Glen Bagnara To Bring Clementine And Castlerose To South Melbourne

A light-flooded daytime eatery, and an opulent subterranean supper club come to South Melbourne this autumn.

Hospitality veteran Glen Bagnara (Hemingway’s Wine Room, Bar Bianco) has teamed up with developer Fortis to launch two new venues this autumn – Clementine, a daytime cafe and diner, and Castlerose, a lavish underground supper club.

Collaborating with general manager Philippe Perrey and head chef David Yuan, the venues will bring sophisticated dining to an underserved nook of South Melbourne. Clementine and Castlerose will have their own unique yet complementary personalities, presenting a sensory feast that stretches from morning to night.

“It’s wonderful to be launching Clementine and Castlerose in collaboration with Fortis,” says Glen Bagnara. “A truly special opportunity to bring two singular venues to South Melbourne, offering locals and visitors spaces they can visit from morning until late at night. There’s nothing else like this in the area, and we can’t wait for diners to experience breakfast and lunch at Clementine, and meals, snacks and late-night drinks downstairs in Castlerose.”

Located on the ground floor, Clementine is a daytime eatery in a light-flooded space accented with warm timbers, sea glass tiles and copper fixtures, while bifold doors open to a shaded patio. The 60-seater venue draws on culinary influences from Europe, Asia and modern Australia, presenting an inventive take on cafe favourites. Diners can expect to see dishes such as confit duck waffles, lobster florentine and beef short ribs with kimchi fried rice.

After dark, venture down a spiral staircase to find the opulent, moody Castlerose. A paean to the timeless theatre and sophistication of 20th century dining, Castlerose is a room to lose track of time in, with dark timbers, marble, Italian terrazzo and leather banquettes throughout.

At Castlerose, a vintage cheese trolley with 12 different varieties from Occelli Al Barolo (Piedmont, Italy) to Hervè Mons Soumaintrain (Burgundy, France) will roam the room with accompaniments, complemented by  edible ‘cigars’ of confit duck, house-cured salmon or zucchini and smoked eggplant, served in cigar boxes. The menu will also feature European classics such as roast chicken with black garlic, lemon and gravy; and wagyu rump cap with Yorkshire pudding and a red wine sauce.

Visit Clementine and Castlerose at 67 Palmerston Crescent in South Melbourne this autumn.