Tangy Pickle Restaurant and Bar opens in Hervey Bay

From barbecued beef briskets to beachfront beers with mates, this new restaurant and bar offers comfort food with a modern Australian twist. We spoke to the owner ahead of the big opening on Wednesday.

A new dining experience where American barbecue meets modern Australian cuisine has arrived at 473, the Esplanade, Hervey Bay.

The Tangy Pickle Restaurant and Bar opens Wednesday, taking over the space formerly occupied by Seaside Cafe at The Beach Motel.

Chef and owner Brett Bardsley has been honing his skills for more than 26 years, previously working as the Chef De Cuisine, running the kitchens at the Crown Casino in Melbourne.

This is Mr Bardsley’s third venue, having owned takeaway places and cafes in the past.

After an 18-month search he found the perfect venue in Hervey Bay for the 80-seat Tangy Pickle restaurant.

“The whole idea of this place is like barbecue and beers and mates …” Mr Bardsley said.

“The inspiration comes from friends, family, barbecue, couple of drinks, you know that whole togetherness sort of thing.”

A favourite dish on the menu is expected to be the BBQ Beef Brisket.

“The brisket is pretty popular … it’s cooked over like 24 hours,” he said.

Brett Bardsley Owner & Chef at Tangy Pickle Restaurant & Bar

Mr Bardsley explained the menu was inspired to the Hervey Bay clientele, while looking after them in terms of price point.

“Just really simple food at a good price point, so we’re family friendly,” he said.

“We encourage dogs out the front, we encourage families to come and we’ve set it up so that the prices are reasonable so the average family can afford to go out for a meal, have a good meal, have cheap drinks …”

Mr Bardsley moved to Hervey Bay 18 months ago from Brisbane, and has been working on the restaurant’s concept for a year.

“Originally it was going to be a cafe, but it’s evolved into a restaurant and bar, essentially due to the place we ended up finding, it just suited that.

“It’s a logo that I’ve had for a few years and it’s always been a concept of mine.

“We’re very American barbecue and modern Australian so mostly low and slow and cooked with the smoke and all that sort of stuff.”

He also owns the function centre above the restaurant and bar.

“It’s not open all the time, but for private functions we can cater, we’ve got a liquor license here …” he said.

He also explained he was lucky to sell his previous business at the right time to be able to open the Tangy Pickle.

“I’ve been looking for a place for a year, but I haven’t been seriously looking until I started seeing Covid ease off,” he said.

“So I guess I was lucky enough to sell my last place right before Covid, and lucky enough to start my place and then all off of a sudden the restrictions have been lifted.”

Promising a good price point, service and food, Mr Bardsley encouraged locals to come down and give the restaurant a try.

“Just come down and see the point of difference really,” he said.

“At the end of the day the service should be bang on, the food should be bang on and the price should be cheaper …”

“Just give us a go.”

The Tangy Pickle Restaurant and Bar opens for lunch and dinner, and breakfast only on the weekends.