The Rochester
202 Johnston Street, Fitzroy
rochey.com.au
How do you take an old, somewhat tired pub and make it new?
If you’re the people behind The Rochester Hotel, you strip everything back and factor in some crabs.
“We took over the old Rochester mid last year,” said general manager Stuart Moss. “We spent six months pretty much ripping everything out and started again.”
The result? You’ve got yourself one great looking neighbourhood pub.
“Once we stripped the walls back we found all this amazing old brickwork and fireplaces that at some point had been covered,” he said. “We took the ceiling off and found beautiful exposed beams. Same for the carpet: [there were] old timber floor boards we just couldn’t ignore.”
Despite the renovations, Moss said that they’ve maintained a link with the old venue, The Rochester Castle Hotel.
“We are essentially a rock n roll dive bar, incorporating live music and DJs over the weekend,” he said. “There is an element of the Old Grungy Rochester, especially in the music, however we have stepped up the offering, with a really solid, well chosen drinks list in the bar.”
They’ve stepped up the food as well, with Katie Marron of Katie’s Crab Shack moving in and serving up crab boils and fried chicken. Add to that a rotating selection of cocktails in the bar (expect classics like the Boulevardier to sit on there amid twists on classics), and a healthy selection of craft beer, and you’ve got a pub with a new lease on life.
