Pub of the Week: The Kingston Hotel, Richmond
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The Kingston Hotel
Where: 55 Highett St, Richmond
Phone: 9428 5841
Internet: www.thekingston.com.au
SCORE: 15/20
AUGUST 7
VENUE: The Kingston Hotel, set in the middle of a perfect Richmond back street, Highett, with the unassuming West Richmond station 50 metres up the road, has been a mainstay of better level dining and drink for a number of decades.
Heritage colours dominate the exterior; brick archway, leadlight windows, welcome you in and at ground level the small front bar is set into two, a highlight being a table and chairs in front of the fireplace with the footy gently providing the entertainment. (Free tip: Book ahead, claim this space for a wonderful afternoon.)
To the right and down slightly, is an airy, light, enclosed deck bar for dining and socialising and descending lower, the sweetly set out dining room, spacious and colourful, sits against the beer garden.
This is so well thought out, and best of all, the Kingston backs it up with innovative food and drink, and an excellent service culture.
There are some pubs in Melbourne that are truly beautiful, almost too nice to put a step out of place. St. Andrews Hotel, Fitzroy is one such: The Kingston is another. Just go and see for yourself. It is still a pub!!
MENU: Fine pub food, smartly presented and offering real value. All sections of the menu have points of difference making choice difficult.
Lets head to the starters: Housemade sausage rolls (3/$16.5) tomato relish, are large morsels of delight, chicken pâté ($17), fennel jam, crostini and pickled veggies is a perfect share. While homemade prawn and chives dumplings (5/$19) chilli oil and spring onion are a level above your standard offering.
Mains: The pub classics are an honour roll of favourites. Fish and chips. Rockling beer battered fillet served with tartare sauce, house salad and fries or a large; golden chicken schnitzel with coleslaw, lemon and fries both are priced at $31. Pie of the day – Chicken and leek, fully plated is a monstrous beast @$34, and if it’s pasta, for something different, homemade potato gnocchi, gorgonzola cheese sauce, candied walnuts and crispy sage, $33.
Plenty of beer on tap, the Carlton D @$7.5/pot was well presented, while plenty of choice also from the wine section, e.g, Leo Buring Riesling is $14pg.
Average Prices:
Entrees/Starters: $18
Mains: $32
Desserts: $16.5
Surcharges: 10 per cent Sundays/15 per cent Public Holidays
Beer: Carlton D Pot $7.5
Wine: $14.5 pg
Roast: Not stated
Tab: No
Pokies: No
Jack Ginnivan Steak Index (JGSI): This week; Kingston, Richmond. Porterhouse, southern ranges, grass fed MB4+ (28 days) 250g. Served with potatoes and salad, $45.
HIGHLIGHT/S:
Entree: Scallop shell pie (M). Scallop, mussel, prawn and green curry sauce – two pieces/$19. One of the starters of 2026. The shellfish works brilliantly with the light curry sauce, neatly sitting underneath a fine pastry covering. Tasty, generous, perfect start.
Something Different to Eat: Entrees. Empanadas with housemade red chimichurri, filled with cauliflower, pine nuts and cumin, $7.5/each.
What sets these one apart is the choice of filling. The pastie is also filled with beef, chopped hard egg, green olives, spices to more genuinely reflect its European origins. Whichever is chosen, you will be well satisfied.
Summary: The Kingston holds a special place in Melbourne’s pub rock history, this being the spot where Paul Kelly and the High Rise Bombers filled the small room with late 70s classics such as ‘Promise Not To Tell’ and ‘This Trains headed for Derailment’.
It has become one of the most bankable pubs over the journey, so beautifully set out across three levels without losing its pub roots.
Never out of form, this version of the Kingston stands up brilliantly against its many faces over the journey.
Any special occasion? Yep, it’s right here.