St.Kilda’s Stokehouse to put family friendly vibes first

St. Kilda’s iconic Stokehouse will soon replace ground floor beach front venue Pontoon, with the Stokehouse Pasta & Bar.

The new venue will be an all-day, year-round relaxed coastal dining offering.

"We are unifying two teams under the Stokehouse banner to create one strong team," executive chef Jason Staudt said.

 "It's back to simple hospitality with proper, good, generous, honest food."

The fit-out will reflect a more casual mood, while the menu will consist of simple but tasty fare such as spaghetti with crab and chilli, gnocchi cacio e pepe or whole Murray cod with peperonata and chips.

Sundaes and a bombe Alaska with tiramisu flavours will reflect dessert offerings.

 A softer, simpler fit-out will underpin the casual mood.

Unification will bring the venue back to its pre 2014 vibe, before a fire gutted the building.

"I had my fourth birthday and my eighth birthday down there," general manager Hugh van Haandel, son of owner Frank van Haandel said of the pre fire days.

"It was a place where you could have dinner, the kids could disappear for a play on the beach, and come back again."

Haandel wants to recapture the relaxed family-friendly atmosphere.

"We lost the way a bit with Pontoon," van Haandel said. "It was a beach club and beach bar but the crowd was fickle, the model got lost, it was a bit flashy. It wasn't about friends and family. That's a bit lost in restaurants these days and it seems needed in St Kilda. We can't wait to bring it back."

Jonathan Jackson - 3 November 2022