A favourite old Brisbane building, the historic Ship Inn Hotel , is open for business after an amazing transformation.
Originally a private home, the building became the Ship Inn in 1879. History has been respected in the latest round of renovations, but there’s a great funky street bar feel to it.
The pub has a strong focus on food, and their Rosette awarded head chef Mark Ford has developed an extensive seafood-based menu to tempt diners.
Alfresco dining is available along the pavement in front of the entrance and on the terrace to the side where a tapas menu is available.
Menu items to choose from range from Hickory smoked salmon salad and Moreton Bay bugs panfried with coconut cream, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, onion, basil, chilli and coriander to Barramundi with butter sauce of macadamias, capers, lemon, parsley and coriander.
In a tasty point of difference, the restaurant pays particular heed to oysters and moules, offering nine different oyster selections and three mussel choices.
The Ship Inn offers a great pub experience.Oyster selections include oysters with mango and chilli; pickled ginger lime and chilli, frozen champagne, tarragon vinegar, pickled ginger and black pepper or jalapeno vodka shooters.
Choose mussels cooked in white wine, cream and herbs; mussels with coconut cream, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, onion, basil, chilli and coriander; or with chorizo, tomato, chilli, white wine, onion and basil.
A blackboard menu also offers additional seafood dishes, according to what’s in season. Be sure to look out for the “Smashed crab”.
They only work with fresh seafood – so if it’s in season, expect to find it on the menu but if it’s the wrong time of year, don’t ask for it!
If you don’t eat seafood there’s still plenty to choose from. There’s an extensive range of meaty options including Wagyu rump, eye fillet, Cajun chicken and steak and mushroom pie.
The Ship Inn offers a great pub experience with great food and a touch of the exotic thrown in.
Ship Inn history
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Building started as a house on the corner of Stanley and Sidon streets in 1874
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A hotel license was first applied for in 1877, and the building comprised four sitting rooms, seven bedrooms, owner accommodation and outbuildings
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In 1877, the building was offered for sale under the name Acton House and was sold as a vacant hotel in 1878
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Building was licensed in 1879 as the Ship Inn by William Munro
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Situated opposite Brisbane’s first dry dock – formed part of the Stanley Street commercial hub in the early 1880s. Lessees over the years include William Munro, GW Gray (1882), Thomas Pyrah (1892), Castlemaine Brewery and Quinlan, Gray and Co, Brisbane Limited (c1895), T Manning (1899), PHC Rumpf (1901) EA Beatty (1905-1909), and John Gaffney (served as South Brisbane Mayor)
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Owners include Peter and Margaret Gaffney (1870s), nephew John Gaffney, WJ O’Hagan (>1929), EM Donnelly, HG and EM Porter (1945), Stefano Degioranni (1950), Arthur and Ivy Morgan (c1951), Queensland Brewery Limited – which became Carlton and United Breweries (1963-1984)
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After the 1893 flood, Brisbane’s commercial focus moved from Stanley Street to Queen Street. Floodwaters at the time understood to have reached halfway up Ship Inn’s lower level
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1979 the Ship Inn closed, run down and under threat of demolition. Windows boarded up in 1983
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Site was resumed in 1984 by the World Expo Authority
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Original building was extended to three times its size and a large portion was rebuilt in preparation for World Expo 1988
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Building sold to Kevin Seymour post Expo and, until recently, was used as a catering school
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Major additions/alterations made in 1880s, 1920s, 1950s and 1987
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Griffith University bought the Ship Inn in August 2000
