Following extensive renovations, the NSW Masonic Club has introduced The Alcoves, a new dining venue that combines modern Australian cuisine with the elegance of the building’s art deco design.
The heritage-listed building, which first opened in 1927, has long been an architectural landmark in Sydney. Originally featuring a grand double-height ballroom, the space was converted into two floors in the 1960s, eventually becoming home to the Castlereagh Lounge. Now, after a fresh transformation, The Alcoves pays homage to the club’s history while embracing more contemporary aesthetic, with vibrant colours, custom-made lighting, and bespoke wallpaper.
“When you compared level two with our beautiful Cellos dining room on level four, they were chalk and cheese,” general manager Paul Brasch told Club Management.
“The intent was to give it a refresh.”
Brasch shared how the renovation was a joint effort between club’s internal team and local businesses.
“Our electrician was someone who serviced us during their apprenticeship about 20 years ago. We also used a local painter who did a beautiful job. Our president, Peter Zeilic, and I chose the colours and wallpaper,” he said.
Supporting small businesses was a key focus throughout the project.
“It’s part of our ESG policy to support small businesses where we mean something to them,” Brasch said.
According to Brasch, the results exceeded expectations.
“It looks better than what we imagined. We were down to the wire; the lighting was two and a half weeks late. We had a business breakfast booked for the first Friday of February, so we had a hard deadline to meet. It came together the night before.”
Although The Alcoves primarily serves the club’s members, it is also open to the public for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with the aim of attracting both locals and hotel guests.
“We have an 83-room accommodation business and that’s on the top six floors,” Brasch explained.
“We don’t have any poker machine in our building, so we’re quite unique as a club, and that’s our money-maker. We try to encourage hotel guests to come down for lunch but it’s predominantly serving the members who come in.”
To match the new decor, a modern Australian menu has been developed to show-off seasonal produce in signature dishes such as including a seared Ulladulla tuna steak with a white bean hummus and chimichurri sauce, rosemary and garlic lamb chops and the club’s take on a classic burger. For dessert, there’s lemon and lime pie with a rosemary sorbet, and mango coco panna cotta with cranberry raisins and coconut sauce.