In what will be a similar sentiment to hundreds of other pubgoers across the Hunter this weekend, Thomas Delgatto said his first tap beer and burger on Friday was simply "awesome".
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The 56-year-old Waratah man was among the first 10 people to dine at The Happy Wombat for lunch and only a few dozen more across the city with only a handful of hotels opening to trade.
"We were the first to order," said Mr Delgatto, who dined at the venue with his partner Libby and three friends.
"It was a chance to get out. I'm quite social and we usually get out a fair bit to the Grain Store and Wombat and some of our locals if they've got a few decent taps on, and just the thought of not being able to do that seems a little bit more oppressive than it probably is in reality."
Pubs and clubs in NSW were legally allowed to open their dining areas for up to a maximum 10 patrons yesterday after almost two months of operating as takeaway-only businesses or having the doors closed entirely.
Mr Delgatto said that was part of why he went out for lunch on Friday - to help support the decimated local hospitality industry.
"Like most people I did the doomsday prepper thing and had so much food cooked in the freezer at home it didn't make sense to [get takeaway]," he said.
"So I want to get out [now] and do whatever I can to help keep local [businesses going].
"I know some of the hospitality businesses are struggling. It was a terrible shame to see two or three of them close down [permanently] in the first week of lockdown."
Hotels that resumed dining service on Friday reported solid bookings for dinner and catered to a small number of diners at lunch.
The Delany Hotel management invited City of Newcastle staff completing roadworks outside the Cooks Hill venue in for lunch on Friday.
A few members of the roadworks crew jumped at the chance to support local business and have their first pub feed in months.
"They were pretty keen," the hotel's acting licensee Josh Redman said.
"We were almost full all the way through [lunch].
"It sort of sucked being limited to 10 because we had to turn away a couple of large [walk-in] groups.
"But it went well, we did 25 mains which is a very good start."
The hotel's sittings on Friday night were booked out and Mr Redman expected the weekend to be the same.
Elsewhere, The Bennett Hotel at Hamilton and The Duke of Wellington at New Lambton reported having capacity bookings for dinner sittings on Friday.
The Gladstone Hotel in Stockton booked out two Friday dinner sittings more than 24 hours beforehand.
"Thank you to those who booked for in-venue dining. We are fully booked," the hotel said on its Facebook page.
The Australia Hotels Association reported on Friday about 20 hotels were set to open for dining across the region this weekend.
That number is set to grow over coming days with a number of venues telling the Newcastle Herald they would resume service next week.
