Ogre Brewing Co. & Tap House
Sadly, Ogre Brewing has been a victim of the pandemic and has permanently closed its doors.
For a casual eatery in McLaren Vale, head over to our restaurant page and see what the McLaren Hotel, Oscars and Vasarelli have to offer. Or, a bit further away, check out the amazing Victory Hotel.
Lunch & Dinner
PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Casual Food
Bookings
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For far too long the building that used to house the McLaren Vale institution ‘The Barn’ has been standing empty and left a big void in McLaren Vales' casual dining scene. But the long wait was worth it with the great crew from the Mullygrub Cafe setting up their new venture: Ogre Brewing Company and Tap House - perfectly positioned to fill that gap of casual dining.
We know, the name Ogre creates some instant associations but no, Ogre has got nothing to do with Shrek (not a good reference to food) but is a nod to the Latvian heritage of the owners: Ogre is a town in Latvia and pronounced more like French Ogree rather than the legendary monster.
A lovely warm and jovial atmosphere welcomes you across multiple separate smaller and larger dining areas (we love the old vine covered patio - now fully covered to protect you from the elements and with heaters to keep you warm in winter), with plenty of friendly staff ready to make sure you have an enjoyable experience. Typical for a casual tap house, you order at a counter and get your drinks from the bar.
The food on offer is a lovely mix of the typical Australian brewery food (think burgers & chicken wings) but there is also quite an interesting selection of Asian inspired food available across both, starters and main courses.
For our first visit, we very much enjoyed both our mains - the traditional burger as well as a Thai red curry with beef cheeks – accompanied by one of their house brewed beers (in addition to their own brew, there are also several ‘guest’ brews available on tap) and some local wine.
On our second visit (with the burgers having remained as a staple, but the other main courses having changed), we had some lovely mushroom gnocchi and a (slightly salty but otherwise delicious) slow cooked & pressed lamb shoulder.
And for more traditional pub food, it's hard to not go for a Latvian Schnitzel, with speck and sauerkraut - just yummy.
All in all, a very pleasant and enjoyable experience for a casual night out or to pick up some delicious take away to bring back to your cottage.
At Karawatha Cottages you can choose from three luxurious cottages - each individually furnished and fully equipped - ideal for a short-break or weekend getaway in McLaren Vale - or a longer stay to explore all the food & wine, our beaches and the Fleurieu Peninsula
Already decided on your favourite cottage?
There is no better place to book your McLaren Vale accommodation than direct with us - better rates, later check-out, a complimentary set of wine pourer and the opportunity to organise extras (from cheese platters and bubbles to bespoke experiences) already today.