Anyone that lives on the North Shore knows the institution that is The Greengate Hotel! The famous North Shore location is a thriving pub offering gorgeous grounds, drinks and delicious food (the desserts are a must-try!). Our NSM Discoverer Wendy paid a visit recently.
You can’t miss the gorgeous Greengate. The iconic and historic building stands out as you drive along the Pacific Highway through Killara. For generations and for many locals, The Greengate has been a place of birthday celebrations, school reunions, special events, Christmas Eve celebrations, catching up with friends for drinks or enjoying some good old fashioned Australian pub food. It’s been a drawcard in Killara, which offers loads of attractions (see others in our Suburb Spotlight: Killara.
The beautifully decorated dining area – the modern touch makes this a bright and airy space
Food and Drink
The menu, led by Head Chef, Robert O’Callaghan, focuses on the restaurant’s commitment to using the best seasonal produce to showcase modern, Australian cuisine. The menu is designed so that you have the option of sharing small plates or go for a full 3-course meal. Our table of four chose five small plates to share. This was perfect for a light & tasty lunch, allowing us to sample a variety of different dishes, while we chatted away.
Here’s what we chose…
Beef carpaccio, mustard leaf, truffle oil and pecorino ($22)
This was the standout dish, the tenderness of the beef perfectly balanced with the aroma of the truffle oil and sharpness of the pecorino cheese.
Beef carpaccio, mustard leaf, truffle oil and pecorino
Seared scallops, serrano ham, pea puree and mint ($24)
The scallops were nicely cooked with the pea puree. It could have done without the serrano ham, but that’s just my personal preference.
Seared scallops, serrano ham, pea puree and mint
Salmon sashimi, ocean trout roe, white soy, ginger & lime ($24)
Salmon sashimi is always a must whenever I see it on a menu. I loved the combination of the raw salmon with the zest of the ginger and lime, which was balanced well with the saltiness of the soy.
Salmon sashimi, ocean trout roe, white soy, ginger & lime
Salad of kale, goats cheese, hazelnuts, chives, nasturtium ($20)
Normally I am not that bothered with kale, but it was a dish that one of the girls wanted to order. But I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised it was fresh and crispy with the creaminess of the goats cheese giving the overall salad a nice flavour.
Salad of kale, goats cheese, hazelnuts, chives, nasturtium
Twice cooked pork belly, radish and apple puree ($22)
This was a bit tricky to share among the 4 of us, but we managed to slice it up equally so that we could each have a taste. The classic combination of radish and apple puree went really well with the pork, my only suggestion would be for the serving of pork to be a bit bigger.
Twice cooked pork belly, radish and apple puree
Dessert
There is always room for dessert and we decided that we would order a couple to share. My goodness! What a lovely way to finish our meal!
Lychee, dragonfruit, passionfruit and coconut sorbet ($14)
This was absolutely delicious! The coconut sorbet was light & refreshing. It complemented the sweetness of lychee and dragonfruit, while the passionfruit gave the dish a nice kick. This is summer represented on a plate.
Lychee, dragonfruit, passionfruit and coconut sorbet
Cheese plate, crackers, nashi pear, quince ($20)
Who doesn’t love cheese? It was a dish easy to share and a nice way to finish our meal.
Cheese plate, crackers, nashi pear, quince
The Venue
The Greengate Terrace is a venue that offers variety with indoor or outdoor spaces.
For our lunch we were seated in the bright and modern indoor dining space, but as the weather warms up, the Greengate Terrace with its large outdoor space and leafy outlook is the perfect spot for alfresco dining.
With its solid stone top, the Greengate Terrace bar is a beautiful bar space where I can picture myself enjoying a cocktail or two. This is definitely a place to keep in mind for causal drinks with friends or pre-dinner drinks for date night
An inviting space to enjoy some wine, craft beer or cocktails at the bar
Bubbles for lunch? Because we can!
The Verdict
My girlfriends and I thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at the Greengate Terrace. The service was attentive, the food beautifully presented and delicious. We really loved the modern dining space. It was a sunny spring day during our visit, and the restaurant was bright, airy and bathed in natural light. It was the one thing that we all noticed and commented on to each other. The restaurant wasn’t noisy, which meant we could have proper conversations with each other. The Greengate Terrace provides the ideal formula for that perfect spot to catch up with friends.
So, why not grab some girlfriends, ditch those coffee catch up and treat yourselves to a lovely lunch at the Greengate Terrace. You won’t regret it!
Essential Details
- What: Greengate Hotel
- Where: Cnr Pacific Hwy & Greengate Road, Killara NSW 2071
- Website
- Opening Hours (Greengate Terrace): Midday till Late
- Opening Hours (Greengate Hotel):
- Monday – Tuesday: 10am – 11pm
- Wednesday – Saturday: 10am – 12am
- Sunday: 10am – 10pm
- Getting there: There is ample parking on site, entrance to the car park is off the Pacific Highway just after Bruce Ave as you approach the Greengate Hotel. Otherwise there is plenty of street parking in surrounding streets.
Check out more fun things about Killara here in our story ’10 things I love about living in Killara’, or plan some weekend fun with our weekend guide here, This Weekend: Christmas fun, cars shows and pet festivals!
