The new restaurant and bar is located in the historic Roseneath House, originally the Queen Victoria Inn built in 1837.

The proud owners are Lindsay Ross and Timothy Duke who say it was love at first sight when they first stepped foot into the historic building.

It was a short turnaround from then.

Some quick renovations, a few coats of paint and then the doors were open for business at the Day street site - opposite the Hunter River Hotel - in December.

Since then, they have been overwhelmed by the support of the community.

"It's been incredible," Ms Ross said. "Tim has always been wanting to go out on his own. We looked at a few buildings locally and then this one popped up.

"From the moment we walked in ... you can't help but fall in love with it [the building]."

The pair made sure they paid homage to the old girl's history, showcasing its rustic trimmings from old fireplaces, cobbled patios and wooden floorboards.

"We wanted to respect the building," Ms Ross said. "That was important to us. The building is stunning and we want to complement that and create a place where we would want to go out for dinner," Ms Ross said.

"It's somewhere with delicious food, that's refined but not too fancy. We want people to come in and be wowed but also to feel relaxed."

Aside from the dining room the outside courtyard area is proving popular with patrons.

The menu offers a variety of dishes that, on early evidence, have proved a hit with diners.

Think Australian classics for mains such as Cape Grim sirloin, macadamia and herb crusted barramundi, Australian prawns and pumpkin and feta ravioli.

"It's what I want to eat but also what we feel is missing from Maitland," Mr Duke said. "We are trying to use local suppliers for the space. We want to be a neighbourhood restaurant that's accessible for everyone."

The restaurant has also sourced a number of local wines from the Hunter and offers beers and cocktails.

Duke's Restaurant and Bar is open for lunch from Tuesday to Saturday, and dinner from Thursday to Saturday.