Merivale’s Narooma Tiki-Inspired Bar and Restaurant, The Quarterdeck, Is Now Open

In March of this year, Sydney hospitality giant Merivale announced it had purchased its first hospitality venue outside of Sydney: the 20-year-old Narooma institution, The Quarterdeck. After what it’s called a “light refresh”, it’s open and serving summer-friendly dishes and theatrical Tiki-styled cocktails, such as Banana Daiquiris, Zombies and Pina Coladas.

The Quarterdeck has an enviable spot smack bang on the banks of the Wagonga Inlet in Forsters Bay. It started its life as an oyster grower’s shed before evolving into a kiosk, then a fish’n’chip shop. Its previous owners took it over in 2001 and transformed it into a tiki-inspired bar and restaurant.

Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes has a property in the area and fell in love with it. “Narooma has become my second home and the backdrop to many of my happiest memories with my family,” he says in a statement. “It has been an absolute privilege to spend so much time here over the past six years and becoming part of the local business community is enormously exciting.”

Food is under the guidance of head chef Tal Buchnik. At the moment the menu includes things such as Sydney rock oysters from nearby Wagonga, snapper ceviche, and grilled citrus pork-belly tacos. Victor Costa is making the drinks.

This year Merivale also purchased Narooma’s The Whale Inn, a boutique hotel and restaurant where the hospitality company set up a pop-up French bistro, Chez Dominique, before replacing it with Queen Chow.

Quarterdeck is at 13 Riverside Dr, Narooma. This article was updated on December 15, 2021. Menu items may have changed since first published.