Six of the best and fairest pub feeds to be found in Wagga
We all love a schooner and a chicken schnitty, so where in Wagga can you get the best bang for your buck for your next pub lunch or dinner? Here’s six of the best.
The Wagga News
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It’s an ultra competitive pub scene in Wagga, and the stakes - or steaks - are high as hotel owners vie for your custom.
The Wagga News talks to the movers and shakers behind the top pubs in town to find the secrets to their success.
THE RIVERINA HOTEL, 188 Fitzmaurice St, Wagga Wagga
Ben Lawler reckons the hotel’s food is the best in Wagga and he said the expertise of his staff - and the quality of the produce - was the key to its success.
“It’s great food from our hardworking people and we make sure to give the best food at the cheapest price,” Mr Lawler said.
The Riverina hotel offers up a delicious selection of pub classics, all at reasonable prices.
From their classic steak sandwich to their $14 lunch specials which include chicken schnitzel, lamb cutlets and premium Wagyu rump steaks.
Live music and trivia nights keep customers entertained as they dine out.
“It is a great way to get people engaged with their local community,” Mr Lawler said.
BEST BUY: MatchtheRiverina black Angus steak sandwich with a Mountain Goat pale ale, $25.
ROMANO’S HOTEL, 81 Fitzmaurice St, Wagga Wagga
Romano’s owner Mathew Oates said great staff, and attention to detail, has helped the hotel build a great reputation.
“We are lucky with staff, have a great chef and get the mix right with the food and beverages,” Mr Oates said. “It’s getting the right people working for you that makes a venue a success.”
Mr Oates said the hotel’s family friendly atmosphere also made it a winner with patrons of all ages.
“We aim to make it easy for the family, for parents to come down with the kids. Our customers say it’s way better eating at Romano‘s in terms of cost and atmosphere than a takeaway place,” he said.
To sweeten the deal, kids eat free on a Monday and Tuesday, and on Thursday nights the special is a ‘surf and turf’ for 20 bucks. There’s also $12 lunches and $6 schooners too.
And there’s plenty of community spirit too.
“Our pub hosts different community groups and the pub is important as it is a meeting place and can help sporting clubs generate money for sponsorship of the local sports teams,” he said.
BEST BUY: Beef Guinness pie with crispy puff pastry and a dark Tuohy ale, $24.
SPORTSMEN’S CLUB, 107 Kincaid St, Wagga Wagga
The Sportsmen’s Club has the best surf and turf in town according to licensee Joseph Kirk.
Mr Kirk also reckons staff are key to a venue’s success, and he aims to lead by example.
“It comes from management, if you are not doing your best, bar managers and kitchen staff know other pubs down the road they can go to,” he said.
The sportsmen’s club offers a range of pub classics and weekly specials with cutlets, parmi and pizza and burgers and T-bone steaks just some of the regular items on the menu.
BEST BUY: Match the surf and turf with a Corona, $24.
THE DUKE OF KENT HOTEL, 125 Fitzmaurice St, Wagga Wagga
Ward Gaiter has been the owner of The Duke for five years and says great food freshly made on the premises helped the pub stand out.
“We have got top quality chefs and ingredients, we do everything in-house and make everything from scratch, from our breadcrumbs to our gravy and spices,” he said.
Taco Tuesdays is popular at The Duke Hotel, and is “a great mix of different flavours and a crowd pleaser” Mr Gaiter said.
The hotel offers a fantastic lunch menu, which is reasonably priced with two main meals for $30.
The Duke also offers live music every Friday and Saturday night.
“It is important, we have live music every Friday and Saturday with a high quality band to keep the people happy and coming back,” he said.
The Duke of Kent Hotel - which has gained a mention in the Australian Good Food Guide - also has an expansive range of beers on tap.
“We also have no pokies - we just focus on delivering good quality food that everyone can enjoy,” Mr Gaiter said.
“It took us a while to get to the level we’re at but it is great that our community respects us for that.”
BEST BUY: Match cheeseburger and chips with a schooner of Great Northern, $22.
FARMERS HOME HOTEL, 2-6 Hammond Ave, Wagga Wagga
The Farmers has all the pub classics at great prices, and with its fantastic beer garden and welcoming staff it is also the place to be on any given day night in Wagga.
Junior manager Ryan Wardmen is one of the dedicated staff who take pride in getting the service and food just right.
“The chefs must take care of what they do and we get the best suppliers in town to produce the best food,” Mr Wardmen said.
“We offer a lot of steak specials and a lot of lunch deals which is always a crowd pleaser.
“We ensure our staff provide the best service and we take pride in what we do.”
The Farmers offers $14 lunch specials with offerings includings chicken schnitzel, rump steak, beer battered flathead and lamb cutlets with chips and salad.
Best buy: Match pan fried salmon with black rice and prawns with a house moscato, $37.
KOORINGAL HOTEL, 88 Fay Ave, Kooringal
Kooringal Hotel manager Bianca McKenzie has been the manager for five years, and a staff member for over 15, and is proud of the fare they serve up.
The hotel’s just out of the town centre but is still a favourite for not only Kooringal locals , but those from central Wagga and surrounds.
The hotel offers an array of pub specials including pasta dishes and steaks, and on Monday and Tuesday nights there’s $4 toppers for your choice of cut.
Fourteen-dollar lunch specials such as beer battered flathead or a BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) are also a good option.
“Our head chef is Ryan Davini who pumps out consistently good food,” Ms McKenzie said.
“It’s nice being a bit out to town and we are a happy, friendly venue and people like to make the trip out to Kooringal to enjoy a meal.”
The hotel is a big supporter of the local community and provides sponsorship to a few sporting clubs.
“We support local clubs; there is quite few clubs we sponsor and those clubs hold raffles at the pub which means they are supporting us while getting the investment needed for their sporting club,” she said.
“We get great feedback from our customers and I love every part of the business, from being head chef and knowing how the kitchen works to now being manager.”
Best Buy: Match the BLT with chips with a beer of your choice, $18.
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