‘A meeting place for the public’: Denmark Hotel reborn after almost a century of service

Built in 1926 and a stalwart for after work drinks, weekend imbibing and short-term lodging in the small, coastal town of Denmark, The Denmark Hotel is rebooting its approach to hospitality, while respectfully honouring its history.

After significant renovations and a rethink of drinks, food and accommodation with new operators at the helm, the expansive venue is opening in a timely fashion to service locals and tourists seeking respite in the summer holidays, and well beyond.

While plenty has changed, the local icon has retained much of its original character, and general managers Ryan O’Meara and Andries Mostert are ensuring the pub remains a watering hole that stays true to its Aussie pub values.

“A pub should be a meeting place for the public, where people can catch up over a drink or a meal, it’s something every town needs and that’s what we feel we have provided,” O’Meara tells us. “Judging by the reception from the public in our first few days, I think they would agree; the familiar faces who keep coming back and have visited multiple times in our first few days is really great to see.”

That ethos extends to food as well, with Ali Osbourne behind the pass dishing up what she describes as ‘elevated pub classics’, emphasising an abundance of great local produce from the area.

“We love local; we’re using burgers made by Buck and Mechelle at the Denmark butcher, Kransky made by Josh at the Plantagenet butcher, strawberries, festival lettuce, zucchini and cucumbers from Torbay, line caught wild fish and Albany Rock Oysters from Great Southern seafoods, and cheese from Dellendale Cheese,” Osbourne explains.

“We’ve worked hard to craft an offering led by the community and we’re all-inclusive, offering a culinary experience that everyone can enjoy”.

And then of course there’s drinks. A top notch, local-centric wine list is a given thanks to O’Meara and Mostert’s backgrounds in the wine world – the former behind small batch producer Express Winemakers, and the latter running natural wine label, Brave New Wine. Firmly in grape growing territory, the duo knows how important a fine-tuned list is alongside local beer and spirits – something that will carry over to the incoming Denmark Drops bottleshop.

“We’re looking forward to opening the bottle shop as there hasn’t been somewhere to buy a good bottle of wine in town for years. We have an extensive local selection as well as some favourites grown and made by friends of ours in other parts of the country, and old-world classics from Barolo to Beaujolais.”

The venue, bottle shop and motel have all been carefully renovated to reveal the hotel’s original features, alongside some tasteful updates as well as hidden details long forgotten, including original Jarrah floorboards and a preserved brick fireplace in the venue’s bistro space – all now features of the hotel.

“It’s such a great setting, and pairs well with Chef Ali Osbourne’s menu which is delicious from top to bottom – my favourites are the Sesame prawn toast fingers with ponzu and the ricotta gnocchi with mushroom ragu,” says O’Meara.

Head to hoteldenmark.com.au for more info.

Image Credit: Supplied/Nic Duncan