Pro-invest Group’s AU$20million reinvention of 575 Flinders Lane, Melbourne sees the introduction this week of Beso restaurant and bar, adjoining the recently-opened Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Flinders.
A Spanish taperia with a streetside entrance for locals and hotel access for guests, Beso will serve up Spanish classics with a contemporary twist, Victorian and Spanish wines, as well as Spanish vermut and signature cocktails.
Helmed by Head Chef Ana Cortes Garcia, formerly of two-hatted Lee Ho Fook, Beso – the Spanish word for ‘kiss’ – is inspired by the ‘flavour of flames’ with each dish delicately ‘kissed’ by fire before being served.
“The menu at Beso is a fusion of the traditional and the contemporary. And when cooked over the parilla grill, the dishes invite you to reimagine the essence of Spanish cuisine,” said Ana.
Designed by Suede Interiors, Beso features long leather banquettes, a sweeping curved marble bar, a commissioned mural depicting the village of Frigiliana on the Costa del Sol, as well as a semi-private function room.
Pro-invest Group’s Chief Operating Officer of Hotels, Shantha de Silva, said Beso is a showcase of the company’s commitment to creating “incredible dining experiences”.
“Under Ana’s stewardship and with the Pro-invest teams’ backing, Beso is set to become a vibrant addition to Melbourne CBD’s famed culinary scene,” he said.
The launch is the latest in Pro-invest Group’s growing portfolio of restaurant and bars within hotels with more developments on the horizon, including a new rooftop bar at the Kimpton Margot Sydney and Luc-San, a Japanese-French concept with Chef Luke Mangan next door to the soon-to-open Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point.
Pro-invest Group’s Regional Director of Food and Beverage, Jean-Baptiste Robert, said a hotel’s culinary offering is as important as its guest rooms today.
“Food and drink is how we explore our surroundings, expand our thinking, and enjoy time with others. So, the restaurants and bars we bring to life are as core to travel as a great place to sleep,” he said.
“We’re not about adding traditional cookie cutter hotel restaurants – our vision is to bring vibrant and creative dining experiences to life that happen to be within or near our hotels. Ones that will be sought after by locals, and on every hotel guest’s dining itinerary when they stay.”