Melbourne’s beloved floating bar and restaurant, Afloat, returns for its ninth season early next month.
Along with its floating location, uninterrupted Yarra River views, and plentiful cocktails, the aptly renamed Afloat Capri promises a new Italian-inspired look, menu, and entertainment program.
The seasonal venue changes its theme each year, with last year’s iteration covering Mexican cuisine and cocktails and 2022’s program covering tapas and wines of the Balearic Islands.
For spring 2024, Emily Jamieson – the interior designer behind the transformation – promises “natural beauty, glamour and style”.
The menu is designed to share, with Italian classics such as pizzas, pastas, antipasti and panini accompanied by daily crudo selections and seafood platters.
“Simplicity is the cornerstone of Italian cuisine,” says Executive Chef James Gibson. “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.”
Cocktails will be easy-drinking and led by aperitifs and citrus notes according to HQ Group’s Head of Cocktails Tom Younger.
The selection includes Aperol, Campari, and Limoncello spritzes, more than 30 different Negronis, and frozen cocktails made with Pidapipó gelato.
The venue’s aesthetics will reflect the Italian menu and take inspiration from the blue waters, lemon orchards, and cobblestone paths of the Gulf of Naples.
“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,” says Jamieson.
Bookings will be available from Monday 16 September, with walk-ins welcome from a yet-to-be-confirmed date in early September.
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