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With its outdoor eating area, craft beer selection and Saturday afternoon DJ sessions, the East Malvern RSL isn’t your typical sub-branch.
Parents chat over glasses of wine. A toddler wanders past a table of teenagers as funk music plays in the background. In a glass cabinet, a military uniform is displayed proudly on a mannequin.
Far from the musky pokie parlours and weekend buffets you might expect of an RSL, this sub-branch is part of a new wave of venues striving to attract younger visitors.
An important step was outsourcing the kitchen and bar services, which were previously run by volunteers one night a week. With no electronic gaming machines, the restaurant is a major source of income for the club.
“It’s always been a bit of a joke about RSL meals,” said Geoff Tobin, East Malvern RSL president. “Folks … don’t want a senior’s mixed grill. They want nice food. ”
Since the new restaurant opened in May 2024, it has transformed into a bustling local venue. Last December, a decommissioned bowling green that was functioning as a car park was converted into a beer garden.
“If the RSL is going to be relevant in the 21st century … it has to be relevant to the community,” Tobin said. “It seems to work very well in making the place attractive to young families.”
Now named Banjo’s Bistro, the restaurant is led by publican Matt Vero. He also operates other hospitality venues like the Orrong Hotel and the Healesville Hotel.
Vero said he saw an opening in Melbourne’s market for a family-oriented casual dining venue. While it’s occasionally been difficult to balance the needs of the business with the RSL committee and its members, he said that it was exciting to venture into a new space.
Of course, there are some unique aspects of running an RSL restaurant that he’s had to learn, such as removing your hat when entering the building or partaking in a daily recital of The Ode.
“There’s definitely opportunities out there to reinvigorate what [the RSL] is as a venue. But also it’s nice to have the legacy,” Vero said.
Abi and Paul Jolley live in the neighbouring suburb of Ashburton with their kids Andie and Darcy. The family eat at the bistro once or twice a fortnight, and often visit for birthdays or family gatherings.
Paul likened the bistro to a surf life saving club in Queensland – with plenty of space outdoors and an area for kids to play. “There’s so many like-minded families with young kids. [It] takes a bit of pressure off when you’re going out,” he said.
“[The kids] are entertained, which means that we can actually have a conversation. Which you can’t do with young toddlers when you go for dinner,” Abi said.
Other RSL clubs have also modernised and diversified in their own ways. In Melbourne’s north, Coburg RSL is popular with locals for its welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. In Sydney, billionaire Justin Hemmes has transformed a formerly closed sub-branch into Club Rose Bay.
Banjo’s Bistro has beers on tap from local Collingwood brewery Stomping Ground, and there are weekly specials including a steak night and a trivia night. On weekends there are live music performances, and occasionally a mobile petting zoo.
Venue manager Ali Pirbhai said the bistro was aiming to set itself apart from the stereotypical RSL restaurant and encourage new kinds of visitors.
“The RSL is quite recognised in Australia, and if you want the younger generations to know about … that history, you’ve got to find a way to make it viable and make it work,” he said.
That plan seems to be working. The wider club has seen a recent uptick in engagement, including around 1500 attendees at last year’s Anzac Day dawn service.
Club president Tobin said the increase in visitors has helped the club in achieving its main goal – supporting service people and their families.
“One of the things I’ve always wanted is to make sure we’re just not another pub … We want to be a nice community club with a strong service connection,” Tobin said.
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