White Horse Surry Hills Review: Menu, Prices, and $55 Lunch

The White Horse on Crown Street has anchored Surry Hills’ social scene for decades, but its transformation in 2024 rewrote the pub’s identity. Following a reported $6 million renovation, the venue reopened on 17 April 2024 as a polished gastropub with a kitchen focused on modern Australian cooking and seasonal ingredients Good Food. This article unpacks the menu, pricing, reviews, and what makes the current iteration different from its predecessors.

Last checked: 2026-10-25

Name: The White Horse · Location: Crown Street, Surry Hills, Sydney · Cuisine: Pub, Australian, Gastropub · Price range: $ – $$ · Notable feature: Reopened in April 2024 after a $6 million facelift

Why is White Horse Tavern famous?

The White Horse Hotel on Crown Street has operated since the 1930s. For much of its recent history it operated as a neighbourhood pub known for casual drinks and live music, but a change of direction in 2024 transformed it into one of Surry Hills’ most talked‑about food destinations. The catalyst was a reported $6 million renovation that stripped back the old interiors and introduced a new kitchen, bar and dining room designed for modern Australian cooking Good Food.

From party pub to fine dining

Before 2024 the White Horse was better known for its calendar of events and late‑night bar scene than its food. Earlier refurbishments in 2004 and 2014 reportedly added a brasserie and a rooftop terrace, but the kitchen remained secondary to the drinking and entertainment function. The 2024 owners, Precision Group (who reportedly bought the freehold in 2005 for $7.5 million), decided to pivot the venue toward a gastropub model, hiring a chef who had trained under the country’s top fine‑dining kitchens (Good Food). The result is a menu that reads more like a modern Australian restaurant than a pub counter: think Wagyu tri‑tip, toothfish with squid‑ink glaze, and Berkshire pork jowl.

The 2024 $6m renovation

Good Food reported that the renovation cost approximately $6 million and touched every level of the historic building. The dining room and bar opened on 17 April 2024, operating initially from Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm. A life‑sized galvanised‑steel rearing horse, a landmark on the roof since 2004, was retained as a visual anchor. The refurbishment also added a garden terrace and a public bar space, preserving the venue’s split personality between formal dining and casual drinking.

Recognition in the Good Food Guide

In November 2024 the Good Food Guide described the White Horse as “the pub’s most delicious iteration yet,” a verdict that underscored how far the venue had travelled from its party‑pub days. The review highlighted the Wagyu tri‑tip at $45 and the general value proposition: the White Horse’s representative told Good Food:

We’ll have it on the menu for $45; in other restaurants, it might be twice the price.

Timeline

• 1930s: White Horse Hotel building constructed.
• 2004: Hotel refurbished with new bar and brasserie; roof horse installed.
• 2005: Precision Group purchases the property for $7.5 million.
• 2014: Further refurbishment of lounge, restaurant, function room and rooftop.
• 17 April 2024: Renovated dining room and bar open after $6 million facelift.
• July 2024: Official events pack published with seasonal menu details.
• November 2024: Good Food Guide praises the venue.

Specifications at a glance

Key Facts

Location and getting there

The White Horse is located at 381 Crown Street, Surry Hills, approximately 1.5 km south‑east of Sydney’s CBD. It sits in the heart of Surry Hill’s dining strip, within walking distance of Central Station and a short bus ride from the city centre. Public transport options include trains to Central (10‑minute walk) and multiple bus routes along Crown Street. On‑street parking is limited; nearby commercial car parks are available on Foley Street and Bedford Street.

The bottom line: The White Horse’s transformation from party pub to gastropub has been thorough, backed by a substantial capital outlay and a kitchen that delivers on quality. The Good Food endorsement cements its new identity.

The White Horse Surry Hills menu

The menu at the White Horse reflects the venue’s new fine‑dining orientation while retaining pub‑food touches. It changes seasonally, with a core of modern Australian dishes that often feature Western Australian seafood, native Australian ingredients, and French‑inspired sauces. The official events pack from July 2024 lists dishes such as Manjimup marron with sweetcorn and iceplant, Abrolhos Island scallops with Tasmanian wasabi, and dry‑aged Aylesbury duck with rhubarb and native fruit The White Horse events pack.

Weekend set lunch

A six‑course weekend lunch is offered Friday to Sunday from noon to 3pm at a fixed price of $55 per person. According to a review by Sydney Travel Guide, the menu includes sourdough with fermented honey butter, stracciatella, rock‑lobster pappardelle, a Bannockburn chicken leg dish, and brie ice cream Sydney Travel Guide. The deal is promoted as a way to sample the kitchen’s range without committing to full à la carte pricing.

Signature dishes

Several dishes have drawn consistent attention. The Wagyu tri‑tip with chestnut mushroom sabayon is priced at $45 and has been highlighted by both Good Food and later review sites as a standout for its value. Other signature plates include kombu‑glazed toothfish ($55), butter‑poached Western Australian marron ($58), and a steak sandwich with fries ($34). Desserts are generally priced between $16 and $18, with options such as beetroot millefeuille with native berries Hotel Australia.

Price range

Overall, the White Horse occupies the $$‑$$$ bracket. À la carte starters and snacks range from about $8 (duck‑leg cigars) to $12 (roasted chicken skin with spanner crab). Mains and larger plates span $28 (Wagyu steak tartare) to $58 (marron). Good Food estimated the cost for two diners, excluding drinks, at approximately $180. The wine list reported by Sitchu includes around 100 selections.

The implication: The $55 weekend lunch offer is the key differentiator; four courses for that price in this neighbourhood is rare. The à la carte pricing still places it in the upper tier of pub dining.

White Horse Surry Hills reviews

Reviews of the White Horse since its reopening have been broadly positive, with critics emphasising the successful shift from pub to gastropub and customers praising the quality of ingredients. The balance of feedback can be broken into professional criticism and general diner sentiment.

Critic review from SMH

Good Food’s review in November 2024 offered the most influential verdict, calling the White Horse “the pub’s most delicious iteration yet” and applauding the value‑driven pricing of the $45 Wagyu tri‑tip. The review noted that the kitchen uses Western Australian marron and toothfish, and described the renovation as elevating a “party pub” to a serious dining destination (Good Food).

Customer sentiment on platforms

On TripAdvisor the White Horse holds a 4.6‑out‑of‑5 rating based on nine reviews. Several reviewers singled out the duck‑leg cigars and the Western Australian rock‑lobster pappardelle as highlights TripAdvisor. The small sample size means the rating should be treated as indicative rather than statistically significant, but the general tone is enthusiastic. Independent coverage on Sitchu describes the venue as offering:

A modern Aussie menu with a French twist.

Overall consensus

The majority of published commentary agrees that the White Horse has successfully repositioned itself. The price‑to‑quality ratio is frequently mentioned, particularly on the weekend lunch deal and the Wagyu tri‑tip. Some older reviews from the pub era (discussing burgers and halloumi) are no longer applicable to the current operation, and readers should ensure they are consulting post‑April 2024 material.

Pros and cons

For a detailed review of the dining experience, see White Horse Surry Hills review.

The pattern: Professional and customer reviews align on value and ingredient quality, though the small sample on TripAdvisor means the sentiment is still evolving.

White Horse Sunday roast

The Sunday roast has become a recognised offering at the White Horse, fitting into the gastropub model and providing a more traditional pub‑style meal within the elevated kitchen context.

Is Sunday roast available?

Yes. The weekend lunch menu, which includes roast options on Sundays, runs from noon to 3pm. The roast is part of the $55 fixed‑price lunch deal, making it accessible as a set menu rather than a standalone carving station.

What does it include?

While the exact roast dish changes weekly, the lunch deal from Sydney Travel Guide included a Bannockburn chicken leg course, and the kitchen has featured Magra lamb with pistachio, cucumber and mint in its official events pack. The roast is not a traditional carvery but a plated course integrated into the six‑course format. Diners can expect a high‑quality protein prepared with the restaurant’s characteristic attention to sourcing.

Why is it popular?

The Sunday roast appeals both to traditional pub diners and to those who want a relaxed but refined weekend meal. The fixed price removes guesswork, and the four‑course structure (after bread and before dessert) means the roast sits in a 2‑course sequence. The positive reviews of the chicken leg dish suggest the kitchen handles roast proteins well.

Best for

• Foodies: The seasonal menu and native‑ingredient dishes will satisfy curious palates.
• Sunday roast enthusiasts: The $55 lunch deal includes a roast course that changes regularly.
• Date‑night couples: The dining room and garden terrace provide an intimate setting.
• Pub food seekers: The public bar retains a casual feel, but the food is a step above standard pub fare.

The bottom line: For Sunday roast seekers, the White Horse offers a format that is more polished than the average carvery, and the fixed price removes the risk.

Alternatives and recommendation

Surry Hills is one of Sydney’s most concentrated dining neighbourhoods, and the White Horse competes with several other pubs and restaurants within a few blocks.

Nearby gastropubs to consider

• The Dolphin Hotel – A heritage pub on Crown Street with a focus on craft beer and classic pub food. Prices are generally lower, but the kitchen does not target the same fine‑dining audience.
• The Clock Hotel – Located on Crown Street near the border of Surry Hills and Darlinghurst. It has a rooftop beer garden and a more casual menu; good for drinks rather than gastropub dinner.

Note: Both alternatives were not independently verified during this research; they are included as recognised competitors in the Surry Hills pub landscape.

Our pick: White Horse Surry Hills

What to watch: Both competitors serve different segments; if you want a gastropub with serious kitchen credentials, the White Horse is the strongest bet in the immediate area.

Frequently asked questions

What this means: These answers reflect the most common questions encountered during research; please verify directly with the venue for the latest details.

Sources

• The White Horse official events pack – seasonal menu (PDF)
• Sydney Travel Guide – six-course lunch deal review
• Hotel Australia – menu and pricing details
• Sitchu – venue description and wine list
• TripAdvisor – customer reviews and rating
• Hotel Australia – White Horse Surry Hills review