Icebergs restaurateur Maurice Terzini has locked in a 17-month ground-floor residency at Bondi pub The Eastern Hotel.
The public bar is set to go live during the first week of February, with the team naming the venue Billy the Pig in a nod to the venue’s colourful past.
“This venue is an old deco pub with an incredible history as a pumping eastern suburbs venue,” says Terzini. “We wanted to pay homage to its legacy, having been named Billy The Pig’s in the 90s by previous owner Max Hitchins after the original owner from the 1950s was known to treat all his clients like pigs… He also apparently grunted like a pig!”
Terzini has teamed up with his Jacksons on George Co-Partner and Publican Michael Broome to bring the venue to life, with the pair again recruiting industry designer Thomas Jacobsen to revise the space.
The food program will revolve around Australian pub classics with an Italian twist as well as snacks such as Jatz with cheddar and cabanossi, party pies, calamari with balsamic and aioli, and prawn sliders.
Larger options cover chicken schnitzel, hot dogs made with Whole Beast sausages, lasagna, fish and chips, and pizza, which will be available late into the night.
As for drinks, happy hours will run throughout the day and evening at select times, with guests to expect Australian and Italian wines as well as a snappy cocktail menu of four classic, four modern, and four late-night options.
Speaking on the limited nature of the venue, Terzini says the structure suits him just fine. “Residencies allow me the opportunity to explore less-structured models… a bit like when I started my career more on gut feelings and creativity than budgets. I find this energy translates positively to my other projects, bringing a breath of fresh air.”
Billy the Pig joins Terzini’s Sydney hospitality portfolio which spans Mirage, Jacksons on George, Snack Kitchen, and Icebergs as well as Purple Pit in Melbourne.
Official opening date to come.
