more laidback plates, like a whole roast chook and gourmet pizzas. End drum roll. 

The seaside space has been reimagined and now features a private dining room with an adjoining chef’s table for 12, where Dansereau will create a bespoke menu for a lucky few each day. Spilling out from the dining room is a new bar where you can choose from 25 wines by the glass, cocktails, and sate the post-swim munchies with a few Ortiz Spanish anchovy focaccia fingers.

It’s a celebration of the nautical inside, with pastel blue and white stripes and sailboat walnut detailing throughout. A selection of artworks by Australia’s finest remind you of your postcode, with a revolving series from local artists on show in the gallery upstairs, which will launch with an exhibition by Kerry Dawson and Chris Meredith from October.

Outside, the kiosk has also gone under the knife and will now serve up coffee, natural ice-pops, fish and chips, and beach towels if you left home in a rush.

Bathers’ is also opening up their panoramic first floor for the first time on Sundays, capitalising on those megawatt views. Here on a terrace perched over Balmoral’s aquamarine waters, you can sip on the good stuff while knocking back a few chilled Gulf prawns. We can think of worse ways to spend our Sunday.

Bathers’ Pavilion
4 The Esplanade, Mosman
batherspavilion.com.au