Granite Belt Brewery — Restaurant in Stanthorpe

Would recommend this place to anyone. After a slightly frosty welcome we dropped our cases in the room and popped into the bar for a quick drink. The barman was very helpful and his knowledge of all the beers was perfect. He first asked what I would normally drink and worked out a tester paddle for me. I soon found the beer I liked and had another. We decided after a long drive to just have our meal at the restaurant. We were warned up front that this was the first night of the menu. By this time we were hungry and decided to be a couple of guinea pigs. We were so glad we did. We opted for a two course and both meals were outstanding. The evening meal standard caused us to eat there for the rest of our stay. While eating our meal Dave asked if we would like the same drinks as earlier. This impressed me that he know already what we liked. By the second day as I walked in he asked The usual? Perfect service from the bartender. On the 3 nights we dined all waiting staff were excellent and explained the food perfectly they were all so very friendly. On the second day I walked out the back of our suite to find two roos fighting. It was just brilliant to watch. I bumped into Dee who was at reception. I asked her if there was any walking and cycling track. She handed me a map and was very helpful in the way she described how to follow the map. She also knew a lot about the forest up the road. It was perfect for runners, walkers and mountain biking. We also noticed that it was used as a horse trail also. All of this made it the perfect location for us. we had a fantastic break walking and biking around the area. On checkout we bumped into Dee again and found her the perfect host. She knows the area like the back of her hand and is very willing to offer it all with a huge smile. We have already been talking about returning with our family.

The whole visit was near perfect for me but for a couple of little niggles. The slightly frost arrival. We know this wouldn't have happened if it had be Dee at reception. The (included) cooked breakfast. Not even close to the meals at night.

Would in no way put me...

When I think of craft beer I think of millennials with beard extensions crowd funding a beer boutique startup so it was cause for celebration to discover can not only be grown up it can be mastered. My wife and I spent an hour at the bar sampling these strong, full gluten and lactose, deep flavoured ales of such diversity and depth that we found our favourites shifting and changing the more we drank.

Stanthorpe is an oddity in Queensland. It’s rugged mountain country bombarded with builders of granite. Even in the middle of summer there’s a chill in the small hours. To us though – beyond its majesty and rawness, is the warmth and kindness of the people. We’ve travelled a very large radius around Brisbane well into the small towns and off the beaten track motels and bnbs and as a kiwi and Chinese couple we often encounter apprehension and even cold stares the further we stray. This is never the case in Stanthorpe. We always feel welcome here and I assume this towns reliance on seasonal labour has created an affection for visitors.

With our daughter staying at her grandparents house this was time just for me and the wife and a cabin at the Granite Belt brewery was exactly what we needed. The rooms are rustic but immaculate and scented with hours of burning fireplaces. The bathrooms are lovely with the only grumble being single ply toilet paper. Honestly people – deal with this.

The staff made us feel immediately at home. Dee is pure sugar – the sweetest person you’ll meet and you settle in immediately. This establishment is run by a family. It won’t run with the same clockwork precision as a Park Royal but you will be made to feel like you belong here and few hotels achieve that. The menu came as no surprise – steak, chips, battered fish and bratwurst but we were both surprised by how well it was cooked and the depth of flavour. The bratwurst was delicious and the fish white, light and flakey. We washed this down with the houses Indian pale ale.

Our stay was rejuvenating and we’ll definitely be...

Lost opportunity for the brewery here. Had to find the entrance to the brewery in the dark. No lights in the car park which poses a safety risk. We had a dinner booking at 19:30. Waited 5 mins before anyone acknowledged us. Not a great first impression. Menu was limited and you were forced to buy two courses regardless of what you wanted. Was not given a drinks menu and had to ask for one. When we ordered drinks, they took a very long time to come out, even though the barmen was not busy, rather polishing glasses. This would indicate that the drinks order wasn’t put into the pos for over 10 mins, not great service. I ordered a 4x 200ml paddle. Coming from Brisbane we have excellent breweries to choose from. To my disappointment, the beers at granite belt were not on the same level of quality as what I am used to. The flavour was not there. The pick of the beers was the Irish red ale, nice use of hops and malt, was flavoursome.

The food was expensive. The beef cheeks were ok, but the beef was dry and over cooked. Sauce was lacklustre and needed to be seasoned. The cheeseboard for dessert was a joke. Given the $45 we paid for two courses, I received 6 crackers and two small pieces of cheese, would of been under 30 grams of cheese. The cheeseboard came with a few walnuts and a paste also. My partner got the apple crumble with ice cream. It was presented well but was a small serving. Apple crumble tasted great.

Was not a great experience for our family. Missed the mark with most of the issues I raised. It’s frustrating as the problems are easy fixes, which would turn this review in the future from a fail to a pass. I may give Granite Belt Brewery another try in 2 or 3 years. Until than, I wish...