The Brunswick Hotel

Grand old dame of New Farm The Brunswick Hotel has ushered in a new era as a gastro pub, garden bar and lounge bar. 

The heritage building with its ornate lace iron balconies, designed by suburban pub designer George W Campbell-Wilson and built in 1889, last underwent a significant refurbishment in the 1950s.

A spacious minimalist dining room has been added to the original building (where long term bar flies still congregate in the public bar) with one side opening up via bi-fold windows to a timber-clad garden bar below. Here diners can partake in delicious tapas, breakfast on weekends, lunch, dinner or an all-day bar menu.

Portions are generous, the food is hearty as pub food should be but with a chef’s creative touch (chef is Brett Dornstein who has spent many years honing his skills at The Albion, The Newmarket etc). In creating the menu Brett has taken a host of pub food favourites, sourced the best ingredients, given them his own twist and taken them to a whole new level.

From the tapas to share, choose from deliciousness like spiced pork belly with Asian slaw, grilled King prawns with salsa verde, seared scallops with sweet corn puree and chorizo and lamb kofta balls with tomato and chilli jam. Tapas come on serving boards in sets of 3 with the option to add on extra items.

On the entrees list options include Fresh Pacific plate oysters, Bruschetta, Grilled Haloumi or salt and pepper calamari while mains range from the highly recommended Pan seared salmon with delicious Panzanella salad and Double smoked beef ribs with Texas slaw and beer battered chips to English Pork and Peppercorn pie and Rosemary Infused kangaroo; and from the Char there’s Black Angus Grazier’s rump or eye fillet with a choice of sauces from mushroom and pepper to tomato chilli jam.

There’s also a decent selection of pasta, risotto, gourmet pizza and salads to choose from and at lunch time diners can go for something light like a Club Sandwich to Trio of Sliders and up to the Grazier’s Rump or Battered Flathead.

Kids have their own concise menu of spaghetti, crumbed chicken, battered flathead and ice-cream with toppings to follow.

Meanwhile the all-day beer garden menu includes Buffalo wings, Butchers block pizza, wagyu beef burger and beer battered chips.

From the bar itself in the mix are craft beers and cider (with some of each on tap), wines, spirits, champagne and cocktails.

Lastly on weekends The Brunswick opens bright and early for breakfast, with a menu that features Byron Bay Bircher Muesli, Spanish omelette, Corn Fritter, Big Brekkie and Vege breakfast with a few specials like Gado Gado or the Brunswick Hot Spot ( Garbanzo Bean stew with rich tomato and chorizo topped with tomato and chilli jam).

The menu may have changed since our visit.