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Public House Petersham

Friday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
292 Stanmore Road, Petersham, NSW, 2049
Phone
(02) 8587 6400
Website
publichousepetersham.com.au
Instagram
@publichousepetersham

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 11 Jul 2023

By
David Matthews

With wood-fired pizza complementing pub classics, a sprawling beer garden, resident microbrewery and a family-friendly vibe, Public House Petersham covers all the bases.

Live band at Public House Petersham
Why you goThis is a public house in the true spirit of the term. Sprawling from indoors to out, where shared tables are set among greenery and mist machines keep things cool while a pizza oven works overtime, it draws an inner-west crowd, bringing their kids, dogs, mates from across town and a sunny disposition to go with it. Yup, Public House Petersham lives up to the billing, backing it up by interrogating every aspect of the quintessential neighbourhood pub, then delivering on each with just a little more flair than the rest. Trivia night? It’s music-themed here. Live bands? Come for Sunday sets of pub-rock classics. If beer’s your thing, there’s a brewery out the back to go with a rotating roster on tap, while the natural-wine list is adventurous but knows when barnyard and funk aren’t fun any more. Add burgers, parmigianas and shared plates made with care, and this Petersham staple has something for everyone, just the way a true public house should.
Why you stayPublic House Petersham puts community spirit at the centre, meaning it’s less a drop-in-drop-out affair and more a settle-in-and-put-down-roots sort of place. We’re talking long tables, clinking glasses, games of pool, vintage pinball machines, Sunday roasts and plenty of outdoor space to soak up the sun, the breeze and the good times. It pays to book ahead, then to put the call out for friends to join you for an afternoon session, whether for a drink or two, or to share a meal with their little ones and their pooch in tow. Throughout, plant life adds pops of green, umbrellas provide shade, and bar staff mix cocktails as deftly as they steer you through pizza specials coming fresh from the wood-fired oven. If you’re looking for an inner-west pub that hits all the right notes, PHP delivers every day of the year except Christmas.
Outdoor ambience at Public House Petersham
Drinks served at Public House Petersham
What drink to orderCrowd-pleasing is the word here, but that doesn’t mean generic or dull. Yes, Aperol Spritz and Negroni take pride of place on the cocktail list, but classics are classics for a reason. Anyone branching out a little might veer towards the PHP Spritz, with naturally fizzy pét nat in place of prosecco and native Davidson plum soda adding a sour edge. If it’s wine you’re drinking, the whole list is quietly natural, meaning it’s variously lo-fi, minimal-intervention or hands-off, with interest everywhere, whatever the colour. Opt for the Doom Juice rosé for vegan-friendly easy drinking from the Riverland in South Australia, or take things in a more skinsy direction with an orange from Château Lulu in McLaren Vale, with hints of pineapple, grapefruit and florals. Beer? The taps rotate, but expect favourites mixed with craft locals, or head to brewery Small Batch out the back to see what’s pouring there.
What to pair it withThere are the classics – a shatteringly crisp parmi and a burger or two that ooze sauce – and there are the smart plant-based options, such as a cauliflower “steak” that’s charred in all the right places, but if you’re not ordering wood-fired pizza, you’re doing it wrong. Far from your standard delivery fare, but not so fancy as to dismiss what everyone loves about the tried and true, these pizzas hit where it counts. An elevated spin on the meat-lover’s is billed the “sausage party”, featuring Italian sausage with deli-meat-of-the-moment mortadella and spicy spreadable ’nduja on a red-sauce base. Or zucchini with pesto and dollops of melty goat’s cheese. There’s even a spin on Hawaiian to keep the kids (big and small) happy.
Food served at Public House Petersham
Partying at Public House Petersham
Why we love itTake your pick. Whether it’s the dog-friendly or kid-friendly policies, the Wednesday night trivia, the Thursday night meat and veg raffle, the commitment to live sport, live music and DJs on weekends, or just the general good-times vibe, PHP really has something for all comers. It carries in the atmosphere, too, which is relaxed and friendly, with a sense of community shining through. Come for long afternoons, late nights and relaxed Sunday sessions (and that’s before you get to the brewery out the back). Oh, and PHP’s Tuesday Margy Madness, featuring $18 Margherita pizza from the wood-fired oven and $12 Margaritas from behind the bar, doesn’t hurt either.
Don’t leave withoutPublic House has a few secrets, none better than the discovery that when you head outside, snake through the beer garden and stroll across the carpark out the back, there’s a shed housing microbrewery Small Batch. A mini offshoot of Marrickville’s vaunted Batch Brewery, Small Batch is a destination in itself, packed with tanks and high tables, and offering a rotating roster of taps, from a full-bodied Hazy IPA to a Piña Colada Nitro Sour with notes of pineapple and coconut. Order a paddle, settle in, and scan the QR code on the table to complement your brew with food from the PHP menu. Win.
Public House Petersham a Pet-freindly pub
Who to takeThese fine people are serious about being pet-friendly. Jump on the website and there’s an entire gallery dedicated to the dogs of PHP. Pups punctuate their socials, too, and being there in the flesh typically means seeing a good boy or two. So, take yours and it’ll be in fine company. That should set the tone for the rest, which means friends to catch up with, family to celebrate with and kids tagging along for the ride.
Authour image
David MatthewsDavid Matthews is a bar and restaurant critic who has written for Australia’s leading food publications, including Gourmet Traveller and Good Food.
Tags
Drinks DirectoryPubSydney – Inner CityVego Food OptionsBrilliant beer listGood for groupsFamily affairPet friendlyHappy hourBrewery or DistilleryMeal and a bevOutdoor areaSydneyCasual catch-up
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