The Angel of Malvern has unveiled its two latest venues, Mediterranean wine bar and eatery Flores and cocktail and audio bar Lately. Backed by Kokoda Property and under the custodianship of Refinery Group, the opening of levels one and two completes the venue’s full hospitality offering.
Taking over the first floor, Flores brings a Mediterranean-inspired approach to dining and drinking, with a light-filled space designed to move seamlessly from long lunches to late-night glasses of wine. More neighbourhood wine bar than formal restaurant, the venue pairs a European-style drinks culture with a menu built for sharing.
“We want Flores to feel like the kind of neighbourhood wine bar people naturally gravitate towards, somewhere equally suited to a long lunch, a spontaneous dinner or a glass of wine that turns into another bottle,” said Refinery Group founder and managing director Mark Stevens. “It’s warm, welcoming and built around great food, good drinks and bringing people together, whether you’re a local neighbour or visiting from further afield.”
While Executive Chef Justin North and Head Chef Josh Rudd have drawn inspiration from Southern Italy, coastal Spain and Portugal for the food, the drinks are just as much a feature. The extensive wine list showcases local producers alongside bottles from New Zealand, France, Spain and Portugal, encouraging guests to explore both familiar and lesser-known labels.
Cocktails continue the Mediterranean influence, with playful serves including the Frozen Mandarin Margarita, made with mandarin sorbet, house-made Flores mandarin liqueur and tequila, while the Tiramisu combines Redbreast 12, Amaro Montenegro, Licor 43, cacao, cream and espresso into a dessert-worthy digestif. For those after something stronger before dinner, the Martini di Flores offers a two-sip aperitif designed to start the evening.
Melbourne-based Studio McCue has created interiors that feel bright, refined and distinctly European, balancing industrial heritage with softer finishes. Black leather banquettes, exposed brick, vaulted white timber ceilings and warm timber flooring create an inviting backdrop, while a dedicated Bar Flores overlooks the dining room, offering a more intimate space for wine, aperitifs and Mediterranean bar snacks.
Upstairs, the mood shifts dramatically at Lately. Designed as an intimate late-night cocktail and audio bar, the venue embraces low lighting, rich textures and music-led programming, creating a destination built for lingering long after dinner.
“We wanted to create a space that was sexy and inviting,” said Studio McCue director Chris McCue. “The venue is layered with warm textures and low lighting; timber-panelled walls, feature sconces by local designers Objects for Thought and a Valerina stone-clad bar, one of several heroes in the space.”
The cocktail list leans contemporary, balancing familiar spirits with seasonal ingredients and unexpected flavour combinations. Highlights include the Autumn in Aomori with Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky, quince, black walnut and Amaro Lucano; Latitude, blending the venue’s own mandarin aperitif with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, citrus and nori; and The Orchard, featuring Naught Gin, green apple, strawberry and citrus. Elsewhere, Ambrosia combines brioche, house-made limoncello, Cocchi Americano and elderflower, while Elixir mixes gin with rhubarb, pear, macadamia and jasmine. Mercury rounds out the menu with Tromba Añejo, Amaro Montenegro, coffee and chocolate.
The cocktail offering is supported by a considered selection of wines and premium spirits, alongside a concise menu of snacks designed to accompany a drink or two. On Friday and Saturday nights, DJs from Mushroom Events provide the soundtrack until 3am, reinforcing Lately’s position as a destination for after-dark drinking.