Sydney hospitality empire, Merivale, will launch the first phase of The Newport’s redevelopment next Friday.
The venue will be spearheaded by executive chef Sebastien Lutaud who has designed an extensive menu for The Newport’s marketplace of food and drink experiences, with options including grass fed beef and chicken burgers with soft potato buns at The Burger Shack; seafood including fish and chips, salt and pepper calamari and crispy basil prawns; seasonal salads and Australian meats like smoked brisket, barbeque chicken and hot-smoked salmon; juices and smoothies from The Juice Bar; and coffee, pastries and donuts at The Kiosk.
The Newport will also be home to Vinnie’s Pizza, where guests can order pizzas directly from The Newport app and collect the lightly-charred, wood-fired creations from the open kitchen when ready.
A wide selection of wine and beers will be on offer, as well as frozen cocktails such as the Yuzu, Pina Colada, Miami Vice and Strawberry Slushie, all served alongside margaritas and other classics.
Justin Hemmes, Merivale CEO, said “With its sprawling grounds, magnificent landscaping and team of over 450 passionate locals, this is one of the biggest ventures we have ever undertaken. We are so excited and proud to finally open the first phase.”
The Newport team
The Newport will feature a retro-inspired games area for both adults and children, comprising badminton, ping pong tables, exercise bikes that can charge mobile phones and a giant magnetic scrabble board.
There will also be a focus on live music, and an expansive alfresco deck has been built to showcase local talent, seven days a week. The Newport will also play host to Sunday Sundown, Merivale’s live music series.
Drawing on influences from Montauk, The Hamptons and the Mediterranean, the reimagining of The Newport – which Merivale acquired in March 2015 – has been led by a team including Kelvin Ho and Emilie Delalande of Akin Creative, stylist Amanda Talbot and Justin and Bettina Hemmes. Due to the scale of the property, Merivale has planned a gradual approach to its redevelopment, with stages two and three set to be revealed later in 2016.