Parlour Wine Room: Iconic Canberra venue gets its groove back

Posted on 19 March, 2025

A storied Canberra venue with nearly a century of history is embarking on a delicious new chapter, with hatted chef Kevin Steadman breathing fresh life into NewActon’s beloved Parlour Wine Room.

Since its origins as Hotel Acton in 1927 (which famously hosted the after-party for the opening of the original Parliament House), this heritage-listed building has witnessed Canberra’s evolution. After surviving a devastating fire in 2011 and undergoing several transformations over the decades, Parlour now enters 2025 with renewed culinary vigour.

Steadman, who stepped away from the professional kitchen during his children’s formative years, has partnered with Head Chef Simon Prickett to reimagine the venue’s offering. Between them, the duo boast impressive résumés including stints at The Lobby, Juniperberry, The Boat House, Charcoal and PodFood.

Hatted chef Kevin Steadman takes the reins at Parlour Wine Room.

“I couldn’t resist the opportunity to reinvent this iconic space,” says Steadman, whose excitement about the venue’s potential is palpable.

The revamped menu celebrates Modern Australian cuisine with classic techniques and global influences. Diners can share plates with friends or settle into a quiet corner for an elegant meal, perhaps starting with a quintessentially French chicken liver pate before moving on to a market fish swimming in Mediterranean flavours.

“Australia is like a melting pot of a lot of cultures,” explains Prickett, whose travels have infused his cooking with Australasian, French, Italian, Nordic, Spanish and Swiss influences. “I want to do justice to these cuisines and present the diner with a contemporary experience.”

Head Chef Simon Prickett

True to its name, Parlour remains serious about wine, with plans to expand both local and international offerings. Wine dinners are on the horizon, and in a welcome move for oenophiles, BYO is now available for dinner service from 6 pm—perfect for those special bottles you’ve been saving.

The sunny terrace beckons for casual drinks and snacks, while downstairs, sister speakeasy High Jinks offers the perfect bookend to your evening with inventive cocktails in moody surroundings. The expanded drinks menu now spans everything from sours and fizzes to old-fashioneds and zero-alcohol options, cementing its reputation as a destination for cocktail aficionados.

With future plans including breakfast service, corporate lunch options and wine-centred events, Parlour Wine Room’s renaissance offers the perfect excuse to reacquaint yourself with this Canberra icon—or perhaps discover it for the first time.

Whether you sink into one of the leather Chesterfields with a glass of something special or gather friends for a memorable meal, Parlour’s blend of history and culinary innovation makes it a quintessential Canberra experience.