PepperBerry

BEHIND THE CLOSED doors of Hilton Darwin, the team have been busy working away on something special. Their in-house restaurant, Mitchell’s, has been marked for renovation for a long time. And this month, anticipation is high as the doors are flung open to reveal their brand new restaurant, PepperBerry.

Renovations began one week before the lockdown began in the NT, and Hilton Darwin’s General Manager Markus Kaliss says – for the sake of the renovations – the timing has worked in their favour.

“Covid allowed us the opportunity to work without impacting our guests. Being a major renovation, you’d normally expect complaints or issues, with demolition and noise, so that helped us,” he says.

“It would have been lot more pressure if we were in full season, so the timing wasn’t too bad in hindsight.”

The entire space has been transformed, the new restaurant offering a bright and modern, yet classic feel.

“The renovations have been a long time coming. Everything’s been upgraded – it’s not just a touch up job with new cushions – we’ve gutted the entire place.”

The name PepperBerry was chosen as a nod to the Australian native shrub, known for its bright purple or dark blue colour. Diners will be treated to contemporary Australian cuisine and Indigenous flavours, the restaurant determined to establish a reputation for flavour, presentation and service.

And the opening of the restaurant isn’t the only exciting news coming from Hilton Darwin HQ, with more renovations unveiled soon, as well as a swag of fine dining experiences for all to enjoy, including this month’s Dry July event.

“I’ve found that people like to take a risk – just because it hasn’t been offered before doesn’t mean there’s not a desire for it. I’m lucky I also have a great team that are also open to trying new things. This month’s Dry July event is a six-course degustation with alcohol-free wines,” Kaliss says.

“It’s the same thing with last month’s vegan dinner – it gave people the option to try it out. I’m not vegan, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy a six-course dinner without animal products. The drive is to explore new ideas and see what else is interesting, and if people are curious, they can give it a go!”

So if you’re keen to take a step outside your culinary comfort zone or eager to dine at the brand-new PepperBerry restaurant, Hilton Darwin is where you’ll find your seat.

INFO facebook.com/hiltondarwin

Photo: Vegan Degustation Dinner in June

Note: due to unforseen circumstances, PepperBerry Restaurant wasn't able to open in August. Please check Hilton Darwin on Facebook for the latest updates!