Little Blue

Positioned as the only Melbourne venue fully surrounded by Port Phillip Bay, Little Blue/St. Kilda Pier Kiosk has a long and distinguished history dating back to 1859, when the pier was first erected and opened to the public.

A little over 40 years on, Francis Parer, a caterer, submitted ground breaking plans to the local council to transform the tender at the end of the pier into an eatery, an innovative concept at the time.

Permission to build Parer’s vision was granted and the kiosk first opened its doors for business in 1904. Though the Kiosk officially operated as ‘Austral Refreshment rooms’, it became known to locals as simply ‘St. Kilda Pavilion’ or ‘Parer’s Pavilion’.

The site quickly became a staple destination in Melbourne culture, offering families access to the Little Blue fairy penguins in their natural habitat, couples romantic views of Port Phillip Bay and the growing Melbourne city, and locals and tourists alike a relaxing spot to rest, nestled at the end of their walk down St Kilda’s iconic pier.

Despite having gone through a few refurbishments and owners, the integrity of the building remained intact until September 11, 2003, when the St. Kilda Pier Kiosk became the victim of an arson attack and was burnt to the ground.
After nearly 99 years with their gem on the sea, the public was devastated and alongside premier Steve Barack, offered immediate and strong public support to rebuild.

The site was reconstructed to the original 1903 plans, utilising some of the building’s salvaged components such as the cast iron roof, decorative cresting and weather vane.

The 3-year, $2.75 million rehabilitation included the addition of a new structure, added directly behind the kiosk, to increase capacity. This structure is now known as Little Blue and operates as a sister venue to the Kiosk, offering an extended menu alongside unique panoramic views of Melbourne’s city skyline and the fairy penguin colony from our outside deck terrace and fully enclosed floor to ceiling window dining area.

Operating under the tender of local restaurateur Peter Tzambasis. Little Blue’s exciting menu emphasises modern Australian cooking and sources local and organic meats, fish, vegetables and produce wherever possible, alongside an extensive wine, beer and cocktail list.

The historic St Kilda Pier Kiosk is still fully operational and offers guests a wide away of sit down or take away sandwiches, desserts and little bites, coupled with local award winning Genovese coffee.

The site is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and owned by Parks Victoria.