The Thomas Green Public House and Dining Room is centrally located in the heart of Southland, Gore, celebrating one of the town's earliest entrepreneurs and its first Mayor. The building housing the restaurant was originally built in 1906 as the Ambrose Building, with its original street facade carefully restored and interior stylings echoing that grand era with a contemporary twist.
Inside, the story of Thomas Green is told alongside historic imagery of Gore in the early 1900s, creating an authentic environment rich in local history. Passionate chefs work with farm-fresh, locally grown ingredients, combining Gore's distinctive heritage and warm community with a stunning environment for a memorable dining experience.
The Thomas Green offers brunch/lunch, dinner, dessert, kids and snacks menus, along with several set menu options, plus its own Heineken Bar and a function space for events. Bookings are recommended for lunch and dinner.
The Thomas Green Public House and Dining Room sits in the heart of Southland, in Gore, celebrating one of the town's earliest entrepreneurs and its first Mayor. The venue is named for Thomas Green, a man whose contemporaries bestowed on him the title 'Father of Gore' for his extensive activities shaping the town.
Thomas Green bought the Pyramid Accommodation House in 1874, before heading south to the settlement that would become Gore, where he built the ambitiously proportioned Railway Hotel in 1875. From there he built a general agency business covering auctioneering and land sales, and went on to found the town's first horse bazaar, auction mart and sale yards, along with a coalmine and brick kiln. He served on numerous local bodies, including as the first Mayor of the borough of Gore in 1885, and was involved in institutions from the Gore Dairy Factory to the Anglican Church and the Racing Club.
The restaurant itself is housed in the Ambrose Building, originally built in 1906. Its original street facade has been carefully restored, and the interior stylings echo that grand era with a contemporary twist. Inside, the story of Thomas Green is told alongside historic imagery of Gore from the early 1900s, giving the space an authentic environment rich in local history.
Passionate chefs at The Thomas Green work with farm-fresh, locally grown ingredients, combining Gore's distinctive heritage and warm community with a stunning setting. The venue offers a full range of menus — brunch and lunch, dinner, dessert, a kids menu, and snacks — along with several set menu combinations covering entree and main, brunch and dessert, or main and dessert. A dedicated space, the Heineken Bar, sits alongside the dining room.
The Thomas Green also caters for functions, making it a option for private events as well as regular dining. Bookings are recommended for both lunch and dinner given its popularity as a small-town dining destination.
The Thomas Green Public House and Dining Room is located in Gore, in the heart of Southland, and can be reached by phone to book a table or enquire about functions.