Just Open: Public House, Petersham

Farewell, Newington Inn. Welcome to the neighbourhood Public House.

Hospitality group Solotel (The Courthouse, Bank Hotel, Opera Bar) purchased the Newington Inn hotel in January. After a thick lick of fresh paint, the Stanmore Road stalwart has been relaunched as a kid-friendly, community-focused pub.

Inside, there's a long table suited for family lunches and a games room for post-meal pinball. Outdoors, the beer garden is still huge and remains the heart of the hotel. It's been spruced up from when we last visited a year ago, with potted plants, street art murals and bright red stools.

A wood-fired oven in the corner pumps out pub-style pizza such as The Belafonte ($23, pictured below) with devilled sardines, chilli and leeks, and the Juan Jose Padilla ($24) with pancetta, house-smoked mushroom and oregano.

Burgers and steak feature elsewhere on the pubby menu, along with chestnut gnocchi with jersey curd and artichokes ($25) and grilled Hawkesbury squid with haloumi and watermelon ($24).

292 Stanmore Road, Petersham, 02 9568 3703, publichousepetersham.com.au