Embers at The Charming Squire

Overview

What's better than a microbrewery that serves both food and brews? A venue that pumps out its own beers and offers patrons two distinctive dining and drinking spaces. That's what happened at The Charming Squire, with the South Bank venue splitting its floorplan to welcome a new woodfired grill and rotisserie restaurant.

Having opened its doors in 2021, Embers at The Charming Squire is the fancier sibling to the existing Brewhouse. Where the latter skews casual, this relative newcomer is all about levelling up your lunch or dinner. And while it's definitely located inside The Charming Squire, this space-within-a-space has its own entrance, vibe, and wood-heavy decor.

Able to seat 177, including in booths for five to ten people, at low tables and outdoors, Embers at The Charming Squire is filled with timber. Seasoned Charming Squire guests will recognise the layout, but the look has been tweaked — including via dashes of greenery. The look suits the culinary theme, given that it focuses on a fire-fuelled menu that heroes wood-roasted, smoked and grilled dishes and meals finished over ironbark coals.

Standout options include dishes with lamb, given that a whole lamb is slow-cooked every weekend and then broken up into plates — such as the wood-roasted lamb with potatoes, peppers and pebre salsa. The grain-fed rib fillet is served with bearnaise sauce, carrots and jus, while the charcoal chicken comes with pickles, lemon and green beans.

Other highlights span gnocchi with local mushrooms, truffle, stracciatella and sage butter from the vegetable-focused section of the menu, and grilled octopus with tomato, peppers, shallots and olives from among the seafood dishes. Or, there's Moreton Bay squid, mushroom and truffle arancini balls, and fresh natural or kilpatrick oysters — all from the small-plates range.

If you're after something sweet following your meal, dessert options include pineapple souffle with coconut crumble, banoffee pie and an affogato with salted caramel ice cream.

Drinks-wise, more than 100 bottles of wine will tempt your vino-loving tastebuds, with Australian reds comprising more than half the list. James Squire's beers obviously feature, including tipples brewed in-house.

And the cocktail selection skews towards the classics, with the highly skilled bartenders willing to make you whatever you like, so long as they've got the ingredients at hand.