The Crew Club - CLOSED

Overview

If, like me, you associated the aptly-named Waterfront with regrets, tears and seediness, you’ll be pleased to know it’s been bulldozed and replaced with a much prettier bar worthy of this prime seaside location: The Crew Club.

Jasmax have done a brilliant job with the interior; cool creams, navy blues and carefully selected artwork and trinkets give the space a subtly nautical, beach-club like aesthetic. There’re plenty of spots to rest your pins – comfy leaners affording a front row view into the new open kitchen, private booth seating with large bi-fold windows overlooking the ocean, and an expansive deck littered with cushions where the water practically laps at your ankles.

Head chef Nick Haszard, who has worked in some of the swankiest resorts in the world, and, closer to home, at Peter Gordon’s Dine, has crafted a menu focusing on fresh, simply prepared seafood and a range of grilled and wood-fired dishes. Lunch, breakfast and dinner is on the table, as well as a snack menu and indoor and outdoor grandstand bars serving up summery cocktails, craft beer and local and imported wines.

There’s no better spot for brunch downtown if you’re after a bite/coffee with a view, so we popped in last Sunday and settled down outside. Our meals – plum and pecan French toast with crème fraiche and puffed spelt crumble ($16.50), and a mixed grill with tender stripes of sirloin steak, sausage and Manuka-smoked ham ($22.00) – were both delicious. The lunch and dinner offerings sounded fantastic too.

The Crew Club is a go-to spot for lazy afternoons spent languishing in the sun. Great food, great drinks and the perfect backdrop – tick.