Cheap eats: The best pub meals across NSW for under $15
The steaks are high. The best pub meal under $15 is one of the most hotly-contested titles at the annual Australian Hotels Association’s awards. Here are nine mouth-watering finalists.
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It’s a sign of the times that pub meals that cost punters less than $15 has become one of the most hotly-contested categories in the Australian Hotels Association NSW’s annual Awards for Excellence.
The Cheap Eats Meal Under $15 category had a record 50 applicants for 2023, with judges narrowing that list to just nine finalists.
Old favourites have returned alongside new offers, with Bondi brewery and restaurant Curly Lewis appearing to be the ‘dark horse’.
Co-owner Adam Richards said their $15 steak special was inspired by a lack of affordable family options and old childhood memories.
“When we were growing up the $10, $15 steaks were everywhere but you just don’t get that anymore, especially in Bondi – so we wanted to bring that back,” he said.
Despite only opening one year ago, with just four months under head chef Charles Dupuy, the deal has become a beachfront staple.
“It gives the locals a bit of an offer, everything in Bondi is so overpriced and expensive – so we find a lot of locals are coming back and they’re repeat customers for the steak,” said Richards.
The special plates up 180 grams of pure sirloin steak from local butchers Field to Fork with sauces made with the best beers from their brewery.
“We offer peppercorn gravy with one of our stout reductions, we reduce (the stout) to get the alcohol out of it so you’re left with the sweet stout taste – it brings the brew to the plate which is very nice,” Richards said.
While Curly Lewis has promised to up the stakes, last year’s winner the Carousel Inn from Rooty Hill has vowed to go back to back with its $14.95 lunch specials.
“We want the title,” general manager Rhyan O’Halloran joked. “It’s nice to be nominated, but it feels good that the work we are seen to be doing is of a high standard”.
“We found that times are getting harder and we wanted to have something in the local area that offers quality food at a good price,” he said.
THE BEST PUB MEALS IN NSW UNDER $15
THE CAROUSEL INN, ROOTY HILL: $14.95 Lunch specials
This popular watering hole in Sydney’s West, which won the award last year, offers up $14.95 lunch specials from 12pm to 3pm during the week, but the best news of all is that they come with a complimentary house beer, wine or soft drink. Diners can choose between the 200g steak option, chicken schnitzel, beef burger, fish and chips or bangers and mash.
CLARENDON TAVERN, CLARENDON: 12 for $12
This family owned pub between Windsor and Richmond offers a $12 lunch menu from Monday to Friday from 12 to 3pm. As the name suggests there are 12 items on the menu and they vary from a classic pub chicken schnitty and chips to beef nachos, pizza, panko calamari and caesar salad.
FERNHILL TAVERN, PORT MACQUARIE: $12 Classic Pizzas
From Monday to Sunday, from 12pm to 2pm, guests at Port Macquarie’s “Ferny” (whose motto is “cold beer, life’s good”) can choose from one of six pizza’s and pay just $12. Pizza’s include Beach Boy, which has 16 Double smoked ham, sweet pineapple, mozzarella and Napoli sauce or Veggie Patch which is topped with Mozzarella, mushrooms, capsicum, kalamata olives, Spanish onions, wild rocket, sour cream and Napoli sauce.
Great Northern Hotel, Teralba, $8 for the Northo Cheeseburger
With the first licensee dating back to 1892, the pub near Newcastle boasts old world charm and heritage with friendly service. During the week they offer $8 lunches from 10am to 3pm, but the one that’s been singled out for the awards is the Northo Cheeseburger with chips.
HUNTLEE TAVERN, BRANXTON: Ladies and Tradies menu
This Tavern in the Hunter Region has become famous for it’s $15 Ladies and Tradies menu, which includes everything from steaks to chicken schnitzel burgers to hearty salads.
TAHMOOR INN, TAHMOOR: $15 Malaysian Stir fry noodles
The MacArthur region in might do $15 pizza specials on Monday nights and $5 tacos on Tuesdays, but it’s the $15 Malaysian Stir fry noodles weekday lunch special that has seen it be nominated for the best cheap eats in NSW. The dish contains Hokkien noodles, capsicum, shallots, red onion, chicken breast, green beans, chilli and sesame, peanuts and dark soy sauce.
The Bradford Hotel, Rutherford for the Pulled Brisket cheeseburger
The home of live entertainment also offers up $14 lunch specials every Monday to Friday, however it’s their Pulled Brisket cheeseburger that’s caught the eye of the judges. The burger contains brisket, lettuce, tomato, liquid cheese, pickles & a smoky BBQ Sauce and of course, is served with chips.
THE RUTHERFORD HOTEL, RUTHERFORD: Schnitzel BLT burger
Like it’s sister hotel The Bradford, The Rutherford Hotel in the Hunter Region of NSW also serves up a $14 lunch special during the week, but this time it’s the Schnitzel BLT Burger with chips that is being recognised as a finalist.
The winner will be named at a gala ceremony on Tuesday, 31 October 2023 at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.
A full list of finalists for this year’s AHA NSW Awards for Excellence can be found at www.ahaawardsnsw.com.au
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