General manager Leonie Sassall and executive chef Anthony Davis at the Sir George, Jugiong. Photo: Rachael Lenehan.
The Sir George in Jugiong is as classic as an Aussie pub gets – from the outside, anyway.
Its two-story facade with wrap-around verandas speaks to its 1852 heritage, a style seen across all of regional Australia. Venture beyond the front door, though, and you’ll enter a world where dimly lit booths are enveloped by charcoal grey walls. Modern pendants drop from exposed timber beams and minimalist country decor meets warm fireplaces and friendly smiles.
Eight years have passed since mother and daughter duo Liz Prater and Kate Hufton painstakingly restored the dilapidated pub. It now stands as a testament to their hard work and was sold for a record $14 million in 2022 to hospitality group Fraser Short.
In the intervening years, the accommodation has been extended to now offer 11 chic and inviting rooms, and general manager Leonie Sassall works hard on an events itinerary that keeps locals and travellers coming back again and again.
“Many of our guests are coming off the highway on their journey from Sydney and Melbourne to experience our beautiful pub and we accommodate a lot of weekender gatherings for birthdays and celebrations,” Leonie tells Region.
“It’s always a pleasure to host a special occasion and we’re honoured that they’ve travelled all the way here and chosen us. Our busy schedule of workshops, dinners and markets is drawing people in from all over New South Wales. Our recent workshop with Canberra florist Moxom and Whitney saw people travelling from Ulladulla, Canberra and the Southern Highlands.”
The Sir George has classic country pub charm. Photo: Tenele Conway.
Not only drawn by the impressive renovation and the events, travellers are also tempted to the Sir George by a menu well-known in the region for its quality. The menu delivers a wide range of hearty country dishes such as 12-hour beef cheek made with Riverina beef, whole local trout and 800-gram rib eye.
Yet it’s the growing menu of pizzas that catches many by surprise with their perfectly chewy, handmade bases and carefully curated toppings that pack a flavour punch.
“Our chefs, Anthony Davis and Megan Smith, and their kitchen team are absolute masters. They use the highest quality flour, and from years of experience, they know the dough. It’s all in the touch and feel of the dough to get the perfect base.
“We aren’t set up with a woodfire pizza over here, but I believe these are better. The high-temperature ovens, combined with their experience with the dough, they’re really nailing it,” Leonie explains.
Pizza perfection. Photo: Rachael Lenehan.
There are currently four pizzas on the menu, but based on the demand, Leonie and the team don’t need to expand the offering. Instead, they focus on quality ingredients and sourcing from local suppliers.
“We buy local whenever we can as that’s important to us.
“We get our flour from Wholegrain Milling in Griffith, we use a fabulous local pork supplier and we even produce our own honey. With our volume, we can’t always buy from a local producer, and that’s when we source from the best producers around Australia, like our King Island gorgonzola. Quality ingredients make all the difference to the whole menu, but especially the pizzas where the taste relies on a few key ingredients.”
The local focus carries over to the drinks menu where Leonie and the team showcase a variety of local producers.
The Sir George features a large collection of local wineries on its wine list, including from producers in Gundagi, Hilltops, Murrumbateman and Canberra, as well as into King Valley and Yarra Valley in Victoria.
“We also engage with them on collaborative dinners, showcasing their wines and letting our executive chef show off a little, like at our recent dinner with Tumblong Hills wines.”
With offerings like an 800-gram rib eye, no wonder the tables are reserved. Photo: Tenele Conway.
The Sir George ethos of supporting local producers extends to their markets, which take place on the beautifully manicured grounds of the pub four times a year. It’s a place for local producers and creatives to gather, meet travellers and people from the region and showcase and sell their produce and art.
The Sir George Jugiong is open from 4:30 pm to 11:30 pm on Monday, from 10 am to 11:30 pm Tuesday to Saturday, and from 10 am to 10 pm on Sunday.
For details on accommodation, events and market days, head to the Sir George website.
Original Article published by Tenele Conway on Riotact.
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