First Look: French Rotisserie Reigns at This New-Look Surry Hills Pub

It’s barely March, and ​​The Point Group is already having a huge year. 

Last month, the hospitality group’s two CBD tentpoles, The Grill at The International and Shell House, were named among 30 of the best places to snag a steak in Australia as per the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants. 

Hot on the heels of that accolade, the team has just unveiled a major renovation at its Surry Hills pub, formerly known as Hotel Harry, in a move that was right for the times according to group co-founder Brett Robinson. 

“For over 15 years we’ve watched this precinct grow into one of Sydney’s most vibrant and creative neighbourhoods,” he says. “The evolution of Harry’s not only moves with that energy, it creates a true focal point for it.”

Yep, the energy has been building in that little pocket of Surry Hills since Covid, with the area’s venues taking full advantage of the City of Sydney’s overhauled outdoor dining policy. Major developments along Oxford Street are set to supercharge things further. And change is a good thing – especially when it looks like this. 

All areas of the pub’s interiors have been refreshed by The Point’s interior stylist and co-owner Anna Hewett, with a complete redevelopment of the first floor featuring a new bistro with an open kitchen. The pub’s long-running music program has, smartly, been moved to the ground floor via a custom-built DJ booth fitted with Technics turntables, CDJs and restored vintage Sansui Japanese speakers. 

“We wanted to celebrate the beauty of this old Federation Free-style hotel, its history and place in the Surry Hills community,” says Hewett. “Our vision was to honour it and reimagine it for the Surry Hills of today.”

Culinary director Joel Bickford and executive chef Danny Corbett have covered every base with a French Rotisol rotisserie, a woodfired parrilla grill and an imported Marana Forni pizza oven. To that end, Harry’s formidable offering is effectively three pub menus in one – and also trades in snacks, pastas and pub classics. It’s joined by a slick cocktail program featuring signatures such as the 1968 Harpoon (gin, pomegranate, orange liqueur, Campari, fresh lime, hopped grapefruit). 

Considering the group’s steak credentials, it’s hard to look past the grill section and its various primo cuts – including a grain-fed bistecca Fiorentina. But the team says the rotisserie section is already proving popular. There’s Bannockburn chook (available half or whole) or Bangalow pork served with classic trimmings – but we say check out the $35 banquet for two with garlic-caper butter, ’nduja pangrattato, roast potatoes, fried Brussels sprouts and roast chicken jus. 

Also bound to be wildly popular are the $15 weekly specials – pizza Mondays, schnitzel and parmi Tuesdays, burger Wednesdays – and its $25 Sunday roast. Daily happy hour from 4pm–6pm includes house drinks from $7, cocktails from $15 and $10 lobster rolls for the win. 

Harry’s
40/44 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills
(02) 8262 8800 

Hours: 
Daily 11.30am–1am

hotelharry.com.au
@harrys_surryhills