October 2024 update: Prince Dining Room has now closed. We thank the restaurant for its service, and wish its team good luck for the next chapter!
While St Kilda may not be everyone's cup of tea, the Prince Hotel – with all its dining, drinking, partying and accommodation options – remains a go-to destination for both locals and out-of-towners. When dining at the Prince Dining Room on a summer's evening, the sun reflects off the glistening water of the beach in the background, and the light-speckled dining room transports you out of Melbourne, to more waterfront-friendly cities elsewhere. The space is punctuated with curved booths that take up centre stage in the restaurant, making for an intimate date night spot or an ideal gathering place for groups looking to share food and plenty of wine.
This February, the Prince is elevating its dining offering with an exciting new menu dropping. Head Chef Dan Cooper's new menu sees sophisticated techniques paired with quality ingredients via dishes such as beef tartare with gruyere puffs, yellowfin tuna tartlets, and mozzarella and bottarga snacks. Of course, seafood will still play an important role with new dishes such as oysters with lemon and shallots, tagliatelle with smoked fish and citrus sauce, lobster mains, and swordfish with raisins, pine nuts and pickled onions.
“Drawing inspiration from the flavours of the Mediterranean, the new Prince Dining Room menu is a reflection of the coast’s delicate flavour pairings while staying true to the simplistic elegance the St Kilda dining scene is known for," says Cooper.
This new chapter for the Prince will also usher in a new dedicated cocktail bar, not surprisingly named the Bar, led by Ryan Hospitality Group's group beverage manager Paul Beresford.
“Whether your drink of choice is alcohol-free or otherwise, we have carefully crafted the Bar menu to reflect and compliment the fresh seasonality of the dining menu with light, citrusy, aromatic and refined selections,” says Beresford.
Oh, and we'll let you in on a little secret: head downstairs to Little Prince Wine for a pre-dinner cheese board or a post-dinner nightcap, and be amazed by the envy-inducing selection of bottles in the underground cellar.