The newly-formed Castle Group Hospitality is ramping up operations in the Victorian capital, aiming to create experience-led venues that are more than food & bev.
One of Melbourne’s newest boutique hospitality groups, CGH began in 2020 when it took over operations at Arcadia cafe, an all-day alfresco and indoor venue.
Since then the enterprise has slowly grown, starting with taking the reins of Spanish restaurant Añada, which features an alfresco happy hour, with tapas and vino from Spain, offering nooks for intimate dining and Spanish vinyls spinning, for an eclectic vibe.
Next came Carlton gastropub the Green Man’s Arms, sporting its fully plant-based menu and claim to being Australia’s first 100 per cent plant-based pub. It serves dishes packed with bold, unexpected flavours and layers of textural twists and turns, such as the Mushroom Eye Fillet and Sticky Date Pudding. The drinks menu showcases local craft brews and an entirely Australian, vegan, wine list.
In 2024 the team took on Fitzroy’s Rochester Castle Hotel, popularly known as The Rochey. The stalwart local has been something of a cultural melting pot, particularly through the 70s, 80s and 90s, drawing together musicians, artists and characters helping shape the precinct’s vibrant creative scene.
Since CGH took over it has launched a new menu, serving uplifted classic pub fare, amid happy hours and specials, and soon will come ‘Upstairs @ The Rochey’ to revive the live music scene the pub was known for.
This month CGH has unveiled its fifth venue, hole-in-the-wall cafe Brewsmith, serving great coffee and “local goodness” to the people of Fitzroy.
It was in the lead-up to Brewsmith the forces behind CGH determined it was time to bring the collection under one banner, and so emerged Castle Group Hospitality.
CGH opines that hospitality is more than eating and drinking, and service; it is all about experience. And any changes that come after a venue takeover are made strictly with the customer experience in mind.
It employs “a small but passionate team” from a variety of different industries and backgrounds, with an emphasis on training.
“Our team is the heart and soul of the group and we have assembled a fantastic and diverse team of chefs, managers, front and back of house staff,” offers co-owner Grant Turvey – a Fitzroy local and former director and consultant with ANZ.
The Group has also launched Castle Events, steering the likes of music, arts, corporate and wedding events at the group’s venues, potentially from concept to execution, providing whatever level of ‘hands-on management’ a client requires.
Echoing the mantra of experiences that will be remembered, the Events team touts the lofty ambition of providing for ‘Anything, Anywhere, Anytime’, striving to be “part of what makes people’s days a little better”.
“We are all about creating moments that stick,” adds Turvey.
“Castle Group is proud of its five inner north venues, each of which bring something different to the table.”
