The Hotel Esplanade has long been a favourite drinking hole for Melbourne locals; in fact the institution has been pulling pints for the past 140 years. But now the venue looks set to further cement its place in the city’s drinking and dining scene with a major new facelift.

The new look comes courtesy of new owners hospitality group Sand Hill Road who say they have simply restored the venue to its former grandeur and glory. Being custodians rather than owners has always been the plan for Sand Hill Road says director Andy Mullins, and directly influenced the rebuild. “[The previous owners] They said that we might have bought The Espy, but we’d never really own it. It belongs to the people of Melbourne. We have always loved the pub, but we know that it holds a special place in many different hearts for many different reasons. There’s no other pub like it in Australia.”

As a result, the hospitality group has taken more than 12 months to reshape the pub’s new look, taking into careful consideration both the venue’s history and the local community’s desires. The revamp itself was a substantial one, parts of the building the public never knew existed will now open up; access will now be granted to rooms including the basement, a garden terrace overlooking St Kilda pier, casual dining kitchen Gershwin Room, the famed public bar, a Cantonese restaurant dubbed Mya Tiger and top floor cocktail bar called The Ghost of Alfred Fenton. Melbourne firm Techne Architects worked closely with the group and stylist Eleisha Gray to fulfil the design vision of “kick-arse Victorian grandeur”.

The latter space is named in homage to The Espy’s most notable resident, Alfred Felton, a wealthy chemist and art-lover who lived and died at the seaside hotel. “We started delving into the history of Alfred and discovered what an incredible man he was,” says Mullins. “We want to create something he would be proud of and to keep his story alive throughout the venue.” As one example of his character, when Felton died he bequest his fortune to various Victorian charities to support victims of domestic violence, as well as The National Gallery of Victoria.

Mullins and his crew really just hope to see The Hotel Esplanade become a home away from home for locals. “We’re not trying to please one market, that’s not The Espy,” he explains, “we’re going all out to create a world-class cocktail bar, and then only 27 stairs away have 800 people looking out to the ocean, drinking beers and smashing pizzas or heading into a gig at one of the stages inside. Different types of people, there for different reasons, day and night. That’s always been The Espy – a melting pot of Melbourne.”

The updated food offering at the venue will be led by executive chef Ash Hicks. The venue’s main eatery has been dubbed The Espy Kitchen, where charcoal grills, pizza ovens and rotisseries will be on ample supply to craft the restaurant’s classic pub grub. A fun take on snack options will also be introduced throughout the venue, with the likes of hot dogs to be served from carts outside the Gershwin Room. Last but not least, Cantonese restaurant Mya Tiger will be doling out fast-paced Chinese classics (roast duck included). Sand Hill Road Group bars manager Kevin Peters and group sommelier Matt Skinner have also devised a drinks list to accompany the new edible array of options.

Hotel Esplanade
11 The Esplanade, St Kilda
hotelesplanade.com.au