Very dangerous ales at the Milton Hotel

On a recent visit to the South Coast we drove to the tiny and attractive town of Milton for lunch. Milton is perched on a thin ridge, with hills and views either side and the escarpment towering in the distance. Unfortunately, like Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands – another favourite place – the main street is also the main highway. Cross if you dare. Once across, though, it's a place well worth spending time in.

 

The revamped Milton Hotel - on the corner of the main road in Milton.

We had lunch at the Milton Hotel and it was a revelation. For many years we’d been visiting Milton and seeing signs notifying everyone that the pub was being renovated and would open again soon. Well, all I can say is ‘not soon enough.’ This was our first visit and it didn’t disappoint. The space is several spaces, all interesting, including a stretching balcony overlooking the rolling hills of the South Coast.

 How to use a wood-fired oven - wood roasted fish and wood-fired prawns and flatbread.

 'I am very partial to dark beers and this was a dark beer heaven.' 

The food was terrific – their large open wood fired oven is a big feature. We had wood roasted fish with peas, crunchy samphire and clam velouté, wood fired prawns with curry butter, tamarind and lime and wood fired flatbread with smoked mussel butter. 

Dark beer heaven.

Dangerous indeed

The wine list was small but interesting, with some unusual gems, and as befits a brewery whose handle is ‘dangerous ales’, the beer list was dangerous indeed. I am very partial to dark beers and this was a dark beer heaven. I had to drink midis, a very small beer glass, so I could try more than one – a Munich-style dunkel and an aged stout. Two small orange chocolates at local chocolatier, Woodside Chocolates, finished my meal.

Generous dining room with balcony and views over the rolling hills.

We then headed South to Malua Bay, of course stopping in at legendary sourdough bakery, Lagom, tucked in beside the bridge at Burrill Lake, just along from an equally legendary fish and chip shop.

© Stephen Cassidy 2025

See also

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 The Asian food century begins in Sydney
‘Almost ten years ago much fuss was made of the rapidly looming Asian Century, full of challenge and promise. I was working in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet at the time as Director of the National Cultural Policy Task Force. The discussion White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century being developed at the same time seemed part of a similar big picture approach to Australia's future. Today it seems even more relevant than in those times of more strategic governments. In Sydney you get a much sharper sense of the Asian Century – and its culinary reflection, the Asian food century’, The Asian food century begins in Sydney.

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