Pier 17 Bar and Grill brings fine-dining flair to Docklands waterfront

Docklands is set to welcome a new addition to its NewQuay Promenade, with Pier 17 Bar and Grill preparing to open its doors along the waterfront this December.

The venture is the brainchild of long-time friends and business partners Ricky Rataul and Raman Kanda, who each have spent more than 15 years in Melbourne’s hospitality and development industries.

Mr Rataul said the new venue aimed to bring something special to Docklands.

“We want to deliver something modern and exciting for the local community,” he told Docklands News.

Pier 17 Bar and Grill will offer a contemporary bar and dining space with a focus on quality produce and presentation.

Mr Rataul said the menu would feature elegant entrees such as caviar, imported scotch selections and wine pairings, alongside “fancy” mains including premium chicken and lamb dishes.

“Our chef, Chil, is from Nepal and brings incredible skill and creativity to the kitchen,” Mr Rataul said. “We’ve got a great team coming together to deliver something really special.”

He said opening a restaurant had been a long-held dream for both owners.

“It’s been a passion for a while,” he said. “We talked about doing something like this years ago, and now it’s finally happening. We tried looking elsewhere, but we kept coming back to Docklands. It’s the right place.”

Designed with couples and social diners in mind, the restaurant will offer what Mr Rataul described as “a place for dates, drinks and good food.”

While this marks the pair’s first hospitality venture together, their partnership stretches back decades.

“Raman and I have known each other since we first arrived in Australia – we even went to school together,” Mr Rataul said. “We’ve worked on small developments over the years, but this is our first food business together.”

Pier 17 Bar and Grill is expected to open in the coming weeks and will add to Docklands’ growing mix of waterfront dining and nightlife options. •