Republic Dining

Ph: (02) 9252 6522; 3rd Floor, Pitt St & Bridge St, Sydney 2000 www.republichotel.com

Contemporary, $$ +
Open Lunch Mon-Fri from noon; Licensed; AE DC MC V, Seats inside 80, private room
Chef (Chris Coolahan, 2007-11-3) Owner (Patrick Ryan, 2007-11-3)

Mietta's Review
It's a bit of a climb up tho this restaurant on the 3rd floor of the refurbished Republic Hotel but it's worth it. An attractive room, well fitted-out with clothhed tables topped with paper. Really excellent brasserie dishes from chef, Philippe Pinson, who made his mark at Quay. Understandably the flavours are essentially French and well-balanced. Service is very professional if a little stretched when full. This is a hidden island of peace in the middle of the CBD. Prices for both food and wine are very fair (mains $28) particularly for th quality.

Other published opinions

Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2008 Score: 14/20 "Take the lift next to the crowded downstairs bar, past the noisy sports bar and the more unisex lounge bar"

Sydney Eats 2008 "In this long, thin room on the third floor of an 1822 pub, chef Chris Coolahan turns out simple and elegant food for men in dark suits and their female equivalents"

Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2007 Score: 14/20 "On the third floor of the Republic Hotel, this is a long, narrow space, with a banquette down one wall from which to admire the beautifully paned windows. There's also a bar, a peephole into the kitchen, and - this being the financial end of town - no shortage of men in suits with booming voices (best try elsewhere for a quiet lunch)."

Sydney Eats 2006 "It's amusing to speculate what the original patrons of the Republic Hotel, built in 1865, would make of the elegant but starkly modern renovation and succession of smart chefs currently Chris Coolahan - in their old watering hole"

SMH Good Living Good Eating Mathew Evans 24/8/04 score 14/20 "What could easily be another anonymous pub dining room is defined not just by the excellent fit-out but also by good service and perfect brasserie food for the price, courtesy of chef Philippe Pinson."

SMH Good Food Guide 2005 Score 14/20 "A piece of advice: take the lift. You want to be fully rested to enjoy this lunch spot hidden on the third floor of the Republic Hotel. It serves food more than a few steps up from your standard pub fare, but that's no surprise to anyone who's tried Philippe Pinson's (ex-Quay) food before. Lift doors open to reveal a long room that is simple yet inviting, with whitecloth'd tables flanked by smart (and comfy) burgundy-coloured chairs. While the maincourse prices have shot up to a high of $30, this change is mirrored in the quality and finesse of the meals."

Sydney Eats 2005 "This elegant city bistro occupies the upper floor of a handsomely renovated pub. Simple but well-executed food, an unfussy tone and efficient service make it a perfect and popular spot for CBD lunch meetings. Prices are straightforward, too, though up enough from last year to bump it into this chapter: $18 entrees, $24 mains, $12 desserts."

SMH GFG 2004,Score 13/20,'smart,narrow dining room with Bridge glimpses and polished timber floors.Local workers can't wait to sit on the padded burgundy-coloured chairs and make the most of the prices,with mains at a staggeringly reasonable $20.'