The Old Fitz in Woolloomooloo bills itself as a “local pub for local people” but this beloved locals’ reputation has spread far and wide. Foodies come for the Nik Hill accolade-loaded, best-of-british, bar-food menu, arts lovers for the live theatre productions, and tourists and locals alike for the money-cant-buy genuine character oozing out of every crevice in this 150 years old establishment.
A gentle renovation just over 12 months ago pleased locals and attracted even more tourists as did the awards and reviews for the best pub grub in town. Trivia nights and Monday Night Dart Club were popular as was the meat tray raffle. Doilies somehow worked, in a non-ironic way.
Covid-19 put a quick stop to all that but we are very pleased to say the pub grub is back (take-away only) and there’s plans afoot for the revival of the meat tray raffle too.
Hill told us there were two good reasons for the food offerings reappearing.
“Firstly we have a staff member in the kitchen who is very valuable to us and has been an integral part of building the food reputation of the Old Fitzroy. He is not eligible for any benefits from the government during this crisis and we are doing what we can to help him cover living expenses,” Hill said.
“Secondly - I was going nuts, we all were. To go from 55 hours a week doing what we do, to being told it’s all over with 12 hours notice is a shock to the system and daily routine. There's only so much banana bread you wanna make at home. Trust me!”
Hill is also keen to “keep the spirit of what we have built in the past 12-14 months alive and as we have such a valuable and loyal community of locals who have been coming to the Old Fitz for decades it's about them as much as anyone else.”
The new food, beer and wine menu changes every Wednesday, when you can pre-order up until Friday midnight and pick up your order on Saturday 3-5pm. Walk-up options for all the bakery items are available on the day as well. Some food is offered hot and some will need re-heating so with a bit of planning your weekend food is sorted, easily till Sunday night.
Hill explains that “the menu will be an accessible version of what we were looking to serve during this period anyway. As winter is prime time for the Fitz we want that hearty comfort food to still be available for takeaway”.
Expect pies a plenty, the ever popular chip butty and some bakery items including an Ortiz anchovy and onion Danish, oat buns with piccalilli and cheddar, stout honey custard tart, sausage roll by the inch and the return of the much requested pork pie tart with queens mustard.
As restrictions change weekly The Old Fitz will continue this offering for the foreseeable future and reopen to full capacity when they consider it is safe and worthwhile to do so. Until then, says Hill, “we’re hoping to see our favourite punters at the bakery counter!”
So that’s the food sorted - all you need now is a dart board, a chihuahua, and couple of crotchet hooks for the home-made doily setting you’ll be rustling up this winter.
