Melbourne’s favourite floating bar and restaurant, Afloat, is returning for its ninth season this Spring on the Yarra River (Birrarung), re-berthing in early September as Afloat Capri – an Italian beach club inspired by one of the most iconic and magical Italian islands.
Next month, the on-water venue will unveil an entirely new look, interior and design, food and beverage menu, music and entertainment program – and the forecast is sun-drenched with Italian coastal character.
“Capri draws you in with its natural beauty, glamour and style,” describes Emily Jamieson, the interior designer at the helm of the Afloat Capri transformation.
The idyllic, cliff-laden island off the Gulf of Naples is known not only for its rocky cliffs but its winding, bougainvillea-perfumed cobblestone paths, lemon orchard shaded restaurants, sparkling sapphire seas and beach coves dotted with colourful towels, umbrellas and deckchairs.
“It’s a postcard-perfect playground for colourful holiday frolicking and this season’s iteration of Afloat will be no different,” Jamieson adds. “Expect striped umbrellas with valances, an abundance of lemon trees, hand-painted ceramic planters, terracotta tiled roofs and sorbet-hued walls dressed with hand-painted illustrations.”
Keeping with the theme is a vibrant, creative and colourful cocktail program. Designed by HQ Group’s Head of Cocktails, Tom Younger, and the team at Straight Up Cocktails, the extensive menu will be citrus and aperitif driven, populated with fresh, smashable, and easy drinking Italian cocktails.
“Afloat is the kind of place you want to stay all day,” describes Younger. “Each of the cocktails are designed for all-day drinking with friends & family. This includes a dedicated spritz section (think Aperol, Campari & Limoncello), over 30 different Negronis and a line-up of Pidapipo gelato-based frozen cocktails,” he adds.
The food menu has just as much of an emphasis on crowd-pleasing summer fun.
“Inspired by Italian coastal dining, it will lean into the beach club destinations of Capri, Ischia and Procida, as well as the neighbourhood trattorias of seaside villages on the Amalfi Coast and the Gulf of Naples,” describes Executive Chef James Gibson.
“Simplicity is the cornerstone of Italian cuisine,” he adds. “The majority of recipes that have made Italian food famous – like pasta and all its sauces, pizza and all its toppings – are built from a handful of ingredients.”
This ethos has been applied to deliver an approachable and uncomplicated menu of Italian classics, from pizza, pasta, antipasti and panino to daily crudo selections and seafood platters designed to share.
Afloat Capri will open for walk-ins in early September 2024.
An exact opening date is yet to be announced but will be revealed in the coming weeks via Afloat’s newsletter. To stay up to date and ensure you don’t miss out on any of the exciting news, sign up via www.afloat.melbourne.
Reservations from Monday 16 September 2024 onwards can be made online via www.afloat.melbourne.
