The Paddington

Overview

Since Merivale's reincarnation of the Oxford Street pub, The Paddington has gone on to capture the hearts of patrons with a casual but slick atmosphere and delicious menu (more on that later).

First things first, you'll need to plan ahead. Because when it's busy — which is often — you'll struggle to find a table to rest your beer or wine glass on. On a weeknight, it's not unusual to have most seats filled in the loosely defined dining areas with a consistent flow of customers at the public bar downstairs, as well as the cocktail bar up top.

When it comes to the food, old-fashioned pub fare this is not.

It's often smart to start simple, so why go past a warm baguette with whipped butter and half dozen Sydney rock oysters? Or you could go a little fancier with a spicy mayo-topped lobster spring roll. By now your cocktails will be in hand. You can go with a fizz, a spritz or a Mary, but we recommend starting off with a 'White Lotus' made with Merivale Midday Gin, native peach, jasmine, lemon myrtle, fizz. It's the perfect aperitif while you mull over what to order for a main...

... Which should be the chicken. Chef Ben Greeno famously installed three custom-built rotisseries for the job. His free-range Bannockburn chooks are brined and roasted on the spit and are really that good. They'll change how you see roast chicken on a menu (which, at The Paddington, is half or whole). The gravy, fries and side salad it's served with is just a bonus.

That late-night menu available after 10.30pm also hits the mark. Those succulent roast chicken and bacon sandwiches will come in handy because the pub is open until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights — the suburbs are well and truly back, you guys!

Images: Byron Martin for PADDO(Collective)