Rockpool Dining Group prepares to re-open restaurants

May 27, 2020

Rockpool Dining Group Chief Executive Officer Thomas Pash said the group’s gradual approach to re-opening restaurants will help ensure that enhanced safe-dining measures are fully executed across such a large portfolio. A phased approach will also help gauge how much demand there is for dining out across the sector, which will better inform the group’s full re-opening schedule.

“We are thrilled to be bringing more employees back to work and to be welcoming diners back to our restaurants, however the re-opening of our venues will be slow and steady so we can take the very best of care of our guests and team members from a safe-dining perspective,” Mr Pash said.

“We don’t want to rush into things too quickly in case demand for dining out is not there across the sector, or there are setbacks in the easing of restrictions by state governments.”

The first NSW restaurants will re-open from lunch on Wednesday, 3 June, in accordance with the further easing of state government restrictions. The following restaurants are expected to open:

Saké: The Rocks, Double Bay and Manly 
El Camino Cantina: The Rocks, Manly
The Bavarian: Charlestown, Rouse Hill, Macarthur, Shellharbour, Bondi
Fratelli Fresh Darling Harbour and Crows Nest
 

The following NSW restaurants are expected to follow:

Rockpool Bar & Grill (Thursday, 4 June – dinner)
WingHAÜS by Bavarian (mid-June)
Munich Brauhaus The Rocks (mid to late June)
Fratelli Fresh Miranda (mid to late June)
The Bavarian Tuggerah (mid to late June)
Beerhaüs Barangaroo (mid to late June)

In Victoria, we plan to open the following restaurants in the week commencing Monday, 22 June:

Rockpool Bar & Grill
Saké Hamer Hall
El Camino Cantina Fitzroy

Bookings will open from 5pm on Wednesday, 27 May. All restaurants except Rockpool Bar & Grill will reopen with expanded pick-up and delivery services.

Rockpool Dining Group will consider re-opening restaurants in Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and the ACT as dining restrictions ease.

While the group has always implemented rigorous health and hygiene practices at its restaurants, employees will have intensive health and safety training prior to re-opening a restaurant and enhanced, ongoing cleaning procedures will add an extra layer of hygiene. 

Tables will be spread out to abide by the four-square metre social distancing rule, and bookings will be spaced out, and monitored, to stay within dining limits. Additional precautionary steps include hand sanitisers throughout each venue, an emphasis on cashless transactions, contactless order and pay digital technology, and single-use and digital menus.

 

A list of restaurants that are opening will be continually updated at rockpooldininggroup.com.au/reopening.