Portside Social brings sips, snacks and an almost 2-kg parmy to Portside Wharf
Portside Wharf has gained a slew of new dining experiences in recent weeks as the precinct experiences a fresh wave of openings. Leading the way is Portside Social – a gastropub-inspired concept complete with pub food, flowing drinks and a stacked social calendar. Relaxed with a touch of refinement, the new watering hole is a welcome addition to the area’s diverse dining scene. Keep reading to find out more …
When All Stars Hospitality Group unveiled Newstead Social in early 2022, the beer-garden-inspired gastropub quickly became a well-loved staple for the inner-city enclave. Nestled in a semi-subterranean space on Mast Street, Newstead Social marked a much-needed middle ground between the suburb’s swanky dining institutions and casual hotel pubs. It’s this winning formula that group co-directors Justin Kong and Patrick Donohue seek to recapture with their latest pub venture – Portside Social, which opened its doors last week at Portside Wharf.
“There aren’t many bar options around, but there’s definitely a strong demand for places where locals can grab a casual bite and enjoy a beer or wine,” explains Justin, who, as a Hamilton resident, was keenly aware of this gap in the precinct.
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Much like its predecessor around the river bend, Portside Social wants to redefine the local pub experience. Expect a menu of elevated gastropub classics from slow-cooked pork ribs with smoky barbecue glaze to goldband snapper with confit garlic mash, lemon bechamel and crispy capers. The menu’s piece a la resistance is undoubtedly the 1.7-kg chicken parmi – stacked with all the trimmings (rich passata, ham off the bone and gooey mozzarella) and served with almost half a kilo of fries and house salad. Punters can even put their appetite to the test with the Big Clucking Parm Challenge and try to finish it in 25 minutes to win a $150 venue voucher. Behind the bar, find frosty beers on tap, ranging from XXXX to Single Fin Summer Ale, as well as crisp wines from mostly Australian vineyards and a tight selection of signature cocktails.
The warm and welcoming interior was designed by Clui Design, who have crafted a capacious, light-filled bar space, decked with pool tables and plenty of space for trivia nights, drag bingo and live music.
Portside Social joins a wave of new openings at Portside Wharf, including Dumbo (a New York-inspired burger eatery), The Ballpark (a sports bar with digital-batting cages) and soon-to-be opened French brasserie Mademoiselle. Find out more about Portside Social via its website.