Publican David Miskimmin (Murdoch) has given the former Mornington Tavern restaurant a makeover, creating a relaxed, homely atmosphere for people of all ages to enjoy.
It is now renamed the Mornington Kitchen & Bar, part of the renamed Mornington Taphouse in Mailer St.
Murdoch wanted the business to evolve and to develop into a space that can be visited all day.
So, in addition to dinner dining, the restaurant also features a cafewith a great array of coffee, sweet treats, tasty salads and delicious savouries.
Carla Donaldson, the executive chef, has also created a delicious new dinner menu — but don’t worry, the famous schnitzel cut by the legend Gordie Baird, our in-house butcher, hasn’t gone anywhere, it just has a new spin on it.
Part of Carla’s push is to use local Dunedin suppliers wherever possible to support and promote local producers. The kitchen, where possible, endeavours to create everything inhouse, to offer wholesome homemade food at an affordable cost.
There is also a new stone-based pizza oven. In additional to Carla, the Kitchen & Bar has employed Amy Kreft, who specialises in cabinet food and pastry work.
There are many amazing treats in store for customers.
New dishes will include a range of share platters, perfect as an after-work snack, especially when paired with a wine or two.
The rest of the menu consists of wholesome meals, which can be enjoyed in any of the five different areas of the restaurant.
That includes a cosy relaxing space near the front windows with comfy seats and coffee tables.
The fireplace, with bar leaners, is the perfect spot in which to have a drink with friends, while the lower tables are the ideal place to dine and have a great view out to the ocean.
‘‘You get a different aspect wherever you sit,’’ Murdoch said.
Partner Leonie Adam said the original plan was to give the restaurant a new coat of paint and some new furniture.
Lion New Zealand — owner of the Speight’s brand — hosted them on a trip to Auckland to check out popular and recently refurbished bars.
They were shown around 16 bars, which inspired the vision for what they wanted the Mornington Kitchen & Bar to look and feel like.
They were put in touch with Sophie Burns, of Burning Red Design, who specialises in hospitality design and the ideas ‘‘morphed’’ from there.
The original plan was out and in came a top-to-bottom renovation.
‘‘So, it just started off as a wee reno and turned into a huge one,’’ Leonie said.
Murdoch and Leonie were thrilled when they saw Sophie’s plans.
‘‘It was next level,’’ Murdoch said.
‘‘She hit the mark straight away.’’
Most of the aspects they liked from the Auckland bars were designed by Sophie, so it was a perfect fit.
Leonie said a major part of the new plan was to make sure the restaurant could operate from morning till night.
They also wanted to accommodate children, so will have games and activity books for young ones. But, for those who want to pick up a coffee on the go, a new app will be available soon so they can order ahead of time.
The idea was simple: ‘‘Drive in, park up in our driveway, come and grab your coffee and scone, and jump back in your truck and boom, job is done,’’ Murdoch said.
One major benefit of Mornington Kitchen & Bar, is the 92-space carpark. That means people can have a drink or two after work, leave their car in the carpark and collect it in the morning.
There are two courtesy coaches to take people home, and they will be at ease knowing their cars are safely parked off the road.
‘‘And you can have a bit of brekky in the morning when you pick your car up.’’
The renovation started in mid-February and was almost complete before it was put on pause during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Most of the base work was done and all that was left was the beautification, which restarted in Level 3.
Murdoch was upbeat about the delay.
‘‘It’s all character-building stuff,’’ he said.
While stage one is now complete, the next goal, being stage two, is to create a covered outdoor area on half of the deck.
This area would be perfect for conferences, birthday celebrations and meetings.
‘‘We would like to do it as soon as we can.’’
It would also double as a dedicated space for children.
Everything that people loved about the old Mornington Tavern remains and it now has a cosy welcoming environment with tasty food.
Mornington Kitchen & Bar is part of the rebranded Mornington Taphouse, which also includes the Sports Bar, Function Room, and Bottle Store.
Check out Mornington Kitchen & Bar on Facebook, or go to the website morningtontaphouse.co.nz
