It's been seven years since Flotilla opened and ushered in a new era of casual fine dining in Newcastle.
With its seamless front-of-house service, elevated wine offering and hyper-seasonal menu, the Wickham restaurant was able to strike a balance between sophistication and accessibility.
From the moment you arrive you are made to feel welcome. Your coat is taken, your glass is never empty.
Watching the chefs working in sync in the open kitchen is great theatre.
Flotilla is consistent, too: a restaurant you can confidently recommend to friends and family.
The secret to its success? Flotilla co-owner Eduardo Molina shares his thoughts.
"Newcastle is changing and growing, and its hospitality scene along with it. While there are many great new restaurants, including our sister venues Papalote and Humbug, what keeps Flotilla on top is our passion, consistency and community," he told Food & Wine.
"After all these years, we are still growing, changing and evolving, and we have a plan to keep Flotilla at the top of the list for many more years to come."
Flotilla has proudly worn a Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide chef's hat since 2022.
"We are the longest-lasting hatted restaurant in the city and have been a driving force in the growing dining scene by setting the benchmark for what can be achieved here," Molina said.
"To say I'm proud of what we have accomplished in seven years is an understatement. From retaining our hat to earning three glasses for our beverage program, to the incredible teams that have come through our doors and the beautiful customer base that has become family to us, Flotilla is truly special.
"It reminds me every day why I love restaurants so much."
Head chef Josh Thurston and sous chef Gordon Cooke are tasked with creating menus every six or so weeks designed to tempt diners to step outside their comfort zones.
"The beauty of dining at Flotilla is that it forces you to try dishes that you might not normally order from a menu. When making a booking, customers trust us to take them on an adventure of flavours and elevated cooking," Molina said.
"Winter is built around comfort and indulgence. Personally, I'm loving the local bluefin tuna with burnt mandarin and avocado - it's refreshing, zingy, and an explosion of flavours.
"I also love a little indulgence, so the tiger abalone and chicken skin noodle dish hits the spot for me. Add black truffles and it enters a new level of dining that is delicious and extravagant."
Flotilla's team has developed close relationships with local suppliers. Molina praised Hungerford Meat Co. owners Alana Downie and Michael Robinson, saying their "commitment to sourcing exceptional meats gives our team the confidence to let the ingredients speak for themselves".
"Our current winter menu features dry-aged pork and grass-fed rib-eyes that are simply a pleasure to cook; the flavours and quality are top-notch," he continued.
"It's also important to give Shane's Seafood, Newcastle Greens and Nebo Farms a quick shoutout, as they are the other vital partners that make Flotilla shine.
"We have great relationships with our suppliers, and they are constantly sharing insights into what's next in the garden, what's swimming through our waters, and what's exciting on the butcher's table. These relationships are built on a shared passion for our crafts and are the unspoken drivers of a lot of what we do at Flotilla."
Molina is in charge of the drinks offering, which includes an elevated wine menu, spirits and cocktails.
His current favourite is the Fig & Pear Sour.
"It's crafted with a distillate that our friends at Earp Distilling Co. make specially for us. That's another local partnership that allows us to keep evolving."
Flotilla's spring menu launches on August 27 and Molina hints at some "exciting changes" in the months to come.
But for now it's business as usual. For Molina, that means long hours and juggling work and family.
"I'm a workaholic and love spending time at the venues. You will find me most nights at either location," he said.
"Luckily, they are only five minutes apart, so I will often work both venues on the same night. You might see me greet you for dinner at Flotilla and later see me for post-dinner drinks at Papalote or Coyote.
"But I also find time to spend with my boys and my very supportive partner, Eloise. Within the madness of my schedule, it is not uncommon for me to do daycare pick-ups, rush home to make and enjoy dinner with the family, and make it back just in time for the 5.30pm first seating. Manic, I know.
"Flotilla is now seven years old, which is mature in restaurant years, but those years have always been moulded by change and evolution. We have never become complacent or taken ourselves too seriously. We are constantly changing our menus, wines and cocktails. We have done some renovations to our kitchen and dining room, and we are not done yet.
"Flotilla is always evolving, and the next chapter is just around the corner.
"Customers always ask how we deliver such an incredible experience time after time, year after year. The answer is simple: we have always had fantastic teams working together, and I am truly hungry to keep pushing the boundaries of food and beverage in Newcastle."
