Iconic South Melbourne pub Lamaro’s re opened, on September 14th, as Spanish-influenced restaurant and bar Lamaro’s Bodega, following a revamp to the venue after 10 years in the same skin.

Lamaro’s Bodega is setting the bar high when it comes to ethical dining, with a closed- loop compost system and nose-to-tail cooking central to the venue’s ethos.

The new team is sourcing the majority of the kitchen’s produce from farms with direct connections to the venue, including Cape Schanck Farm and Greenvale Farm – both owned by Lamaro’s parent company, Colonial Leisure Group (CLG). What’s more, Lamaro’s Bodega is marked as the home of Greenvale Farm pork, with the farm’s outstanding produce a star feature on the menu.

Heading up the kitchen is Louis Naepels, most recently head chef of Mr Big Stuff in Meyers Place and, prior to that, head chef of Grossi Florentino.

Greenvale Farm owner Anthony Kumnick said, “We are thrilled to be working with Lamaro’s Bodega and for them to be showcasing our genuine free range pork and small goods from our heritage breed pigs. The team are passionate about nose-to-tail and I’m already excited about the dishes that are being discussed.”

Naepel’s passion for nose – to – tail is seen across them enuin dishes such as Greenvale Farm whole suckling pig; Blackmore pasture-fed rib eye on the bone, dry aged 100+ days; Flinders Island pasture – fed lamb; wood roasted bass grouper with XO pippies; and the much-anticipated acorn-fed Greenvale Farm ham on the bone.

The front-of-house team will be led by manager Marvin Holder, off the back of five years managing the restaurant and events at Vuede Monde. Holder now brings his infectious enthusiasm to the revitalised Lamaro’s Bodega.

“We’re making things easy for diners with a succinct menu full of smoke and flavour,” said Holder. “Additions like the Josper oven and Asado grill tie in the flavours of our vision. The Lamaro’s Bodega team is well versed in the produce too – most of which is sourced directly from our own farms.”

The renovations by Techne Architecture work in tandem with the new food offering to suit the clientele of 2015, breathing fresh air into the contemporary dining experience and setting the scene for sharing bottles of wine over boards of cured meat.