The Mona

Northern Beaches favourite Park House has returned to its roots, reopening as The Mona with a fresh look and revamped menu from Friday 4 October.

Originally established as The Old Rex Hotel in 1925, followed by The Mona in the '80s and Park House in 2014, the pub is now owned by Northern Beaches local Ben Hanson—the nephew of previous owner Arthur Laundy.

Blending nostalgia with modern charm, the Mona Vale pub has a reimagined courtyard, lush beer garden and spacious backyard, bringing the community together with family-friendly events, live music, Tuesday trivia, bottomless lunches, and regular food festivals. 

The indoor/outdoor courtyard has a stacked menu crafted by Hanson with Laundy Hotels’ Group head chefs, offering pub classics like chicken parmies and burgers, alongside elevated surf and turf mains like chimichurri salmon and pepper-crusted Angus striploin, as well as tacos filled with popcorn prawns, peri peri chicken or battered fish. 

For something smaller, tuck into share plates like chargrilled octopus and Southern fried chicken wings with a sticky barbecue sauce, a bunch of fresh salads and simple kids meals, plus gelato, churros and brownies for dessert.

The reopening also welcomes the addition of Ben’s Bakery Café and Pizzeria (which is inspired by Hanson’s father’s 1977 bakery) open from 6am daily for bakery bites, brekkie and coffee combos, with deli sandwiches and wood-fired pizzas available from midday.

Walk through the courtyard to find a massive mural painted by Australian artist Steve Gorrow of surfing icon and inventor of the Thruster surfboard Simon Anderson—a nod to the local coastal surf culture. 

Then head to the beer garden and backyard, featuring over tropical plants, a 1950s Airstream bar with five beer taps, a deck for live music and a large screen TV for watching big games, plus new astro turf, shade sails and a custom-made Moduplay playground catering to families. 

The kids corner inside also has five Nintendo Switches, a huge chalkboard wall and heaps of toys to keep the kids entertained. 

“I want The Mona to be recognised as a terrific, family-friendly, fun, and inclusive venue for people of all ages,” says owner, Ben Hanson.

“We aim to create something that will be enjoyed within the community for years to come, whether it’s by sporting groups or locals alike.”

Image credit: The Mona | Supplied

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