Durty Nelly's in Paddington has Been Reborn as The Village Inn
Serving up burwiches and stout-braised lamb, this modern establishment pays dues to its past.
It sits on the site that previously housed Irish pub Durty Nelly’s, but somehow Leeroy Petersen’s new venture The Village Inn — which replaces fiddle players and Guinness with hammered glass wall lights and burwiches — seems like a more appropriate fixture for The Intersection in the heart of Paddington’s fashion hub.
Petersen and team have completely refurbished the 160-year-old establishment, uncovering convict-hewn bricks in the process. The finished product is slick but pays its dues to the site’s colonial past — all exposed brick, leather banquettes, wall tiling and solid wooden floors. Plus they’ve added a hand-wrought communal bar, and obligatory kitsch in the form of old well-worn boxing gloves hanging from the walls.
Under the guidance of head chef Noel Phear (previously of Macleay Street Bistro), the Village Inn folk are serving up drool-worthy comfort food for lunch and dinner. The star of the show seems to be the Big Bad Wolf burwich (that’s a cross between a burger and a sandwich), an artery-clogging tower of smoked ham, pork belly, bacon, fried egg and gruyere, served on a milk bun with a side of hand-cut fries.
For those of you not looking to eat yourselves into an early grave, they've also got a selection of salads named after nearby streets (like the Rowe, with beets and cashews) and twists on classic pub meals, including stout-braised lamb shank — a throwback to the Durty Nelly days (except it’s served with white truffle and chive mash). Beverage-wise, you can choose from a considered wine list or the selection of bottle and tap beers at the bar.
Topping things off, upstairs you'll find the Print Room, the old world wine and cocktail bar Petersen opened last year. He’s nothing if not committed to his plan to reclaim the heritage of Paddington Village.
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