Especially if you nab yourself a table near the wood-burning stove. 

The 1970s property has been recently renovated and the food lives up to the promise of the glamorous makeover. Doing double-duty as general manager of the hotel and executive chef, Mate Herceg has placed a strong focus on local ingredients and suppliers.

It can be hard to improve on a classic, but the short cocktail list does just that, with spins that elevate, rather than dominate. The native negroni is a case in point; with Blue Mountains Gin and Okar Island Bitter, it is perfectly balanced, with sweet, herbaceous notes. 

Service is slightly hit and miss, but any shortcomings are more than made up for by the enthusiasm and friendliness of the waitstaff. We’re told that some guests choose to make up a meal from the snacks, smalls and sides, and it soon becomes clear why – they are undoubtedly the stars of the menu. Sourdough from mountains favourite Black Cockatoo bakery means the stock-standard offering of bread and butter to begin is a real pleasure. From there, it’s hard to go wrong. 

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Rich and juicy beneath the blackened surface and verging on pickle territory, charred cucumber sits atop a moreish miso creme fraiche (save a little bread to swipe up the dregs) and adorned with hazelnuts for crunch. Smalls are mostly vegetarian, except for the NSW line-caught kingfish ceviche tostada. Served with finely diced fresh jalapeno, lime juice and avocado, the zing and creaminess is all that’s needed to highlight the clean, fresh flavours of the kingfish.  

Mains are divided into ‘bigs’, to which you may want to add a side, or ‘charred and grilled’, which come with golden chat potatoes and a simple green salad. Either way, the portions are generous. If those potatoes are calling your name, choose from options such as whole spatchcock, Rangers Valley bistecca or Berkshire pork cutlet. The pork is exactly what you’d expect, with flavours of fennel and sage, plus an edge of golden cracking sealing the deal.

Bigs include the likes of pork shoulder ragu, market fish and Riverina beef flank tagliata. The tender beef is thinly sliced and served simply with greens, parmesan, lemon and olive oil – all you need to add is a side of herby polenta chips with celery salt. Crispy on the outside with a fluffy interior, you could make a meal of these alone, if you had a mind to.

Playful desserts add modern flair to favourite flavours. Dainty orange and ricotta doughnuts have a light touch, but could have used more of the honey and thyme syrup. On the other hand, the blueberry cobbler with rum ice-cream is a delight, and generous enough for two.

A welcome addition to the Blackheath dining scene, Blaq is worth travelling for – a prospect made even more enticing when you remember you can stay the night as well.

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