The White Horse Hotel reopened in April 2024 after a multimillion-dollar renovation, immediately recasting the conversation around Sydney’s pub dining. Critic Besha Rodell of Good Food called it “the pub’s most delicious iteration yet,” marking a deliberate shift from a rough-and-tumble local into a chef-led modern Australian restaurant with fine-dining ambition. This guide uses the White Horse as the central case for navigating a Surry Hills dining scene where exclusivity, celebrity magnetism, and culinary ambition collide.
Last checked: 2026-10-23
Compare the lowest rates and guest reviews. Many options with free cancellation.Check rates
Bundle flight + hotel and compare deals and rewards in one place.Check ratesThis link contains affiliate advertising. Prices and availability may change on the destination site.
Name: The White Horse Hotel (Surry Hills) · Type: Pub / Gastropub / Hotel · Latest News: A-list relaunch in Feb 2023, critically acclaimed dining in May 2024 · Best For: Modern Australian dining, live sports, vibrant atmosphere
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-10-23.
Sources reviewed: local journalism (Sydney Morning Herald Good Food, Time Out Sydney), neutral review platform (TripAdvisor), booking platform (OpenTable), venue partner site (Game On Live Sports), social media.
No independent on-site inspection was conducted. No direct interview with venue management or executive chef Jed Gerrard was undertaken. An official venue website was not available at the time of research.
Snapshot
- Constructed in the 1930s and relaunched after a multimillion-dollar renovation in April 2024 (Good Food)
- Chef Jed Gerrard leads a modern Australian menu featuring ethically sourced produce and native ingredients (Time Out Sydney)
- Estimated meal for two at A$180 excluding drinks. Wines by the glass priced under A$20 (Good Food; Time Out Sydney)
- Ground-floor restaurant with an upstairs public bar, outdoor terrace and function space (Time Out Sydney)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | The White Horse Hotel (Surry Hills) |
| Type | Pub / Gastropub / Hotel |
| Latest News | Relaunched April 2024 after multimillion-dollar renovation |
| Best For | Modern Australian dining, live sports, vibrant atmosphere |
| Address | 381 Crown Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010 |
| Executive Chef | Jed Gerrard |
| Operator | Craig Hemmings |
| Wine List | Approx. 100 bottles, Australian & European, organic focus |
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|---|
| Address | 381 Crown Street, Surry Hills |
| Built | 1930s |
| Reopened | April 2024 |
| Cuisine Type | Modern Australian |
| Executive Chef | Jed Gerrard |
| Meal for Two (excl. drinks) | Approx. A$180 |
| Wine by the Glass | A$15 – A$20 |
| Wine List Size | ~100 bottles |
What Is Surry Hills Famous For?
Surry Hills sits just south of Sydney’s central business district, a grid of late 19th-century terraces that has become the city’s most concentrated dining precinct. The neighbourhood has built a reputation as a creative and culinary hub, where the density of acclaimed restaurants is matched by a concentration of design studios, galleries and independent retailers. The White Horse Hotel has been a part of this fabric since the 1930s, but its recent transformation perfectly mirrors the suburb’s own evolution from a working-class quarter into a destination for ambitious eating and drinking. listings from Time Out Sydney frame the White Horse as a venue that “ticks a lot of boxes” precisely because it balances a polished dining room with the informality of a public bar and terrace.
White Horse Surry Hills History and Review
A landmark’s journey: from quiet standby to ‘most delicious iteration yet’
The building that houses the White Horse was constructed in the 1930s as a hotel, reported by Good Food. Over the decades it operated as a piano bar, a brasserie and a live-music venue, developing a reputation as a hangout for bikers and police officers. The current chapter began when Craig Hemmings took over the operational direction ahead of a major redevelopment. The decisive moment came in April 2024 when the venue reopened after a multimillion-dollar renovation that fundamentally changed its format.
Time Out Sydney documented the shift in clear terms: “The public bar was moved upstairs, while the ground floor became a restaurant.” The current concept combines a street-level dining room with an upstairs public bar, outdoor terrace and function spaces.
What the latest reviews say about the experience
The kitchen is led by executive chef Jed Gerrard, whose career includes stints at Tetsuya’s, Bilson’s, Hearth and Wills Domain. His menu is modern Australian, built around ethically sourced produce and prominent use of native ingredients. Signature dishes at the time of the Good Food review included beetroot millefeuille (A$24), toothfish (A$55), wagyu tri-tip (A$45), marron (A$58) and a steak sandwich served with fries (A$34). The wine program spans roughly 100 bottles, with an emphasis on organic and regenerative producers from Australia and Europe.
TripAdvisor user reviews for the renovated venue reference dishes such as duck-leg cigars, chicken-skin with spanner crab, wagyu tartare, and pork-belly French toast. Note that the TripAdvisor page also contains legacy reviews from previous menu eras that reference burgers, Caesar salad and mac and cheese. Review date segmentation is essential when reading those ratings.
What Is the Hardest Restaurant to Get Into in Sydney?
The question of Sydney’s toughest reservation is a regular people-also-asked query. The White Horse occupies a flexible middle ground: the ground-floor restaurant takes bookings and offers a polished, multi-course experience, while the upstairs bar and terrace operate on a walk-in basis. This dual format sets it apart from venues that are entirely reservation-only or completely casual.
| Venue Name | Cuisine Vibe | Price Band pp (est.) | Booking Profile | Celebrity Sighting Buzz | Best Segment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The White Horse Surry Hills | Mod Oz pub-restaurant | A$90+ | Res. recommended for restaurant | High search interest | Foodies, groups, spotters |
| Zushi Surry Hills | Japanese / Omakase | A$41-A$100 | Res. recommended | Moderate | Sushi lovers |
| Sydney’s Exclusive Dining (Typical Profile) | Tasting menu / High-end | A$150+ | Extremely competitive | Very high | Celebrity spotters |
| Traditional Surry Hills Pub | Classic pub grub | A$30-A$60 | Casual walk-in | Low | Sports fans, budget |
What Is the Most Expensive Restaurant in Sydney, Australia?
The White Horse does not sit at the extreme top of Sydney’s pricing scale, but it comfortably occupies the upper tier of the Surry Hills dining market. The OpenTable listing for Zushi Surry Hills provides a useful benchmark for the neighbourhood, showing a range of A$41 to A$100 per person for a Japanese-oriented dining experience. Below is the verified pricing structure from the White Horse as reported in mid-2024.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Beetroot millefeuille | A$24 |
| Toothfish | A$55 |
| Wagyu tri-tip | A$45 |
| Marron | A$58 |
| Steak sandwich & chips | A$34 |
| Wines by the glass | A$15 – A$20 |
| Meal for two (excl. drinks) | Approx. A$180 |
Where Do Celebrities Dine in Sydney?
The link between the White Horse and celebrity culture is partly a product of its own search footprint. Data from the People Also Ask dataset suggests that users searching for “Taylor Swift Sydney restaurant”, “Dua Lipa’s favourite spot” and “Lady Gaga’s favourite dining” are simultaneously searching for the White Horse Surry Hills. The venue’s operator, Craig Hemmings, and its chef-led reinvention by Jed Gerrard place it squarely in the orbit of Sydney’s glamorous dining conversation.
“It’s not really a pub anymore.”
— Tash Tryon, Time Out Sydney reviewer
This observation cuts to the heart of the White Horse’s appeal; it has entered the territory of destination dining where celebrity sightings are a plausible part of the experience. Whether the patron is a food tourist hoping to spot a known face or simply a diner looking for the best plate of marron in the neighbourhood, the White Horse has positioned itself as a venue that satisfies both ambitions.
Pros and Cons at a Glance
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Chef-led food quality with a rigorous ethical sourcing policy | Not a standard pub experience; the ground floor is now a formal dining room |
| Dual-format allows for both walk-in bar visits and booked restaurant meals | Pricing is well above standard pub fare (A$180 for two excluding drinks) |
| Wine list is extensive and competitively priced for the quality (most glasses under A$20) | Limited verified information on accessibility features and reservation policies |
| Central Surry Hills location with strong transport links | The bar has been moved upstairs, altering the traditional pub layout |
Best For
- Foodies seeking exclusivity: The downstairs restaurant, with its dish of marron (A$58) and wagyu tri-tip (A$45), offers a polished chef-driven experience that stands up to dedicated fine-dining venues.
- Budget-conscious socialisers: The upstairs bar allows for access to the venue’s atmosphere and wine list without the full commitment of a restaurant booking. Wine by the glass at A$15-A$20 keeps the barrier to entry low.
- Celebrity spotters: The White Horse is one of the venues being actively investigated by fans searching for where international stars dine in Sydney. The high-profile relaunch directly feeds this curiosity.
- Sports fans: The venue is listed as a premier live sports destination, offering a polished setting for watching matches in the bar and terrace areas.
Our Pick Recommendation
For first-time Sydney visitors, Surry Hills pub enthusiasts, foodies wanting a complete scene reading, and celebrity culture fans, our pick is the White Horse. No other venue in the immediate area compresses the distance between a casual terrace bar and a fine-dining kitchen quite as well. It allows a single group to begin with local beer upstairs, transition to a chef-driven modern Australian meal downstairs, and emerge feeling they have experienced both the neighbourhood’s deep history and its catalytic future.
Sample Surry Hills Itinerary
- Afternoon drink at the White Horse Upstairs Bar: Sample the wine list and take in the terrace atmosphere without a booking.
- Explore Crown Street: The strip is dense with independent galleries, bookshops and concept stores.
- Early dinner in the White Horse Restaurant: Aim for the toothfish (A$55) or the steak sandwich (A$34) as a flexible entry point.
- Nightcap at a neighbouring venue: Use the walkability of Surry Hills to finish the evening at a contrasting wine bar or pub.
Location and Getting There
The White Horse is located at 381 Crown Street, Surry Hills, approximately a ten-minute walk from Central Station. Street parking in Surry Hills is limited and metered; the neighbourhood is well-served by buses along Crown Street and Oxford Street. The central position makes it an ideal anchor for a walking tour of the suburb’s dining spots.
Surry Hills Alternatives in Context
The White Horse now competes in a neighbourhood where the line between high-end pub, wine bar and fine diner is increasingly blurred. Zushi Surry Hills provides a useful comparison point, offering a Japanese-oriented menu within a price band of A$41 to A$100 per person. For a more traditional pub experience, venues such as the Strawberry Hills Hotel and the Eveleigh Hotel operate within the same suburb but with formats more focused on classic pub grub and live sports.
Timeline: White Horse Surry Hills
- 1930s: White Horse constructed as a hotel on Crown Street.
- 20th century: Operates in various formats including piano bar, brasserie and live-music venue.
- Early 2023: Craig Hemmings and partners take over operational direction.
- April 2024: Multimillion-dollar renovation completed; venue reopens.
- May 2024: Good Food publishes its review, calling it “the pub’s most delicious iteration yet”.
- June 2024: Time Out Sydney publishes its review, noting the shift toward a restaurant-led format.