St Kilda's All New Stokehouse Restaurant Is Finally Opening

It was an incredibly sad day when iconic St Kilda venue Stokehouse burned down in 2014. Now, after a two and a half year hiatus, it's finally coming back, renovated and designated into a 'precinct' of multiple bars and restaurants, set to dominate that seaside like only Stokehouse can.

Over the past few months, the Van Haandel Group have opened the first two stages of the beachside precinct. Fish and chip kiosk Paper Fish was first back in October, followed by ground floor venue Pontoon in mid-November. But while the 400-capacity casual beachside bar and eatery was an exciting opening, it was certainly no match for the hardcore anticipation that has surrounded the relaunch of the one and only Stokehouse Restaurant, which will finally open tomorrow, Friday, December 9.

While details (and photos) about the soon-to-be revealed restaurant are scant, this is what we know so far. The new building has been designed by architect Robert Simeoni which, as well as having a five Green Star rating for sustainability, looks pretty epic due to half of it being covered by a sand dune. After doing a stellar job on Stokehouse's previous 2010 refurbishment, Pascale Gomes McNabb has returned to fit out the new restaurant space, which will include a 12.5-metre oval bar and room for 130 diners. Chef Ollie Hansford will be on the pans, who you might have heard of from his stint at the short-lived Stokehouse City.

This is what it's looking like:

Hello Stokehouse terrace 🙌🏻

A photo posted by Stokehouse St Kilda Beach (@stokehousestkilda) on Dec 5, 2016 at 11:12pm PST

Can't wait to check it out? Well, you might have to sit tight. The restaurant opened up bookings a few weeks ago, and they're already booked out until March 2017. Keep an eye on their Instagram for when they open up the next lot of bookings.

Stokehouse Restaurant will open on Friday, December 8 on Level 1, 30 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda. For more info, visit stokehouse.com.au.

By Imogen Baker and Lauren Vadnjal. Top image: Kristoffer Paulsen.