The Kingston

Overview

From the team behind Public House's multimillion-dollar refurb comes this latest incarnation of The Kingston. A $1.5 million makeover has given the 168-year-old Highett Street pub an impressively refreshed public bar and parlour, and sophisticated new dining room dubbed Marble & Pearl.

The historic front bar is now a vision of timber panelling and dapper leather banquettes, with a deck overlooking the new-look beer garden. Here, you're in for elevated public bar fare — yellowfin tuna niçoise ($39), wagyu beef burgundy pie ($35), and pork or duck bangers with mash ($32/34). Oh, and maybe some caviar and a retro-leaning prawn cocktail ($28) with a spiced pineapple whisky sour ($24) to start.

Down the stairs sits the light-filled Marble & Pearl. With its chic pops of marble and sea-green tones, and a caviar cart doing the rounds (nab a caviar bump with Grey Goose vodka for $25), this isn't your average pub restaurant. A dry-ageing cabinet and the kitchen's charcoal parrilla grill hint at the venue's strong meat focus; the work of Head Chef Yallambar Bantawa, who trained under Argentinian master Carlos Lopez.

A few carry-overs from the upstairs menu include the miso-glazed bone marrow ($22), crispy Brazilian pastéis ($9) and rich seafood chowder ($32), sitting alongside Marble & Pearl exclusives like a classic Peruvian red snapper ceviche ($25/38) (plus a vegan riff done with king browns and silken tofu ($21/34)) and hand-cut steak tartare ($22/40). Prepare to fall in love with the beef wellington, too, starring an O'Connors eye fillet and truffle mushroom duxelle ($68).

Premium seafood options abound, with the likes of southern rock lobster (grilled, or done mornay-style) ($MP), pan-fried whole flounder ($52) and buttery Alaskan king crab legs ($55/110). But it's the steak fiends who'll really be in heaven — there's no less than 11 cuts, all done on the parilla, and served with a housemade red and green chimichuri. Feeling glam? A swag of luxe add-ons runs from sliced foie gras to grilled lobster tail.