Your No.4 on Mansfield
There are some places that feel like part of a neighbourhood. For almost forty years, No. 4 has been one of them.
Housed in the original Mansfield House, the Merivale institution has entered a new era as No. 4 on Mansfield, with new owners Aikmans Hospitality Group giving the much-loved restaurant and bar a considered refresh.
The challenge? Changing enough, without changing what people love about it.
“We want to promote the same No. 4, not reinvent the wheel,” owner Jeremy Stevens says. “We are trying to amplify its proper pub feel. There will be the same excellent service from across the group.”
That “proper pub” feeling is evident throughout the extensive renovations. Plush new seating and bar leaners meet velvet curtains, while the restaurant has been given greater intimacy and privacy from the bar space. There’s a striking illuminated ceiling, new joinery and fittings at the bar, patina mirrors, and plenty of thoughtful nods to the building’s heritage.
Even the carpet tells a story, retaining a traditional Axminster-style pattern, while classic English scenes, including the hunt, feature in artwork throughout.
The Library remains one of the building’s most beautiful spaces, but has been elevated to make it far more functional. Complete with original fireplace and woodwork, it can be opened to the bar or closed off, creating a lovely spot for private functions.
Outside, things have opened up too, with a lighter, brighter space designed to be enjoyed year-round – and it is dog-friendly.
And then there’s the beer. Cassels Milk Stout is available on hand pull, joined by Cornish beers and brews from Jeremy’s hometown of Blandford, including Hall & Woodhouse’s Badger Beers.
“It’s a very full-circle moment. My first job was at a Hall & Woodhouse pub as a kitchenhand as a 13-year-old.”
There are also the classic Kiwi favourites on tap – Monteith’s and Tuatara. For the vino lovers, there’s a range of champagne and sparkling, from Ruinart Blanc de Blanc to Moët and Cloudy Bay Pelorus; the rest of the list is well-refined with New Zealand and international labels.
The food continues that English-meets-Kiwi pub philosophy.
There are classics done properly: scotch egg and mustard; fish and chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce; Wagyu and white pepper banger with horseradish mash and caramelised onion jus; and the No. 4 pie with mash, salad, and gravy.
For a real treat, there is the Beef Wellington with potato gratin, baby carrots, broccolini, and red wine jus. Also on the menu is a selection of other dishes that cater to all tastes.
And, because no proper pub meal should end without pudding, there’s chocolate fondant with cherry compote and vanilla mascarpone, sticky date pudding with salted caramel, vanilla ice cream, and honeycomb, and a classic fruit crumble.
Jeremy and the team are looking forward to summer, and particularly Cup Week.
No. 4’s A Day Not at the Races will offer tables of 10 for $650, including two bottles of Moët, two platters, and two cocktail trees. And the table is all yours for the day. Big screens, music, and all the racing action are promised.
For those actually heading trackside, there’s also a Cup Day Breakfast, with Cloudy Bay Pelorus and the option of a $10 one-way bus to the races.
New look, new menu, new era – but importantly, still No. 4. Just with its proper pub credentials turned up a notch.