The Bolt Inn proves that lightning can strike twice as they back up for a second accolade in this year’s Best in the New England, taking out Best Pub.
Perched on the iconic intersection of New England Highway and Thunderbolt’s Way, The Bolt Inn has been voted Best Pub in the New England, adding to the Best Restaurant already on their mantle – just one year after reopening.
The Bolt Inn originally opened in 1909 as the Imperial Hotel and was later renamed in tribute to the famed bushranger Captain Thunderbolt. After years of disrepair, local entrepreneurs Peter and Sally Strelitz purchased the pub in 2022. Following a meticulous two-year restoration, the dining room opened in early 2024, with the full pub reopening shortly thereafter.
The couple’s commitment to preserving historical charm while delivering top-tier country hospitality is clearly not going unnoticed with the newly renovated watering hole proving popular with locals and tourists alike. The Bolt Inn surpassed more than a dozen long-established pubs—some operational for decades—to claim the Best Pub title in the popular vote. In the restaurant category, they secured over 100 votes more than the nearest competitor, and the lead for Best Pub was almost as big.
The Strelitz’s are clearly creating something special, with hundreds of people raving about the place in their votes.
“A home away from home, everything you look for in your local pub plus a whole lot more. Such a special place!!” said Holly.
“The food and the vibes are always fantastic! Love going to visit this beautiful pub,” said Connie.
And Josh commented, “The quality of the food is constantly amazing. The variety of drink is vast. The service is great. The cleanliness of the pub is always tip top. The vibes are always high, especially when the live music is on. We are constantly travelling down to Uralla to enjoy The Bolt.”
Alissa Kennedy, the Bolt Inn’s General Manager, said “Thank you so much, we are super excited once again!!”
Best in the New England is an annual promotion run by New England Times. Find out more here.
See who won last year.
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See all the stories about Best in the New England including winner profiles.