The Public

What do Cammeray locals call themselves? Cammerese? Cammerasians? Cammerellos?

Whatever it might be, if I was a local of this north shore suburb, I'd be pretty chuffed about The Public opening and providing somewhere for a schooner that doesn't require membership.

Cammeray does not have a pub. Weird, yeah? North Sydney Leagues Club is good for Christmas in July luncheons (featuring Kamahl, a steal at $50 for members and their guests) and there's a nine-hole golf course where you can enjoy at middy at the 10th, but if it's a pub you're after, then on your bike to Crows Nest.

James and Will Christopher run Cammeray's Laneway Cafe and neighbouring tapas bar Ms Miller. After a couple of years hearing customers lament the lack of a local, the brothers teamed up with fellow northie Damien Barrow and opened The Public in April. Although technically not a pub, it still a place designed for a quiet beer after work or long lunch with the family.

The fair-sized joint has been given the white-on-blonde Scando design treatment popular with cafes, art galleries and florists everywhere. There are plenty of tall tables and stools to rest an elbow in the front zone and a low-lit dining area out the back. The pubby half has two flat screen tellies tuned to Fox Sports and early on a Wednesday evening the place is packed (I suspect the crowd of sensibly dressed folk is here for the State of Origin kick-off in two hours rather than French Open fever). There's a wide bar with 10 unique beer taps. Leftover from the venue's time as a Belgian beer cafe they now pour Young Henry's, Four Pines, Rocks Brewing and Carlton instead of Leffe Brune and Hoegaarden.

It's not the worst stocked bar for spirits either and a young bloke sporting a Hawaiian shirt cranks out an off-menu Manhattan with minimal fuss. It's rough around the edges but good enough to make me forget how horrible the peak-hour drive through North Sydney was 10 minutes before. But it is probably best stick to the beers or a ho-hum wine list featuring Churchview Estate 2014 Silverleaf rose ($7.50/$38) that's good mates with most of the Mediterranean-influenced pub food.

There's a "not sharing" section of the menu listing attractive-sounding dishes such as pork belly with celeriac skordalia, charred leeks and cumin roasted carrots ($27), but we're in the mood for bar snacking so small plates it is.

Housemade hummus with pita bread ($7) is a highlight – fluffy, salty and nutty. We could have (and should have) snacked on that all night. Fried baby squid with ouzo aioli ($15)  are tough and under-seasoned and slices of grilled red wine and juniper loukaniko sausage ($14) have an unwanted metallic tang. A pulled-lamb burger ($19) adds further ammo to my argument that cow and chicken are the only animals that should be placed between buns.

Pan-fried kefalograviera ($16) with a trickle of honey and slice of charred lemon (there's not much here that doesn't come with sliced lemon) is a small win as pan-fried cheese often is. And hail Zeus, it's served in a cast iron pan, not a blue-rimmed enamel bowl like everything else we ordered (food served on mess-hall plates is a madness that must be stopped. Enamel dishes are great when camping, but so are mosquito coils, Cup-a-Soups and Scattergories – other things I'd prefer not to encounter when eating out).

Does it really matter though? Hold on to your chef's hats: I don't go to a local pub for the food. Good food at a local is a bonus and far from an expectation. What matters is quality beer, a television screening footy, friendly staff, zero pokies and a comfortable perch to talk rubbish with friends.

If the Christopher brothers had similar thoughts to what makes a good pub when creating their version of one, I reckon they've achieved those goals and more. Cammerellos, clink glasses and cheer.

THE TAKEAWAY

Go for… a catch up with the neighbours.

Stay for… hummus and full time of the footy.

Drink… Silverleaf rose

And… Livio's Pizza Bar a couple of doors down looks fantastic. I can't wait to hit it after Christmas with Kamahl.