The hospitality crew behind top-flight restaurants has expanded its portfolio with the addition of a history-laden pub. The group is now the operator at the helm of the Commercial Hotel Boonah, with the heritage-listed gem the recipient of a gentle facelift. Now boasting improved amenities, a refreshed menu of elevated pub classics, a newly launched beer garden and an on-site microbrewery, the Commie is entering a new era as a must-visit destination in the Scenic Rim.
You read that right – Ghanem Group is running pubs now. The heavyweight hospitality juggernaut behind the likes of Blackbird, Donna Chang, Luc Lac and Byblos is entering new territory in 2025, broadening its interests with the acquisition of two storied establishments.
A few months back, Ghanem Group announced that it had taken custodianship of the Fox Hotel and was enacting plans to revitalise the storied South Brisbane establishment before relaunching at the end of the year. But, unbeknownst to many, the family-owned organisation was already finding its sea legs in the realm of pub-style service, with the team secretly plugging away at a similar, if slightly smaller, restoration project in the Scenic Rim.
Boonah’s Commercial Hotel is the latest addition to Ghanem Group’s swelling portfolio. The stately structure – first established in 1905 – is a quintessential example of a rural Queensland public house, oozing character and charm.
Though its new operators have looked to restore and upgrade many of the Commercial Hotel’s amenities, much of the pub’s old-fashioned appeal has been carefully and lovingly retained.
Works have included a gentle facelift of the public bar and bistro – improving accessibility and air-conditioning, adding new furniture and lighting, and upgrading the kitchen, bathroom facilities and gaming facilities. More substantial improvements include the construction of a brand-new craft-brewery addition – operating as Boonah Brewing Co (BBCo) – and an open-air beer garden.
The venue’s upstairs accommodation is still under full renovation and is expected to open by year’s end with the aim of strengthening the Scenic Rim’s reputation as a tremendous travel destination for short-stay getaways.
Ghanem Group executive chef Jake Nicolson has tinkered with the Commercial Hotel Boonah’s bistro menu, refreshing the offering to include a range of signature dishes – dubbed ‘Commie Classics’ – like house-made hake fish fingers and chips, tandoori duck curry, slow-cooked lamb shank pot pie, smoky beef and maple sausages with caramelised onion and gravy, and slow-cooked glazed pork ribs with honey barbecue sauce and Asian-style slaw.
The rest of the family-friendly menu features starters, salads, sandwiches and burgers, and deep-pan, Detroit-style pizzas.
On the drinks front, BBCo is already in full production mode, with a full-flavoured mid-strength beer (brewed using a variety of malts and a mix of Australian and European hops) and an alcoholic ginger beer on tap. The range will expand in the coming weeks with the addition of four new core brews, including an Aussie XPA (made using 100 per cent Australian Galaxy hops), an Italian lager, a rice lager brewed with flaked rice and pilsner malt, and a hard lemonade. Expect seasonal and specialty brews to also feature.
Ghanem Group has close ties to the local area and its community – it operates a farm in the nearby town of Tarome, where it raises livestock and grows fruit and vegetables. Natural spring water from the farm is used in BBCo’s beers, while beer barley mash from the brewing process is being fed to the family’s cattle.
“To restore a property that is so precious to locals, and to add to the region’s already unique getaways and food-and-drink offerings with the creation of Boonah Brewing Co, is something we are very passionate about,” says Ghanem Group director Adonis Ghanem.
“The Commercial Hotel Boonah is central to the fabric of the community and will continue to be so. BBCo beers are pouring, and we invite everyone to come along, pull up a stool at the bar, or table in the beer garden, and enjoy the autumn sunshine, cold beers, and bistro menu this weekend.”
Commercial Hotel Boonah is now trading to the public – head to The Directory for operating hours and menu info.
