The 21 best pubs in Australia

Where: Balmain, Sydney, NSW

Established in 1857, the heritage-listed Dry Dock is the oldest licensed pub in Sydney's Inner West suburb of Balmain. It reopened at the end of 2023 after a year-long renovation, earning it the title of NSW's Best Bar & Pub in the Time Out Food & Drink Awards 2026. There's a lot to love about The Dry Dock, including how the extensive reno retained the heritage and charm. We're also fans of the three distinct areas – the bar that welcomes everyone (including dogs!); the cosy lounge bar complete with leather couches and a crackling fireplace; and the light-filled dining room that has Friday lunches written all over it. The food is excellent too – our picks include the charred, rosy steak with Café de Paris butter and fries, and the plump prawns, sweet with fried bread crumbs.

Where: Carlton, Melbourne, VIC

Laidback yet sophisticated, this award-winning pub – voted Melbourne's favourite in the Time Out Food & Drink Awards 2026 – has curated a gastropub experience that feels special without being stuffy. You'll hear it spoken of with a level of fondness only reserved for Melbourne's very best watering holes. This could be in part due to its generous adaptability to a diverse range of pub situations: celebratory dinners, student pint rounds (Australia's top-rated university is just around the corner), or even wine-tasting with a friend; here, the list is excellent. Punters have loved this pub since it first opened in 1854, and it doesn't look like the current set are going anywhere else, anytime soon. 

Where: Fitzroy, Melbourne, VIC

Part of Andrew McConnell and Jo McGann's Trader House group, the Builders Arms Hotel is one of the more low-key venues in the Melbourne collection. The front bar still feels like the neighbourhood boozer it started as in 1853. You can order counter meals to eat at the high bar tables, but the real action is in the attached bistro, which has been through a few changes of its own over the years. The bistro menu is ‘just’ pub food in the same way that truffles are ‘just’ fungus. Start with some snacks that will ruin you for any future bar munchies. Whipped cod roe is silky smooth, scooped with toasty flatbread soldiers, while a dish of lettuce hearts with anchovy and pangrattato deserves the ultimate Caesar salad crown.

Where: Lorne, VIC

Winner of both Time Out's Best Casual Drinking Venue and People's Choice awards in 2023, Marquis of Lorne is numero uno in Melbourne's pub scene – not just in our minds but in the hearts of many pubgoers across the city. In this town's fast-paced hospo scene, it’s sometimes easy to take for granted the local haunts we frequent over the years and have come to know and love. Bright, shiny openings dominate our feeds, and, especially in the food space, there’s always somewhere new and compelling to visit. But some places seem to maintain everlasting allure – and judging by Marquis of Lorne’s consistently packed-out capacity since its 2014 refurbishment, it’s one of them.

Where: New Farm, Brisbane, QLD

A visit to Brisbane must include experiencing the singular beer garden at 'The Bruns’. For a beer garden that’s been open for less than ten years, it has the energy and the buzz of a venue that has established itself in the community over decades. Just five years after opening the garden, it won the 2019 Altos Tequila Sustainability Bar for its investment in native stingless bee hives and native bee-friendly plants. The crew at The Brunswick even grow their own produce for cocktails. If that’s not enough to love already, then you will fall head over heels with the wide selection of local Brisbane gins. Not only do they hero local products, but they also champion the local community and have a street pantry and a book exchange at the entrance to the beer garden.

Time Out tip: Love a pub lunch? The Brunswick dishes up $17 to $22 lunch specials daily, including fish and chips, chicken schnitzel, burgers and more.

Where: Adelaide CBD, SA

The people's pub, this bright yellow drinking hole was officially crowned South Australia's favourite pub in the Time Out's Food & Drink Awards 2026. It's the heartbeat of Adelaide's East End's live music and pub scene, with its no-nonsense front bar, worn wooden floors and walls plastered with decades of gig posters. The Rundle Street institution welcomes everyone from uni students and local artists to old-school rock legends. You can pull up for a cheap pint or glass of Krug Champagne, enjoy one of their signature curries and catch some of Adelaide's best raw indie talent.

Time Out tip: The Exeter stays open until 3am daily, so it's the perfect place to wind down or amp up after a show in town.

Where: North Perth, WA

Forget about the impersonal arena tours – if you want good old-fashioned, rock ‘n’ roll, intimacy-at-its-core live music, this is the place to be. Tame Impala, Bernard Fanning and You Am I are just some of the artists to grace this pub’s long list of hosted acts. The Rosemount has a newly renovated beer garden to cool off after your rockin’ time at “WA’s go-to stage”. Think classic pub grub meets modern faves, like poke bowls, quesadillas and jerk chicken.

Time Out tip: The Rosemount has monthly specials for food and bevvies – so check them out. How about a chimichurri beef burger and a Bloody Mary to wash it all down?

Where: Highgate, Perth, WA

Queens has earned its reputation as one of Perth’s best locals – taking home the 2026 Time Out People’s Choice Award for favourite WA pub. The bustling Beaufort Street institution has been keeping Perth locals well fed and watered since 1889, and continues to exude old-world charm with its timber verandahs and a sun-soaked terrace that’s perfect for people-watching. Close to the CBD, it’s the kind of place where you pop in for “just one” after work and before you know it, it's last drinks. Inside, big screens keep sports fans happy, while the lively beer garden out back is made for catch-ups over cold pints and Spritzes. The menu leans Italian with a classic pub twist, and there’s a strong offering of beers on tap and a concise wine list championing WA drops. More than anything, though, it’s the atmosphere that keeps locals coming back.

Time Out tip: Queens has food specials on most days of the week, plus happy hour from 5pm to 6pm daily. Cheers to that!

Where: Cottesloe, Perth, WA

Beachfront beverages – it doesn’t get much better than that. And blessed be, here in Perth, our extended summers and an average of 138.7 annual clear days mean that we’re the sunniest capital city in Australia – ideal weather for The Cottesloe Beach Hotel. Originally constructed in 1905, with a few major renos here and there, 'The Cott' is now a swanky destination that’s nailed casual sophistication. Step through the Art Deco facade and choose your player – The Beach Club, Verandah Bar or Tigerfish restaurant. There’s something very Los Angeles about the ultra-white exterior. Whether you’re up for a hip-shakin' time in the open-air club, a bite from the Mediterranean-inspired menu, or a loosey-goosey time out front while watching the sun dip into the Indian Ocean, The Cottesloe Beach Hotel is the easy-breezy place to be.

Time Out tip: Even though it’s right across from the beach, thongs aren’t allowed. Boardies and bathers are fine – as long as your bottom half is covered.

Where: North Hobart, TAS

Walking into North Hobart’s The Winston is like stepping into an American dive bar: US licence plates lining the walls, beer ads hanging above the bar, a pool table at the back and an old-school pinball machine in the corner. This humble corner joint was crowned Tasmania's favourite pub in Time Out's Food & Drink Awards 2026, and the locals know exactly why. The Winston boasts a huge selection of beers on tap and a burger menu featuring vegan cheeseburgers, double-decker beef burgers and a fried chicken number. A favourite with locals, you’ll find the Winston buzzing with drinkers and dogs, which are not only welcome but celebrated with a Dogs of the Winston photo wall.

Time Out tip: One of Hobart’s top veg-friendly pubs, The Winston lets you sub in fried tofu, vegan chicken or a Beyond patty on any burger, sandwich or baguette.

Where: Battery Point, Hobart, TAS

The Shipwrights Arms, aka ‘Shippies’ to locals, is a Battery Point icon that’s been serving mariners and civilians for more than 177 years. From the nautical memorabilia on the walls to the fresh seafood on the menu, this pub honours its harborside heritage. Relax with a pint by the fire or book a table in Shoal, their light-filled garden pavilion featuring an indoor rainforest and a rare Huon Pine. Don’t miss their granita oysters, fall-apart lamb shoulder or the indulgent espresso parfait to round out your visit.

Time Out tip: Shippies is just a short walk from Salamanca, making it a great op for a pint and a parmie if you're based in the city. 

Where: Darwin CBD, NT

Crowned the Northern Territory's favourite pub for 2026, Hotel Darwin is your go-to steakhouse, beer garden and sports garden all rolled up into one vibrant venue. Sports fans can catch all of Australia's major sporting events on the big screens while knocking back a $10 schooner of the month. Hungry? The steakhouse grills up Darwin's finest cuts, with daily specials including $22 Monday rump camp skewers or Wednesday barbecue pork ribs. If you find yourself at Hotel Darwin on a Wednesday night, head to the sports bar for the weekly pool comp. 

Time Out tip: Turn your steak into a surf'n'turf with local prawns for just $10.50 extra. And don't skip the crispy duck fat potatoes. They're the ultimate side.