Pasta Club makes way for Gum Bistro, a neighbourhood eatery coming to West End

While Gum Bistro’s culinary offering is still very much under construction, Phil confirms that the duo are currently in the process of getting into the ears of local suppliers, laying the groundwork for what will be a malleable, seasonally shifting menu that will swing from snacks to substantials.

“We’re aiming to be casual enough that people can just use [Gum Bistro] how they want,” reveals Phil. “The plan is to open it up for a few more services – so weekends and Fridays, getting that sort 10:00 am to to 10:00 pm timeframe. I worked at a joint when I was 19 that was open from 7:00 am until midnight. You’d see the same faces coming in for a coffee in the morning and a negroni at 11:00 pm.”

As for the wine, Phil is relishing the chance to curate a diverse wine list for Gum Bistro guests to enjoy. “The last few lists I worked on have been very pinpointed in their focus,” says Phil. “It has been exciting to just go through and take a little bit more of a fuzzy-eyed approach to wines and trying to just have a broad picture. Anything that tastes good goes on, basically.”

At this stage, expect Gum Bistro to feature a short list starting around 60 wines, that could gradually grow to nudge 120. Phil is plucking bottles from Australia, France, Hungary, Austria, Germany and Slovenia for the main offering (alongside a small list of classic cocktails), while also building a second list of vintage drops housed in temperature-controlled storage.  “Finding stuff that’s got some vintage and some age from reputable sellers is a sommelier skill that doesn’t really have a lot of focus on it sometimes,” Phil tells us. “But it’s something that I like doing so we’ll try and get a little bit of that stuff in there where we can.”

For now, Phil and Lachie are rolling up their sleeves for a cosmetic refresh of the Boundary Street space. They’re starting by removing the matte-black chalkboard walls, exchanging the moody aesthetic for one that is open, airy and light. Expect a green and white colour scheme, with artwork from up-and-coming artists on the walls alongside plenty of greenery. The duo will also be reworking the kitchen, tweaking the layout and expanding the amount of tools available.

Gum Bistro is a targeting a mid-to-late March opening date – stay tuned for more info!