The Angel Of Malvern Is Reborn As A Multi-Level Playground Built For Late Nights

A beloved Malvern local is spreading its wings again, with heritage-listed corner pub The Angel of Malvern set to reopen as a three-level playground for bites, bevs and late-night hangs from April 2026. Sitting on the junction of Glenferrie and Dandenong Roads, just steps from Malvern Station, the 1856 venue originally opened as The Gardiner Hotel and later the Angel Tavern. Now, it's being reborn as a neighbourhood hub for casual catch-ups, long lunches and big nights out. 

Under new hospitality outfit Refinery Group, The Angel of Malvern is being pitched less as a pub and more as a 'village of venues' stacked over three floors. On the ground level, expect a relaxed public bar pouring tap beers and natural-leaning wines, backed by a leafy courtyard beer garden made for sunny afternoons and impromptu knock-offs. Upstairs, a Mediterranean-inspired dining room is primed for long lunches, with polished but unfussy dishes built around great produce, plenty of share plates and a strong showing of European wines.

Climb one more level and things get darker and later, with a cocktail bar promising a speakeasy feel, a sharp list of signature drinks and late-night snacks. It's truly an all-in-one venue: start with a post-work beer downstairs, graduate to dinner one floor up and finish the night with cocktails and DJ sets, all without leaving the building.

Image credit: Angel Of Malvern | Supplied

The revamp is being led by Kokoda Property’s founder Mark Stevens, who created Refinery Group to extend the developer’s design-led approach into hospitality. 

"We’re not interested in creating a one-dimensional pub. Each level has its own identity and energy, but together they form a cohesive experience grounded in quality and generosity," Stevens says. "For us, great hospitality isn’t just about what’s served, it’s about how a place makes people feel."

The Angel’s new look will respect the heritage shell while layering in contemporary interiors from Studio McCue, blending original details with warm timber, textured finishes and plenty of greenery. In the kitchen, chef and hospitality consultant Justin North is steering the food brief across all three levels, promising generous, flavour-first menus that rework pub classics downstairs and skew more coastal Mediterranean as you head up.

For locals, the reopening means the return of a proper “meet you at the Angel” night out; for everyone else, it looks like a new go-to for pre-train wines, destination dinners and late-night cocktails in Malvern. The public bar is slated to open in April, with the full venue expected to be in swing by June 2026.

Main image credit: Angel of Malvern | Supplied