Just Open: Hale + Mary, Kingston

Kingston's latest restaurant is Hale + Mary - a sports themed restaurant that serves up the big games on more than half a dozen flatscreen TVs.

The restaurant opens on Saturday, May 21 on the ground floor of the Griffin apartment building, taking over the space where Santa Lucia used to be.

This is an eatery where diners will have a bit of elevation - high tables and chairs fill the dining room and line the large bay window looking out onto Giles Street.

Owners Tony Haider, brothers Brentyn and Darren Wilson and Michael Salloum were inspired by similar sports bars and restaurants in the United States.

Manager Liz Beath says they wanted to bring the concept to Canberra. "They've all travelled throughout the States quite frequently and really love the idea of dining in a restaurant with high tables," she says. "It's a bit more relaxed but you still get full service and incredible food. Everywhere in Australia seems to do it but Canberra still hasn't caught wind and we thought, it's a new concept, let's do it."

New-York-style subway tiles cover the bar wall and there's a big colourful mural of a nun holding an American football by the entrance.

"You can come in, we'll have movies on, we'll have big sporting events on, there's going to be something for everyone and everyone's going to be kept entertained."

Hale + Mary will open for breakfast from 7am, with tables on the terrace overlooking the Kingston shops, and will be one of the first to offer ONA Coffee in the neighbourhood.

"We've got a shorter, more refined breakfast menu, kind of an on-the-go breakfast menu with ONA coffee [during the week]," Beath says. "Saturday and Sunday we have a full breakfast menu and we're trying to reinvent that whole champagne breakfast idea as well."

The kitchen is headed by A.Baker alumni Jason Swain and Beath says the menu has an American influence. "There are some southern recipes on there as well, wings, ribs and burgers," she says.

The high tables will be full service, set with water and wine glasses but people who can't perch will be catered for - there are a few low tables for families and people with strollers.

"It's massive when it's open and we're lucky we have all bifold windows across the front and in summer it's just beautiful," Beath says.

Hale + Mary opens on Saturday, May 21. Corner of Giles and Tench streets, Kingston. See facebook.com/haleandmary. Know a new venue opening in Canberra? Let us know on food.wine@canberratimes.com.au