Pack your bags. The long-awaited food offering from The Continental Sorrento is set to open this month.

Scott Pickett and Craig Shearer have turned the luxury Peninsula hotel into an unmissable dining destination, with no less than eight restaurants and bars to choose from. There’s something for every palate and price point, from casual and fun to refined and elegant.

Audrey’s will be the signature restaurant with fine dining fare by Pickett.
Pickett is known for his Melbourne restaurants including Chancery Lane and Matilda but this is his first foray into regional dining.

Audrey’s will be the kind of elevated dining experience he’s known for. It’s named after his grandmother who inspired him to cook.

The restaurant will be home to a marble raw bar, which will showcase seafood, as well as a contemporary selection of seafood dishes that maximizes the best of the Peninsula’s produce. Of course, the wine list will be perfectly matched.

But that’s not all the Continental Sorrento has to offer. Among the suite drinking and dining spaces is The Atrium, an elegant restaurant with soaring ceilings and lush greenhouse vibes. There’s also Coppins Lounge, an intimate lobby bar with plush private booths and Barlow, a late-night speakeasy with luxe bar snacks and live entertainment, including comedians, DJ’s and touring artists.

Don’t forget The Pool Deck, a sun-soaked oasis of lounges and ocean-view cabanas with a Miami-beach vibe.

For a more laidback experience, there’s also the Public Bar, a light-filled Beer Garden complete with towering apex and trailing greenery, and the Promenade, a vast outdoor dining space with undeniable seaside glamour.

If that wasn’t enough, there are also four lavish event spaces. The building’s original Grand Ballroom is restored to its former glory, Halcyon Hall opens onto the Sunset Terrace with views of Port Phillip Bay and The Gallery is an intimate space.

Acclaimed chef Pickett is excited about revealing his vision for The Conti. “After an extensive build and many months of planning we are delighted to be lifting the curtain on what we believe will be one of Australia’s premier coastal destinations for travel and gourmet experiences,” he says.

“For everyone involved, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we can’t wait to welcome guests across the threshold.”

As a holiday destination, The Conti will cater to everyone. If you don’t fancy fine dining at Audrey’s, you can tuck into Pickett’s take on pub fare at the other offerings. There’s a public bar, a casual light-filled beer garden and the Promenade, an expansive outdoor dining space to make the most of its seaside location.

Drinks throughout the venue are being designed by the guys behind Speakeasy Group, whose venues include Eau De Vie and Nick & Nora’s, so you know they’ll live up to Pickett’s food.

Seasoned publican Shearer is in charge of reviving The Conti. “We’ve got an incredible team onboard with a wealth of experience who I know will deliver an unbeatable experience on the Peninsula,” he says.

“Having spent twenty years in the industry I can say with certainty that this project has been the most rewarding so far and not a single detail has been overlooked in bringing this icon back to its former glory.”

Related review: Take a trip to Paris at this new French bistro by Scott Pickett