A familiar British-style pub downtown is soon coming back with new fare — and new ownership.
Earlier this summer, former Hog & Penny owner Paul Raymond sold the pub to Simon MacRae and Darcy MacDonell, owners of The Common Stove and Picnic, as well as Common Stove chef Ben Kersley.
On Thursday, Sept. 7, after more than a month of preparation, the pub will open its doors again at 9 Matchedash St. N.
“I think it should be recognizably The Hog & Penny to anyone who came in here before,” MacRae told OrilliaMatters. “There’s a few personal touches that each of us have brought in. We’ve all got bits of British history.”
The business partners have long had an interest in such an opportunity and are looking forward to opening next week.
“A big part of it was wanting to make an authentic British pub,” MacRae said.
The pub’s menu has been updated to include “British classics” like Scotch eggs, as well as “familiar favourites” like wings and nachos, said Kersley, with plans to make the majority of the offerings in house.
“If you see bread on the menu, it’s made in house,” MacRae said. “Everything is made in house, just like the other two restaurants.”
Though the pub is opening next week, MacDonell said they will be looking to continue updating it over the coming months.
“There’s 100 little things left to do to make it even better,” he said. “It’ll be a different and a better place by the end of November than it is by the end of next week, but that’s part of the process.”
