The Mount Kembla Village Hotel welcomes everyone with genuine warmth and country charm. With 16 beers on tap, a thoughtfully curated wine list, a wide range of spirits, and a menu crafted by a talented chef, there’s something for every taste. The wood fired pizzas are a local favourite, and the morning buzz of our coffee shop keeps the village thriving. Weekends come alive with live music, showcasing the best of local talent. They are also one of the few hotels free from poker machines, focusing instead on community, connection, and good times.

Built in 1898, the hotel first served the miners working the nearby coal seams. Today, the crowd is delightfully varied—an older man with his beer, a couple on a date, parents with a chip-loving toddler, a birthday group, uni students, and me with my friend Shanny on crutches. Everyone kindly asks about her injury, making this a genuinely welcoming local hub.

Lunch is served from 12pm to 3pm, offering all the classic pub favourites, think schnitzels, fish and chips, steaks, and a wood-fired pizza menu available both during lunch and from 3pm onwards. We arrived around 2:30pm, so order a few entree’s off the main menu and two pizzas to share.

There are several spaces within the hotel, I can see myself sitting on one of these chesterfields by the warm fire in winter…

But as its a lovely Spring day, we opt to sit out in the beer garden and watch the wood-fired pizzas being prepared.

First to arrive is the cheesy garlic bread, soft on the inside, crispy on the base, and generously topped with wonderfully melted cheese.

Next up are the duck spring rolls, and they’re huge! The filling is excellent, packed with vegetables, glass noodles, and generous chunks of duck, not the usual minced filling. The homemade Nước chấm dipping sauce adds a salty, fiery kick, and the finely chopped salad is dressed beautifully.

We choose a pizza each to share. I go for the capriccosa which comes with anchovies, mushrooms, olives, capers and cherry tomatoes. Its a hearty pizza and not to overdone with the anchovies. We especially like the pizza leoparding, that describes the small, charred spots on the pizza crust, formed by high heat and well-fermented dough that blisters, creating its signature speckled look.

But our absolute favourite is the MKVH Prosciutto. This pizza, topped with generous slices of prosciutto, potato, and rosemary on a garlic and olive oil base, is beautifully crafted and absolutely delicious.

If you’re in the Wollongong area, the Mount Kembla Village Hotel is definitely worth a stop. The food is excellent, the pizzas are delicious, and the service is warm and welcoming.

Mount Kembla Village Hotel

Wollongong

Sydney

Australia