Black and white tiled floors, fluted glass, brass finishes, and brown leather bench banquette seating in warm timber benches welcomes guests to Winston.
Bonne Squires managed the quintessentially French styling, which she dreamt up alongside her husband and co-owner Kevan. “Every chair or bar stool I sat in and trialled before buying. It’s all in the detail and I’m all about experience,” she says.
The goal, says Bonne, was to make guests feel like they didn’t want to leave.
Husband and wife team Bonne and Kevan Squires opened the restaurant to fill a gap in the Bayside market, providing a “sophisticated pitstop” for those on route to the Mornington Peninsula.
“Options like Winston’s exist everywhere but the South East — it’s high time to change that,” says Bonne.
“Winston’s is a completely different offering to anywhere nearby. We always travelled to the city or Northside for this experience. We shared our dreams and inspiration with friends and family and the response was crazy.”
Bonne and Kevan are from The Social House Collective, and share decades of hospitality experience between them, having both began in the industry in their teens.
Winston’s is designed around an old world, classic style – “something London-reminiscent or maybe found in New York,” says Bonne. The offering is high-end, yet with a relaxed dining style, inspired by restaurants like Maison Premiere in Brooklyn, or LaMercerie in Soho.
The wine menu hosts everything from pet nats to chardonnay, alongside a cocktail list conceived by Kevan. Head Chef Christopher Cann (Society, Hazel, Cutler& Co., Levantine Hill) is leading the kitchen. Cann developed the menu in collaboration with the Squire’s, creating standout menu items such as rosti with crème fraiche and caviar; spanner crab crumpets; and steak frites.
Winston’s is open 3pm- late Tuesday to Thursday, and 12pm – late on Friday to Sunday.
Photography: Daisy Squires and Leah Clarke
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