If you’ve driven past the GPO lately, you’ve no doubt noticed that it looks a whole lot different to what it used to. After shutting its doors back in early 2020, the grand old building was taken over by the Gold Coast's Artesian Hospitality Corp, who have undertaken a massive $9 million renovation on the place. Now, we finally know what has been going on behind all that construction fencing, with the three glamorous new venues inside (yes, three) having officially opened their doors—and you're going to want to be one of the first to check them out.
So what can you expect from the three new venues? Well it’s not the GPO’s old sticky bars and threadbare carpets, we can tell you that. First, there's TAMA. Located on the ground floor, this swanky restaurant features massive green velvet clad booths and white-clothed tables under an incredible glass sculpture that fills the airy, two-story atrium above. Executive Chef Richard Ousby, who previously helmed the kitchen at Stokehouse, has put together a menu of Euro-style eats cooked over a Josper coal oven—think crispy polenta gems oozing with blue cheese, charcoal calamari, Moreton Bay bugs, 2kg Angus tomahawks, and bershire pork belly with apple and macadamia.
Pre or post-dinner, you’ll want to check out The Gatsby, a 1920s-style speakeasy on the upper level that's all about cocktails and whisky, and features the building's carefully restored original 1887 vault. The drinks list here spans a mammoth 70 pages—good luck trying to pick a cocktail from that. If you can’t decide, the bartenders here can whip something up tailored to your personal tastes. Walk-in only, the bar features stunning velvet seating, chandeliers and a pressed metal ceiling—so put on your best duds for this one.
Finally, The Tax Office has also unofficially opened on the ground floor—for anyone who still thinks of the GPO as the GP-No, this casual eatery and bar will wipe all those old memories right out of your head. An incredible centre bar that meets a mirror on the ceiling gives the illusion of soaring, bottle-filled shelves, with a mix of high tables and booth seating surrounding it. As well as a stellar drinks list, The Tax Office also offers up a menu of burgers, relaxed mains and salads, so it's perfect for a quick lunch or dinner.
Already rounding up the gang to lock in a visit? You can check out all the details and make a booking for TAMA here.
Check out what other new openings are coming soon here.
Image credit: Ranyhyn Laine