David Moyle dives into Lorne’s food scene with The Clam

LORNE’s vibrant culinary scene is set to expand this month with the launch of a beach shack-inspired tavern honouring the town’s coastal setting and fabled 1960s bohemia.

Envisioned as a casual, come-anytime venue, The Clam is the second joint venture of acclaimed chef David Moyle and creative director George Barnes.

The duo opened their first project, the eatery Salty Mangrove, in northern NSW in September.

Moyle said The Clam is “the realisation of a long-held dream”.

“As a kid growing up in Port Fairy, Lorne felt like Los Angeles.

“Even now, driving into town, I still get goosebumps – it’s such a special place.

“I spent a summer here as a teenager and remember thinking I would love to return and run my own place someday.”

The Clam will open in stages beginning with a pop-up bar on the venue’s terraced and sea-facing deck while its interior is completed.

The pop-up will feature a dedicated wine program by Blackhearts & Sparrows and a hand-picked roster of Moyle’s favourite Australian food vendors.

Melbourne dumpling house Shandong Mama has been confirmed as the venue’s first food vendor and will help to launch proceedings when The Clam opens its doors in the coming weeks.

As the venue progresses, diners can look forward to native seafood, hand-cut chips and a pared back, produce-driven menu.

Moyle said he wants the seaside tavern to feel “unpretentious, worn-in and a bit rough around the edges”.

“I want The Clam to be a place where you can come straight from the beach with sand on your feet and feel welcome,” Moyle said.

The Clam will be located next door to the newly reopened Lorne Theatre and the two venues will work together to offer guests a rounded offer of food, drink and culture.

“The Clam will operate loosely as the hospitality arm of Lorne Theatre,” Moyle said.

“It won’t exactly be a pub or a restaurant, it will sit somewhere in between, which makes it more versatile and approachable – at any time of day.

“The Clam will be a celebratory place – fun, irreverent, a bit loose, mildly hedonistic and never finished.”

The Clam is set to open this month and will be located at 82-84 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne.

For updates, follow the project on Instagram @TheClamLorne.