Melbourne doesnโt do hospitality by halves, and neither does Rodd & Gunn. The Kiwi-born outfitter has just thrown open the doors to its most ambitious project yet: a four-storey retail and dining precinct on Little Collins Street that fuses fashion, food, wine, and design into one destination. Itโs a flagship retail experience and hospitality experiment all in one.
And nothingโs more Melbourne than an underground wine cellar down a back alley. Part wine bar, part wine shop, part restaurant, the industrial multi-use space is just as perfect for a Friday knock-off as it is for a corporate event.
Open today, October 3rd, The Cellar now welcomes punters with a soft opening ahead of the full four-floor offering to launch properly next month.
The Lodge Restaurant, which has seen rising momentum as a hospitality concept standalone from the Rodd & Gunn brand itself, is slated to open its doors a few floors above in mid-November. It follows hugely successful The Lodge Bar venues in Queenstown, Auckland, and Brisbane.
Letโs unpack the precinct below so you know exactly what to expect when you step inside 280 Little Collins.
Ground Floor: The Flagship Store
Back at street level, the Ground Floor is classic Rodd & Gunn. The brandโs new flagship boutique has more quarter-zips per square metre than a KPMG lobby at 9 am on a Monday morning. A showcase of the brandโs full menswear range presented against restored heritage detailing, marble joinery, and warm timber finishes. This level is an anchor point that connects the indulgent wine cellar below with the hospitality experiences above.
Lower Ground: Cellar & Cellar Caffetteria
Start your journey below street level, where the Cellar & Cellar Caffetteria channels moody European energy with checkerboard floors, bluestone paths, and softly lit booths. Itโs a subterranean escape with its own laneway entrance stocked with iconic New Zealand, Australian, and global labels โ as well as Rodd & Gunnโs own bottled grapes courtesy of resident beverage director (and Master Sommelier, no less), Cameron Douglas.
Running the show behind the bar is cocktail legend Matt Bax (of Bar Americano fame), whoโs turning out experimental creations from a bespoke โcocktail laboratory.โ Pair that with house-made pasta, Italian snacks, and all-day aperitivi, and youโve got Melbourneโs new spot for knock-off drinks or a late night wine.
And for the second stanza, opening in mid-Novemberโฆ
Mezzanine: Memberโs Bar
Soon, just above the retail space, youโll find the Rodd & Gunn Membersโ Bar, a plush retreat open exclusively to Rodd & Gunn loyalty members. Wood panelling, sculptural lighting, and an Art Deco nod to the buildingโs past set the tone here. It will be an intimate space for a tipple tucked away from the crowds.
Level One: The Lodge Dining Room
The top floor will be the jewel in the crown: The Lodge Dining Room. Flooded with light from massive arched windows and framed by antique mirrors, itโs a grand yet intimate setting for Michelin-starred chef Matt Lambert and Head Chef James Evangelinos to do their thing. Expect bold, produce-driven dishes with a distinctly Kiwi point of view, offered as ร la carte or multi-course tasting menus. The wine program, curated by Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas, ties it all together.
Four levels, one corner block, and more reasons to linger than youโll care to admit.
Doors open for the retail boutique and the cellar on October 3rd, with more to come. Walk-ins welcome.
This article is presented in partnership with Rodd & Gunn. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
