Centra Hotel

About

Rustic Italian food is about locally sourced, seasonal product presented simply and with respect. For us, this means food that's flavoursome, expressive, honest and (most importantly) delicious. So having a connection with our growers and suppliers is a natural part of our food philosophy - it enables our chefs the ability to source the best available produce locally and abroad.

In terms of chefs, we couldn't be happier. Having

already developed a bond with the venue previously from his time spent as head chef of the Royal Saxon (Richmond) Glenn Laurie helped create a seasonally driven menu that focuses on the joy of freshness, accessibility and fun, before handing over the running of the kitchen to Sicilian born Luciano Gandolfo. Glenn cooked for years at the famed River cafe in London and currently owns one of Melbourne's best rustic Italian restaurants (Little Black Pig and Sons, Heidelberg). We are thrilled to also have been able to draw on Lucian's experience and depth of knowledge from cooking this style of food in both Italy and across the world.

With the same values we hold for our food, equally can be said for the relationship we've developed with our grape & grain growers too. Through these connections, we've been able to have some of our closest friends make specifically for us a range of wines and beers/ciders that are best suited to the food and atmosphere of the venue.

Thankfully, some of these close friends are also some of the best booze producers we know - so you'll see wines from Del Rios (Geelong) Best's (Great Western) and Rob Dolan Winery (Yarra) as well a handful of local breweries making small batches of beer and cider for us too. Along with these we offer a selection of both familiar and interesting drink options that suit the style of food and venue we've created.

As great an impact food and drink can have on an experience, so too can the setting in which they're consumed. This is why we set about creating a space which matches the freshness and clean qualities of both the food and drink we offer. We wanted this space to be a modern interpretation of a public house, which to us, is a place that all people should feel free to enjoy (to eat, drink, laugh, relax) however they choose.