Pub food. It doesn’t have to stick to pies and schnitzels (although they’re delicious). There’s a whole new style of pub cooking sweeping Canberra’s pubs and bars, and at the forefront of this trend is Little Brooklyn.

Situated in Kingston’s food and drink hub, the friendly little pub has become famous for putting the ‘green’ back in Green Square. More than that though, Little Brooklyn has revitalised Kingston with an up-beat and friendly feel that has seen it quickly develop a loyal following since throwing its doors open in December 2013.

Looking across Chef Anton Shaw’s menu, Little Brooklyn does what great pubs do – offering a selection of snacks, sides and mains that are flexible enough to suit a quick bite to eat, or a long session with a big group of friends.

Let’s get our fingers into it. The Buffalo Wings are a great way to start. Served with fresh-cut lime and Ranch dressing, they avoid the spicy and heavy style that is prevalent in other bars. Here, the effect is light and refreshing, leading to an extra hit of the elements as you lick your fingers clean.

Speaking of ‘light and delicious’, Salt & Pepper Squid has been a pub favourite for years. At Little Brooklyn, the popular classic gets a makeover thanks to a wasabi mayo and a sweet soy dipping sauce which that provide a sheen of sweetness and tang without overpowering the white flesh of the squid. Perfectly cooked, there’s no evidence of chewiness, just a tender bite-sized hit of flavour.

Pulled Pork Sliders? Yes, please – but so long as they are served with a Bourbon Barbeque Sauce. The brilliant brioche buns shine beautifully, and are brimming with the pulled pork and ‘slaw’. Again the simple balance of sweet and savoury is evident, but most importantly they’re really fun to eat.

The big brother of the Sliders comes in the form of the Brooklyn Burger, and everything about this is bigger than Texas when compared to its diminutive sibling. The confit onion is rich and flavoursome, making the perfect foil for the cheddar. A thick slice of bacon – as well as the pickles – make for the dream version of a burger.

It wouldn’t be American without a hotdog. Little Brooklyn’s Hotdog doesn’t take so much of a Mexican influence as a Mediterranean one; the sausage is chorizo and there’s a hit of chargrilled capsicum as well. Standards such as mustard and ketchup finish it off, and it makes the perfect accompaniment to a beer and whatever sport is on the television. It’s like being taken out to the ball game, but without the expensive tickets and transport issues. Perfect.

‘Brownies’ don’t sell you ‘cookies’ (you’re thinking of Girl Guides). Rather, this is a delicious dessert that has become increasingly popular in Australia. Clearly just not sweet enough on its own, Little Brooklyn ups the ante with a thick and gooey chocolate sauce, some vanilla bean ice-cream and, hilariously, some house-made Lolly-Gobble Bliss Bombs. To be honest, the only way it could be any more naughty is if the whole thing was deep-fried.

This is what we mean by a sense of fun. As you can see, there’s a simple magic to Little Brooklyn. It’s menu that provides plenty of entertaining flavours which are prepared by a skilled team that know how to present the best of American cooking to an Aussie bar environment.

So, with meal deals running from Monday to Thursday, and a range of occasional dishes popping up on the Specials board, you’ve got every reason to return to Green Square in Kingston a little good ol’ hospitality.

Little Brooklyn is open 7 days a week from 11.00am.

Click here for more information on Little Brooklyn.