Hospo team Public has joined forces with Grossi Group to reinvigorate a historic venue at Kew Junction: Clifton Hotel. It’s the first-ever Melbourne project from Public, a crew who’ve already earned their stripes with a portfolio of successful venues in Sydney. The news will also thrill avid followers of Grossi Florentino, Ombra and the rest of the legendary family’s impressive suite, and for Kew locals, it’s set to sprinkle some sparkling new life into the long-abandoned landmark.
Clifton Hotel was built in 1868 and has lived many lives since under different monikers, but the team at Public will be reinstating its OG name as a nod to the past. After remaining dormant for four years, the venue’s been restored to function as a vibrant corner pub with capacity for 250-plus patrons across five internal and outdoor spaces. We’ve been promised a flow of intimate spaces and elevated dining experiences, with a well-stocked bar, playful spirit and fitout that pays respect to the original beauty of the building. The establishment has also welcomed Puttanesca, an energetic Italian restaurant and aperitivo bar, steered by Guy Grossi.
Visitors can anticipate a brand new wood-fired pizza oven and a menu inspired by Grossi’s heritage. Crowd-pleasers will include a selection of antipasti, spaghetti puttanesca, ‘mamma’s lasagne’ and more.
“Our philosophy when creating this menu was to incorporate familiar favourites you would find at the centre of an Italian family dinner table, taking quality, wholesome ingredients and treating them with respect,” says Grossi. “We wanted to create a place to bring together the local community to stop by on a Sunday for a family lunch, or a quick bite to eat during the week.”
Marc Murphy, a former Carlton Football Club star turned project manager, has overseen the development, lending his local knowledge of Kew and passion for its hospitality scene to the team. Bookings are now available at the website.
