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The iconic Crown Inn has been nestled on Old Reynella’s main street for 170 years, creating memories for locals and a great time for visitors.
Last Wednesday the much-loved pub entered a new chapter and reopened following a $2 million renovation that spanned three months.
The launch welcomed nearby sporting clubs, long-time regulars and southern suburbs families through the doors, as new owners Harvest Hospitality unveiled the refreshed venue.
The renovations included an expanded bistro that can now seat 200, reactivated outdoor dining areas, a
refreshed sports bar and an upgraded façade.
Working alongside local builder Response Carpentry, the Crown Inn preserves the country pub charm it has long been known for.
One of the Crown Inn’s managers, Josh Rogers, said the venue had always been deeply connected to the local community.
“It’s the heart of the community. A lot of people really enjoy coming here and the experience we give them is certainly one of the reasons why,” Josh said.
“The atmosphere, the staff and the people, I think that’s what keeps everyone coming back.
“We’ve had the same regulars sitting in the front bar for all the years I’ve been here.
That doesn’t change. You get new people coming in and they start making it their home too.”
The grand opening hosted special guest and SA footy icon Graham Cornes, who grew up in the area and spent much of his youth around the pub, with one of his friend’s families owning the venue at the time.
He also played for the local football club at Reynella, and was invited to to partake in a Harvest tradition by pouring the first beer at the official reopening, ‘although the moment didn’t entirely go to plan.’
“Well-known for not drinking, Cornesy required a quick lesson by bar staff behind the taps,” the Crown Inn team shared.
“Patrons opting for a beer poured by one of the professionals instead!”
The renovations were intentionally kept classic to ensure that the venue still had the same indenity it’s so well known for.
“We aimed to evolve the pub, not reinvent it,” said Harvest CEO, Aaron Day.
“The pub has a natural country charm, and now it has some extra spaces and modern touches for the growing southern region,” Aaron said.
“There are 170 years of history and memories here, and many of our regulars have been coming here for decades, some for as long as fifty years. We wanted ot make sure that connection continues for them, and for the generations to come.”
And to make things even better the pub has unveiled an all new menu, because what’s a pub without a great feed.
Harvest Hospitality’s Head chef in SA, Bivek Prasain said the goal was to focus on elevated pub fare, made with extra attention to detail, and entirely from scratch.
“We still have the classics and the comfort food, but with a bit of a twist, it’s something different that sets us apart from every other pub,” Bivek said.
“I think the lamb shank pie will be our biggest seller, everyone’s going to love it.
“The curry is from my hometown (in Nepal), that’s something different that people around here probably haven’t tried before and it’s already becoming really popular.
“And, everyone loves a roast, but we do ours differently, marinating overnight in Rosemary overnight.
“Even our bangers and mash uses a custom product made for us in the Barossa.
“We want to keep things simple, but we put so much effort into every dish. Everything is done in-house.”
The Crown Inn is officially back open and the locals are happy they’ve got a second home to return to after months of waiting for it’s return.
The Crown Inn
When: Daily, lunch from 11.30am to 2.30pm and dinner from 5.30 – 8.30pm
Where: 208-210 Old S Rd, Old Reynella SA 5161
For more info, click here.
