The Hunters Hill Hotel on Sydney’s lower north shore has undergone a significant restoration to usher the heritage-listed venue into a new era.
The $10m facelift delivers a mix of new and updated spaces including a sports bar with an 8m-wide LED screen, a first floor cocktail lounge, function spaces and an indoor-outdoor decked terrace with retractable weatherproof roofing.
Built between 1938 and 1940 on the site of the former Fig Tree Hotel, the pub has spent the last decade under the stewardship of the Gallagher family and can now accommodate 800 patrons across its new fitout.
Gallagher Hotel Group GM, Angela Gallagher, said the family’s deep ties to the suburb shaped the project.
“Having lived in Hunters Hill for decades, raising three sons and one daughter in the area, I’ve really felt that the venue has always been a part of the community,” she said.
“Knowing this community, knowing what a community pub should be and its utility, has really allowed us to feel strongly about the important parts of the venue that needed care and attention, and what needed to evolve.”
The kitchen has also been completely refitted, headlined by a new Parilla grill, allowing for additions such as whole lemon sole and whole chickens to sit alongside pub classics like steaks, chicken parmigiana and pizzas.
Gallagher Hotel Group CEO, Patrick Gallagher, said the balance of heritage and modern upgrades was key.
“Heritage was a huge consideration, especially the facade and the expanded featured glass on the corner of the building,” he said.
“Upgrading a failing kitchen with enhanced equipment, such as the new grill, was a priority for longevity and improving the quality of the kitchen’s output.
“On the ground floor, the fully retractable glass doors create a better indoor-outdoor feel, while upstairs, the openable rooftop creates a quasi-rooftop bar.”
The design was led by Vince Squillace from Squillace Architecture/Interiors, with the project blending heritage with contemporary touches.
“The opportunity to restore and enhance the heritage spaces with a contemporary art deco interior, coupled with the modern extensions, creates an exciting dynamic,” Squillace said.
“The ground floor pub respects its art deco heritage and celebrates the traditional pub.
“It transitions through to the modern bistro through a very pronounced portal.”
The renovation continues a busy 2025 for the Gallaghers who reclaimed Jacksons on George in March, while last month completing the sale of the Terrigal Hotel, a large-format NSW Central Coast pub purchased in an off-market transaction by Hunter Hotel Group.
Other Sydney venues in the Gallagher stable include the Longueville Hotel in Lane Cove and the Railway Hotel in Fairfield.
