Grand Old Gimlet — Design Anthology (2024)

Chef and restaurateur Andrew McConnell is behind some of Melbourne’s most iconic culinary institutions and his latest venture, Gimlet at Cavendish House, is set to follow suit. Architect Vince Alafaci of Sydney-based studio ACME says that the handsome 1920s Chicago-style building, with its period neo-Georgian and Art Deco accents, provided an ‘incredible canvas’ to work with. ‘The proportions, detailing and elevation from the pedestrian level heightened the nostalgia,’ he says.

Spanning 384 square metres, the space lent itself perfectly to McConnell’s concept: a vast eatery and co*cktail bar inspired by the grand, old-world restaurants of London and New York. ‘I love the immersive experience of dining in these types of large-scale rooms. It’s not only the context that I enjoy, but the energy that’s created,’ McConnell says, adding that while there’s a beautiful patina and history, ‘there’s also a vibrancy and hum that comes from the immediacy of the service. It just feels timeless.’

McConnell says the oversized black and gold French marble bar is the heart of the operation. ‘The bar in the centre works like an anchor and a focal point for everything that happens within. It draws the eye from every seat in the house. I’d like to think that people engage with the space by starting every experience at Gimlet with a drink at the bar.’

ACME used the original beam structure and moulded ceilings as a grid to define the open plan into an amphitheatre-like arrangement. ‘The central columns anchor not just the space but the entire building. They command the room,’ McConnell explains. ‘Cavendish House itself presents beautiful features like soaring ceilings, original windows and parquetry floor, and the aspect looking out just feels perfect for a dining room.’ The locally crafted fit-out has a classic European sensibility, with layers of aged brass, denatured mirrors, stippled glass and fringed cafe curtains complemented by vintage pieces and Murano glass chandeliers.

Aptly described as part ‘clubby bistro, French brasserie, showpiece bar and elegant restaurant,’ Gimlet offers patrons the opportunity to dine at one of the clothed tables on the podium level or at a cosy red leather booth. From midday through evening there’s an indulgent menu ranging from rock oysters and winter truffles to a jazzed-up club sandwich and trolley of cheeses. But first, a gimlet at the bar.

Text / Carli Philips
Images / Sharyn Cairns