At 381 Crown Street, the White Horse Surry Hills runs a hotel-style bar and a kitchen where executive chef Jed Gerrard cooks modern Australian food with native ingredients and fine-dining technique (Time Out Sydney). The facts most searchers need — menu prices, opening hours, ownership, critic and diner reviews, and how reservations actually work — are set out below.
Last checked: 2026-10-21
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Quick insight: At 381 Crown Street, the White Horse Surry Hills is a three-storey pub-restaurant with a silver stallion sculpture, a set menu plus à la carte, and a walk-in bar from 15:00 on Friday and Saturday; the standout dish is the sourdough with fermented honey butter.
White Horse Surry Hills at a glance
- 381 Crown Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010 (The White Horse)
- Executive chef Jed Gerrard, whose résumé includes Tetsuya’s and Wills Domain (Time Out Sydney)
- Modern Australian pub-restaurant with fine-dining technique and native ingredients (Good Food)
- Lunch Fri–Sat 12:00–15:00; dinner Tue–Sat from 17:30; Sunday 12:00–21:00, last booking 19:30 (official contact page)
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-10-21.
Sources reviewed: official venue website, Good Food (The Sydney Morning Herald), Time Out Sydney, Sydney.com, Tripadvisor, Reddit community discussion, Yelp.
We did not make an on-site visit, interview staff, or verify current prices independently; menu prices quoted here come from published reviews and carry their original dates.
White Horse Surry Hills: key facts
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | White Horse Hotel, Surry Hills |
| Address | 381 Crown Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW 2010 |
| Type | Three-storey public hotel |
| Signature feature | Large sculpture of a silver stallion |
| Executive chef | Jed Gerrard |
| Restaurant hours | Lunch Friday–Saturday 12:00–15:00; dinner Tuesday–Saturday from 17:30; Sunday 12:00–21:00, last booking 19:30 |
| Bar hours | Friday and Saturday from 15:00; walk-ins welcome |
| Cuisine | Elevated Australian modern cuisine with native ingredients |
| Wine list | About 100 bottles; Australian and European, organic and regenerative focus |
| Highlight dish | Sourdough with fermented honey butter |
The White Horse Surry Hills: full profile
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Venue name | The White Horse Hotel |
| Street address | 381 Crown Street |
| Locality | Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW 2010 |
| Building | Three-storey public hotel |
| Signature feature | Large silver stallion sculpture |
| Outdoor space | Terrace noted in the official venue description |
| Executive chef | Jed Gerrard; previous kitchens include Tetsuya’s, Bilson’s, Hearth and Wills Domain |
| Kitchen style | Modern Australian pub-restaurant with fine-dining techniques |
| Native ingredients | Native thyme, warrigal greens, desert lime, Davidson plum, muntries |
| Service style | À la carte plus a set menu option |
| Lunch | Friday and Saturday, 12:00–15:00 |
| Dinner | Tuesday–Saturday from 17:30; Sunday 12:00–21:00, last booking 19:30 |
| Bar | Friday and Saturday from 15:00; walk-ins welcome |
| Wine | Approximately 100 bottles; wines by the glass under A$20, most around A$15 |
| Standout dish | Sourdough with fermented honey butter |
White Horse Surry Hills menu
Menu highlights
Time Out Sydney describes the kitchen’s brief as ethically sourced produce and Australian native ingredients (Time Out Sydney). The Good Food review published 23 May 2024 framed the venue as a modern Australian pub-restaurant and priced a beetroot millefeuille with native thyme oil at A$24, kombu-glazed toothfish at A$55, wagyu tri-tip with chestnut mushroom sabayon at A$45, and butter-poached Western Australian marron at A$58.
Good Food’s bar-side menu notes included a steak sandwich with fries at A$34. Desserts ran from A$16 for brie-infused ice cream to A$18 for sheep’s-milk yoghurt with desert lime.
Set menu option
A set menu option sits alongside the à la carte list and is part of the venue’s listed service style. Neither the Good Food nor the Time Out review itemised the set menu’s dishes or its price, so the offer is confirmed but the contents are not documented in the reviews we checked.
Price range
| Item | Indicative price (2024 reviews) |
|---|---|
| Beetroot millefeuille, native thyme oil | A$24 |
| Bar menu steak sandwich with fries | A$34 |
| Wagyu tri-tip, chestnut mushroom sabayon | A$45 |
| Kombu-glazed toothfish | A$55 |
| Butter-poached Western Australian marron | A$58 |
| Desserts (brie-infused ice cream; sheep’s-milk yoghurt with desert lime) | A$16–A$18 |
| Wine by the glass | Under A$20; most around A$15 |
| Good Food estimate for two, excluding drinks | About A$180 |
All figures above come from the Good Food review of 23 May 2024 and the Time Out Sydney review of 20 June 2024; they may not reflect the current menu.
Price check: the only published prices in the sources we reviewed come from those 2024 critic reviews. Confirm the current menu on the official website before booking.
Time Out’s June 2024 review reported that every wine by the glass was under A$20, most around A$15, and named a cocktail called Malfoy’s Blunder made with gin, yuzu, lemon and wild honey. Good Food put the wine list at roughly 100 bottles, mixing Australian and European labels with an emphasis on organic and regenerative producers, and listed a A$20 Benny Blanco martini of gin, vermouth, macerated grape and rosemary.
The takeaway: the 2024 benchmark of about A$180 for two, excluding drinks, sits between standard pub pricing and formal fine dining — useful context for deciding whether this is a casual stop or a planned meal.
White Horse Surry Hills reviews
“The pub’s most delicious iteration yet.”
Good Food, 23 May 2024
That verdict opened a Good Food review which called the relaunched venue a “highly tuned pub-restaurant with fine-dining chops.” The same review praised the butter-poached Western Australian marron but found char siu pork with prawn fried rice and creamed warrigal greens less successful.
“Exciting, clever and most importantly, delicious plates of food.”
Time Out Sydney, 20 June 2024
Time Out praised the food, dining room and pricing as good value, and reported that every wine by the glass was under A$20 at the time of its review. Sydney.com, the city’s official tourism site, frames the concept as “affordable luxury” (Sydney.com).
What diners say
The current Tripadvisor listing for the White Horse shows 4.6 out of 5 from 9 reviews (Tripadvisor). Reviewers on that listing singled out duck-leg cigars, roasted chicken skin with spanner crab, wagyu steak tartare, lobster-stuffed pappardelle, dry-aged Aylesbury duck, crispy potatoes, grilled brassicas, tarte tatin and brie ice cream. Nine reviews is a thin sample, so treat those dishes as early signals rather than a settled consensus.
Listing warning: an older Tripadvisor entry for this address is marked closed, which can make the venue look inactive. The official contact page lists current hours, so use the newer listing when checking reviews.
A Reddit thread in r/foodies_sydney struck a more cautious note, with commenters describing the restaurant as expensive and better suited to an occasion than a budget pub meal (Reddit). The thread we reviewed is a small sample, but its read on pricing matches the critic price points above.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Produce-led modern Australian cooking with native ingredients (Time Out Sydney)
- Wines by the glass under A$20; most around A$15 (Time Out Sydney)
- Walk-in bar hours on Friday and Saturday from 15:00 (official contact page)
- Set menu option that suits group booking
Cons
- Reddit commenters call it expensive for a pub and occasion-driven (Reddit)
- Good Food found char siu pork and creamed warrigal greens less successful
- Current Tripadvisor sample is only 9 reviews
- Published prices come from 2024 reviews and may be outdated
Best for
- Food enthusiasts: a menu built around ethically sourced produce and native ingredients
- Bar-goers: the Friday and Saturday bar from 15:00 takes walk-ins
- Group diners: the set menu option gives a fixed structure for larger tables
- Weekend lunchers: lunch runs Friday and Saturday, 12:00–15:00
Who owns the White Horse Hotel in Surry Hills?
None of the sources reviewed for this guide name the individual or company behind the White Horse Hotel. The official contact page publishes the address and hours without an ownership disclosure. The public face of the kitchen is executive chef Jed Gerrard, whose previous roles include Tetsuya’s, Bilson’s, Hearth and Wills Domain (Time Out Sydney).
Sydney.com also connects award-winning chef Jun Hwang with the restaurant, though his current role is not detailed on the official contact page (Sydney.com).
What this means: for booking a meal, the leadership that matters is the kitchen — Gerrard is the chef attached to the current menu, while the corporate owner is not disclosed in the sources we checked.
What is the White Horse Tavern famous for?
A name with history
The name carries a long pub tradition. The most famous White Horse Tavern overseas is the Greenwich Village bar in New York linked to writers including Dylan Thomas — a different venue with no connection to Surry Hills.
Modern fame in Sydney
In Sydney, the current fame of this White Horse comes from its relaunch as a polished pub-restaurant; Good Food reviewed the new iteration in May 2024. Its most photographed feature is the large sculpture of a silver stallion, and the official tourism description positions the venue around “affordable luxury” (Sydney.com).
Why this matters: the heritage name draws curiosity, but the modern identity rests on the restaurant kitchen and the stallion sculpture, not on tavern history.
Why are pubs called White Horse?
Historical origins of the name
White Horse has been a common pub sign in Britain for centuries. One explanation links it to the white horse of the House of Hanover, which appeared on royal emblems and was adopted by many pubs from the 18th century onward; another points to coaching inns, where the horse was central to the business itself.
The Surry Hills hotel adapts that tradition: it keeps the old pub name across a three-storey building, and the silver stallion sculpture turns the historic sign into a contemporary design feature.
The pattern: historic pub names usually travel from Britain, but this venue gives the old phrase a distinctly Sydney visual identity.
What is the hardest restaurant to get into in Sydney?
None of the sources reviewed names the White Horse Surry Hills among Sydney’s hardest restaurants to book. The restaurant takes reservations, with lunch windows on Friday and Saturday and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday (official contact page).
Reservation policy at White Horse
The bar is more flexible: walk-ins are welcome on Friday and Saturday from 15:00. The friction that does exist is informational — the older Tripadvisor listing marked closed can make the venue look inactive, and the current listing has only 9 reviews, so its online footprint is small next to long-established Sydney restaurants.
Booking tip: reserve for the restaurant; the Friday and Saturday bar is walk-in, so a last-minute drink is the lower-commitment plan.
The catch: the White Horse is bookable rather than exclusive; the real hurdle for a first-time guest is confirming the correct, current listing.
White Horse Surry Hills photos and design
Stallion sculpture and terrace
The venue’s signature visual is a large sculpture of a silver stallion, a literal take on the hotel’s name. The building operates across three storeys as a public hotel, and the official description references an outdoor terrace.
Critics have described the room warmly: Time Out praised the dining room alongside the food and pricing, and Good Food’s “highly tuned pub-restaurant with fine-dining chops” captures the mix of heritage pub fittings and restaurant-level service (Time Out Sydney).
What to watch: the stallion sculpture and terrace give the venue a distinctive look that photographs well, which matters for design-conscious visitors choosing a venue for a special meal.
Location and getting there
The White Horse stands at 381 Crown Street in Surry Hills, an inner-Sydney suburb on the edge of the city centre (official contact page). Crown Street runs through one of Sydney’s densest food-and-drink neighbourhoods, with restaurants and bars along the strip.
The location in brief: the location is simple to find: one address, one official contact page for hours, and a bar entry that does not need a reservation on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
Similar pubs and hotels in Surry Hills and Redfern
For readers weighing the White Horse against other pub-hotels in inner Sydney, the closest documented comparisons are the Strawberry Hills Hotel in Surry Hills and the Eveleigh Hotel in Redfern.
Strawberry Hills Hotel: History, Hours & Live Music in Surry Hills — a Surry Hills pub with a longer local history and live music.
The Eveleigh Hotel: Menu, Live Music & Accessibility in Redfern — a Redfern venue that publishes its menu and accessibility details.
The comparison in brief: the White Horse is the fine-dining-leaning option in this set; the other two bars sit closer to traditional hotel-pub territory.
Our pick: who the White Horse Surry Hills suits best
The White Horse Surry Hills is our pick for a sit-down meal that keeps a pub setting but aims at restaurant-level cooking.
- Diners seeking elevated pub food: the produce-led menu and native-ingredient focus provide the point of difference.
- Reservation-reliant guests: the restaurant takes bookings, and the official contact page publishes lunch, dinner and Sunday windows.
- Casual bar visitors: the Friday and Saturday bar service from 15:00 accepts walk-ins.
- Design-conscious visitors: the silver stallion sculpture, three-storey setting and terrace give the venue a memorable look.
Final call: book the restaurant for the meal; use the bar when you want the same room with less commitment.
The short version: the White Horse Surry Hills is a three-storey pub-restaurant at 381 Crown Street with executive chef Jed Gerrard in the kitchen, a set menu plus à la carte, and a walk-in bar on Friday and Saturday from 15:00. Book the restaurant; the bar is the low-commitment option.
White Horse Surry Hills: frequently asked questions
Where is the White Horse Surry Hills located?
At 381 Crown Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW 2010, on one of the suburb’s main dining strips.
What are the opening hours for the restaurant?
Lunch runs Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 15:00; dinner runs Tuesday to Saturday from 17:30; Sunday service runs from 12:00 to 21:00 with the last booking at 19:30.
Is the bar open for walk-ins?
Yes. The bar opens Friday and Saturday from 15:00, and the official contact page notes that walk-ins are welcome.
What type of cuisine is served?
Elevated Australian modern cuisine with ethically sourced produce and native ingredients such as native thyme, warrigal greens and desert lime.
Is there a set menu option?
Yes. The venue lists a set menu option alongside à la carte; the 2024 critic reviews did not itemise the set menu’s contents or price.
What is the signature dish?
The listed highlight is the sourdough with fermented honey butter. Critics also singled out the butter-poached Western Australian marron, priced at A$58 in the May 2024 Good Food review.
How can I book a table at the White Horse Surry Hills?
Through the official website’s contact page. Reservations are recommended for the restaurant, while the Friday and Saturday bar service accepts walk-ins.
What is the price range for a meal?
In the 2024 reviews, snacks started at A$24, mains ran A$34–A$58, desserts were A$16–A$18, and Good Food estimated about A$180 for two people excluding drinks.