Beachfront dining & social venue beckons with informal Australian style & modern coastal cuisine
November 17th, 2014
Casual beachfront dining is one of the quintessential dimensions of the Sydney urban lifestyle. Taking the concept of coastal lifestyle and dining to a new paradigm has been the recent opening (July 2014) of the first stage of the Coogee Pavilion – a massive refurbishment and transformation of a prominent heritage beachfront building at the famous Coogee Beach enclave – undertaken by the acclaimed Merivale hospitality group. Within the expansive open layout of the remodeled ground floor, Coogee Pavilion offers visitors a wide variety of dining and social experiences, pleasantly infused with a carefree casualness. A tantalising diversity of eating options allows guests to select from local seafood dishes, fresh oysters and crustaceans, wood-fired pizza, cocktails, burgers, plus a produce-focused seasonal menu from the main kitchen.
Across the facade, full height glass panels fold back to open the interior to the refreshing sea breezes, attractively framing the external views to the beach promenade. Within the interior, a variety of seating options flow seamlessly across the main floor space. Guests are encouraged to order from any menu and sit wherever they like. The decor exudes a bright, contemporary beach house aesthetic with a palette of pastel colours, bleached timbers, and interspersed with white tiled walls and quirky nautical themed accoutrements.
Coogee Pavilion opens daily from 11:00 am for all-day dining and drinks. A weekend breakfast menu is now served Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00 am. And check the Coogee Pavilion Facebook Page for special events and promotions. Weekends are particularly busy – reservations are strongly recommended.
Coogee Pavilion – ground floor dining spaces & bars
Embracing a marketplace theme, the sprawling interior features independently operated carts offering gourmet coffees, cold pressed juices and organic chocolates, and a fresh flower stand. In addition to the main open kitchen, diners can order directly the raw bar, oyster bar, and a wood-fired pizza station, with beverages served from the oval-shaped central bar, or at the petite cocktail bar. Conceived as a family-friendly destination, children (and adults) can enjoy games of ping pong, petanque, and other nostalgic childhood games in a large games area at the rear of the ground floor space. Personal grooming at the in-house barber shop, plus a vintage library and theatrette, add further options to the multifaceted venue.
Coogee Pavilion – seafood selections from the kitchen
On the culinary front, the kitchens are headed up by executive chef Jordan Toft and head chef Zac Sykes. A wide ranging menu of seasonal produce-focused dishes, with a particular emphasis on fresh seafood, caters to a diversity of taste preferences and budgets. Sharing dishes and platters encourage sociable dining experiences, or diners can simply order the quintessential beach dishes such as Fish & Chips, or fresh rock oysters.
Coogee Pavilion – cocktail highlights
Liquid refreshments are equally well-catered for, both at the large central bar, and compact cocktail bar. Icy-cold fresh draught beers, plus local and import bottles are always popular thirst quenchers, and a good selection of wines – by the glass or bottle – are ideal accompaniments with the seafood and other dishes. A concise list of house cocktails – mostly with a fresh fruit inflection – add polish to the beverage selections.
