Take a trip to The Doonan – a garden-themed pub nestled behind Noosa
Described as more of a plant nursery than a pub, The Doonan makes greenery a major drawcard. With sprawling lawns, lovingly maintained garden beds and olive trees sprouting up all around the 2-ha property, The Doonan feels like an oasis, even amongst the leafy surrounds of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The newest concept from the Comiskey Group is pairing its lush setting with a paddock-to-plate menu showcasing the best local produce, a drinks list that will have the cocktail cravers and beer seekers satisfied, and plenty of places to seat a group of friends or family. Take a look inside …
The Doonan, the Comiskey Group’s jaw-dropping new pub located in the rolling hills of the Sunshine Coast hinterland, is a project that director Rob Comiskey has been planning since 2006. After acquiring the 2-ha site, which is an eight-minute drive from Noosa, the accomplished publican (who also operates Eatons Hill Hotel and the Sandstone Point Hotel, among many others) and The Doonan’s co-owners (and hospitality veterans) Josh Jones and Neville Allen, started putting plans in motion for what would become his portfolio’s shining jewel. The Doonan opened unexpectedly on Thursday March 2, but it didn’t take long for locals to find out – there was already a waitlist of 4000 eager to snag a table once the venue launched.
The first wave of visitors were greeted by sprawling and immaculately landscaped lawns, herb gardens in large planter boxes, life-filled garden beds and greenery occupying nearly every nook and cranny on the property. Anchoring the hub is a pre-existing red-roofed brick building (formerly home to a German restaurant), which has been lovingly renovated to house an internal bar and function space. Surrounding the structure are extensive alfresco dining areas and beer gardens, while a large outdoor playground for kids, an ice creamery and cellar door are set to be unveiled soon.
When it comes to The Doonan’s culinary offering, guests are in for a real treat. Paddock-to-plate fare crafted from locally sourced produce is central to the offering, exemplified by the split and grilled Mooloolaba prawns with garlic butter, burnt lime and fennel, the crumbed hinterland pork cutlet with burnt butter, zucchini, fennel salad and lemon, and the Coral Coast barramundi with Noosa heirloom tomatoes, cucumber and local leaves.
Other standout dishes include the old -school hero roll with pulled chicken breast, local crab and zucchini fritters, and the Neapolitan-style pizza selection, which is cooked in an imported Marana rotary pizza oven. Craft beer made from local Sunshine Coast breweries pumps through the bar taps, though sippers can also quaff signature, classic and shared cocktails, as well as wines from Australia, New Zealand and further abroad.
The Doonan is now open for lunch and dinner seven-days a week – head to the Stumble Guide for more information.
This article was written by James Frostick from The Weekend Edition.
