Andy W
Google
We visited The Hub - Seaside for lunch during our trip to the Bay of Fires. The views was stunning. But that was the only highlight. With only one other table occupied, so, I'd say it was far from busy. We ordered entrees and pizzas, expecting the woodfired oven to deliver a memorable meal.
Considering they have a woodfired oven, the possibilities to provide incredible flavours seemed limitless. Think slow-cooked beef brisket, honey and rosemary slow roasted lamb shoulder, pesto roast chicken, topped with fresh herbs and a wide variety of tassie cheeses. The exceptional produce of tassie could have truly been highlighted. Instead, the pizza menu offered a standard tomato base with a mix of deli meats. The single chicken option just said 'chicken', leaving us to assume it was just plain, unremarkable chicken.
When the pizzas finally arrived, the flavours were underwhelming. The crust had a woodfired char but lacked the depth of flavour you'd expect from a wood fired pizza. The toppings felt generic, with no standout ingredients to make the meal memorable. Despite the woodfired oven’s potential, the pizzas tasted like something you’d find at a basic takeaway (the 'carnivore' pizza was priced at $30, mind you), rather than a venue that could have highlighted the woodfired oven with extraordinary local produce and flavours you could get from the oven.
The service was equally underwhelming. Despite the simplicity and efficiency of woodfired cooking, typically taking no more than 5 minutes for a pizza, our order took nearly an hour to arrive. With no other tables to serve, we expected a wait time of 20–30 minutes at most.
Overall, our experience fell short. A location as stunning as this deserves to leave visitors raving about their time there, but our meal left us frustrated. You'd want your customers to remember their experience fondly, not what we experienced and think about that days and weeks later.
On our way back, we stopped at St. Helens for an early supper and were blown away by the contrast in food quality, atmosphere, and service.
The difference in food, the vibe, and the service just 10kms away, made us feel that despite the location, the opportunity to amaze customers at The Hub - Seaside was missed. By a big margin.
I hope the owners take this feedback to heart and invest in elevating their menu and service to match the breathtaking views of the Bay of Fires. We wish them the best.
