The 40 best pubs in Melbourne

Laidback yet sophisticated, this award-winning pub in Carlton has curated a gastropub experience that feels special without being stuffy. 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. Fun fact: The Lincoln won our Pub of the Year award in 2017.

Time Out tip: Every Sunday, The Lincoln dishes up one of the finest roasts in Melbourne for $36.50 a head. Make a booking online to nab a spot. 

Part of Andrew McConnell and Jo McGann's Trader House group, 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 guanciale deserves the ultimate caesar salad crown.

Time Out tip: Do not skip the fish pie.

Goldy's Tavern is the Benjamin Button of pubs. At over 150 years old, it should be creaking towards retirement. Instead, it’s cooler than ever. Once the haunt of Chopper Read back when it was known as Leinster Arms Hotel, it now acts as a little oasis from the chaos in Fitzroy’s backstreets. There’s always something happening at Goldy’s. Monday’s is trivia and $20 Goldy’s lager jugs, grab $20 parmas on Tuesdays, enter the pool competition on Wednesdays ($10 entry, winner takes all), or grab a $25 steak.

Time Out tip: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday is when the place really gets rocking, so our advice is book ahead if you have a group. Sunday roasts offer the perfect nostalgia hit/hangover recovery. If you can still walk, head to the pool table for free games til 6pm.  

The Standard Hotel claims it's been dedicated to "facilitating the fine art of good times" since 1865, meaning you know it's got it down to a tee. A local favourite, people flock here early in the week for a counter meal, a pint or two, and a chat with whoever pulls up next to them. Pretension is an anathema to the Standard, so much so that they even went through a period in the early ’90s when they refused to serve anyone in a suit. But fear not, all are now welcome with open arms. 

Time Out tip: Get the parma. We reckon it's one of Melbourne's best.

The Espy in St Kilda, probably Melbourne’s most story-filled pub, is far too big and sprawling to simply pop by for a pint. It's easy to spend all day here and go from the main bar to Louey's, Mya Tiger to Gershwin Room, balcony to dancefloor and to the courtyard and back again, before realising it's going to be quite the stumble home. This St Kilda mega-pub and eating house boasts several distinct dining and drinking areas so that you can choose your own adventure, no matter your mood. In summertime, the vibes are impeccable (and just the right level of rowdy.)

Time Out tip: Did you know you can make a booking in a hidden upstairs area at the Espy? The special area is called the Ghost of Alfred Felton. Alfred Felton was an entrepreneur, chemist, philanthropist and art collector, and was once a resident of the Espy. This part of the pub is styled with unique antiques from all around the world.

A beloved live music venue from the time before anyone had a mobile phone, and before it was Bimbo (and then Kewpie), the Punters Club has come back to the future with a fresh lick of paint, live music program and an inspired menu of nostalgia-inducing pub grub. Did we taste-test? Yes, we did, and everything we tried was damn delicious.

Time Out tip: Order the old-school banana split for dessert if you're in the mood for some nostalgic flavours. Ice Magic, anyone? 

Winner of both our Best Casual Drinking Venue and People's Choice awards in 2023, Marquis of Lorne is numero uno – not just on this list but in the hearts and minds of many pubgoers all over Melbourne. 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.

Time Out tip: If you're feeling adventurous on the vino front, ask the bar for a taste of the 1.5L magnum they're rotating that week. It's always a slosh of fun!

On the first day of winter in 2023, husband-and-wife team Alex Back and Sophie Machin opened a cosy pub on Grey Street in St Kilda – and just like that, the Lion and Wombat has rocketed up the ranks to become one of Melbourne’s most respectable watering holes for traditional British pub food and drinks. 

Time Out tip: Don't go past the Scotch egg – the gooey-yolked egg, cut in half to expose its glistening layers, has a salt-flecked crumb and is served with a tiny dollop of creamy mustard. Exactly what you want from a beer snack.

The sibling to Kirk’s Wine Bar channels old-school pub energy in a way that’s fun, loose and a little nostalgic. Drawing on both Australian and British traditions, it offers a playful take on pub fare that feels fresh yet familiar – ideal for hearty weeknight dinners, happy hours and everything in between. Expect pub classics that nod to Britain in a way that feels more Middle Ages than modern London – and I mean that in the best way possible. 

Time Out tip:

Le Pub doesn’t take bookings, so plan ahead. The venue is split into two sections: on the left (facing the entrance), you’ll find a casual bar area ideal for drinks and snacks; on the right, a brighter dining space suited to longer, sit-down meals.

The Palace remains one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Melbourne pubdom. On every scale one could judge a pub, this place just about tops the list. From beer to sports, to food, to service, this unassuming little boozer has you covered. First and foremost, the Palace is made for regulars. It has a community atmosphere that’s hard to find these days, as most pubs have become either sad old boozers or too bright and trendy. Not so here, where the crowd is diverse in age and employment, kids are welcome, and the big shady beer garden is proudly pooch positive. 

Time Out tip: There's also a Palace Hotel in Camberwell, so if you're meeting a friend make sure you send the right address.

Contemporary three-storey pub Quarterhouse – set in the Melbourne Quarter precinct, hence the name – delivers quite a bit more style than your average sports bar on this end of the CBD. With its plentiful booths, banquettes and umbrella-shaded street-side tables, the ground floor is your new home for frosty pints and approachable grub like burgers, parmas and fries. Huddle in with the crowd and catch a game on the four-metre-wide LED screen, or if you've popped in on a Sunday arvo, treat yourself to a proper hangover-curing roast. It's the top level where things get a little sophisticated, thanks to a stylish rooftop bar with an open-air wrap-around terrace playing host to long lunches, acoustic artists and DJs on weekends. 

Time Out tip:

The food here isn't just an afterthought. Pair your pint with tasty wood-fired pizzas, share-style snacks or larger gastropub-inspired dishes like the pan-fried barramundi or crumbed pork rib eye.

When Molly Rose first opened its doors in 2019 in a Collingwood backstreet, northside craft beer lovers rejoiced. Though it’s not difficult to find the local brewer’s creations in your everyday bottle shop, there’s something to be said for drinking at the spot where all the beer alchemy takes place – from the fermentation process to that final frothy pour. Yes, you should definitely stay for dinner.

Time Out tip: Check out the brewery's What's On page for a fun, ever-evolving program of gin masterclasses, special events and more. There's always something very cool for liquor lovers.

One of Melbourne’s oldest corner pubs is back. After a thoughtful refurbishment, the Laurel Hotel in Ascot Vale has officially reopened, bringing back the kind of old-school Aussie pub vibes that locals grew up loving. Dating back to 1853, the Laurel has been a staple of the neighbourhood for more than 170 years. Original fireplaces still crackle, retro bathroom tiles remain intact, and the hitching rings once used for local horses are still visible out front. Food-wise, the Laurel is leaning into pub classics designed for sharing, with big flavours and a woodfired focus.

Time out tip: The traditional pizza oven takes centre stage, turning out flame-kissed slices, alongside dishes like flatbread topped with marinated white anchovies and roasted peppers, and whipped goat’s cheese tart drizzled with local honey. Order that.

This isn’t a working man’s local, nor is it chasing northside cool. It’s a venue calibrated to its surroundings: polished, social and just indulgent enough. Wood floors, mirrored surfaces and an undeniably regal bar anchor a room of velvet booths and panelled walls, while mosaic tiling and soft, considered lighting draw out its heritage details. It’s the kind of place made for a first date or a casual drink that inevitably stretches into an entire evening – only here, you can mark the occasion with a 2012 Dom Pérignon magnum.

Time Out tip: Make sure you get food from the cold bar and their signature sides, the Asian influence is where Godby shines. 

A Flinders Street institution since 1925, this hotel has reemerged as a grand, multi-level destination complete with seven stories of food, drink and design. Sand Hill Road hospitality group – best known for restoring and reimagining popular Melbourne venues like the Espy and Garden State Hotel – has spent nearly a decade leading the ambitious project through planning and construction. On the ground floor visitors can find a public bar and beer garden for modern Aussie pub eats and capacity for more than 400 people. Then up on level two is Southeast Asian dining concept PAST / PORT, where executive chef Sarah Chan (who played a key role in shaping the offering at St Kilda's Mya Tiger), is in charge of the entire venue's food program.

Time Out tip: Before you book, find out what's on at the website.

Prolific restaurateur Julien Moussi of Only Hospitality (Godby Hotel, Hotel Collingwood) has breathed new life into this suburban pub, pairing a fresh look and updated menu with old-school charm. Situated on a large corner site dating back to the 1800s, the Beehive is a quintessential eastern suburbs pub. The ones on this side of town tend to be larger and more dynamic – all-purpose sorts of spots that can accommodate family dinners, approachably priced weeknight meals and the occasional big night out in one go. Moussi has leaned into that reputation, refreshing the site and reviving its original name, which had been dropped around 15 years ago.

Time Out tip: Visit Monday to Wednesday nights for $25 mains, or drop in between 4pm and 6pm on weeknights for happy hour.

While pubs that start from scratch have a fresh slate to work upon, the newly renovated Courthouse Hotel has had big shoes to fill since it reopened: its own. Here’s a venue that proudly earned two hats back in its heyday, once one of the most popular watering holes for great gastropub fare in North Melbourne. While it’s suffered a chapter or two of neglect since, new owners have recently swooped in to restore the restaurant to its former glory. If the crowds flocking to its doors are anything to go by, they've succeeded with flying colours.

Time Out tip: Order the housemade pie. The flavours rotate, but the deliciousness is consistent.

What can you expect at this subterranean haunt? All the good things you’d expect from an English pub, of course: bangers and mash, footy on the telly (theirs, not ours) and English ale on tap. Whether you're after a Guinness and beef pie or Sunday roast, or simply just a cosy place to nestle away from the CBD hubbub, Charles Dickens Tavern is always welcoming to everyone.

Time Out tip: This place is open every night including Mondays, so keep it in mind if you're after a drink at an odd time of the week. 

If you can remember what fancy pub steakhouses were like in the 1980s, you know all about the Railway. The dining room sports maroon carpets, white paper-on-cloth covered tables, and ’70s house brick walls are crowded with framed netball heroes, jockey colours and Don Bradman driving for the boundary. It’s packed even on a Tuesday with an eclectic crowd of families next to groups of businessmen in shirtsleeves, next to tradies in hi-vis. 

Time Out Tip: Don't skip dessert. The sticky date pudding here is just too good, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

In yet another gorgeous pub revamp, the folks at Central Club Hotel have unveiled one of the most sustainable renovations to grace Melbourne's hospo scene in recent years. The venue has achieved an Aussie first for a commercial space, meeting all the requirements of the Passivhaus Standard by designing every element to be as energy-efficient as possible. But while you might marvel at the seamless integration of the 150-year-old building’s original jarrah wood in the new furniture and joinery housed within the barely touched Art Deco exterior, it’s the revived food and drinks offering that has our hearts aflutter.

Time Out Tip: The organic steaks prepared here from neighbouring butcher Hagen's are exceptional, so it's worth pairing that pint with a feast.

Standing tall on the corner of Orrong Road and High Street is Armadale's Orrong Hotel, a pub that's been pouring pints since 1875. Its 150-year (plus) tenure has earned it the status as one of the neighbourhood's most beloved watering holes. Inside, you'll find a relaxed bar and dining experience highlighted by warm timber interiors, bold patterned flooring, leather banquette seats, vintage artworks and ambient lighting. And like any good pub, Orrong offers a line-up of delicious weeknight specials. 

Time Out Tip: If you feel like travelling back in time to the '70s, Orrong does an authentic classic prawn cocktail with rose sauce. 

Royal Oak Hotel's website proudly proclaims it's been serving Fitzroy since 1871, and we can see why it's stuck around. With great service who know their stuff and are willing to make recommendations and next-level pub fare that doesn't play second fiddle to the brews, this boozer may be a little off the beaten track but it's well worth the stroll from nearby Fitzroy North village. While you can find crowd favourites such as chicken schnitzel and battered rockling with chips, Royal Oak Hotel keeps things interesting with dishes like the slow-cooked lamb shoulder and French onion sauce and barbecue swordfish skewers. Bring a friend and make a night of it.

Time Out tip: If your pooch gets seperation anxiety when you go out for a bev, don't despair! You can bring your four-legged friend inside.

This multi-award-winning favourite remains one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Melbourne pubdom. On every scale one could judge a pub, this place just about tops the list. From beer to sports, to food, to service, this unassuming little boozer has you covered. First and foremost, the Palace is made for regulars. It has a community atmosphere that’s hard to find these days, as most pubs have become either sad old boozers or too bright and trendy. Not so here, where the crowd is diverse in age and employment, kids are welcome, and the big shady beer garden is proudly pooch positive. 

Time Out tip: There's also a Palace Hotel in Camberwell, so if you're meeting a friend make sure you send the right address.

It's not easy to find a pub that delivers ace parmas, cute retro interiors and an Aussie-leaning vino list – all while retaining its historical charm. Morning Star nails all the above. The much-loved Williamstown venue has been a favourite since 1896, but after a recent revamp in 2023 it's now better than ever before.

Time Out tip: Wednesday's steak night so grab a mate and head in for 300 grams of sirloin for just $25 (oh, and it comes with chips!).

Pub vintage is in vogue, and the North Arms is nailing it. But best of all, this doggo-friendly destination feels like it was curated especially for the local community, and I haven’t experienced a more welcoming vibe – or top-notch pub menu – in yonks. The kitchen has decided on a somewhat contemporary revival of retro Aussie recipes – think a pie floater with green pea gravy, steak and crowd-pleasing sticky date pudding for dessert.

Time Out tip: Remember the days when a pub’s house wine tasted more vinegary than your friend’s dad’s home winemaking project? Fortunately, the North Fitzroy Arms leaves this phenomenon in the past where it belongs. The Arms Table Blanc is an excellent value drop.

Royston Hotel was the first pub in Melbourne to put craft beer on all taps. Like, before it was even cool. It still has the air of a smooth older sibling that was mates with that band way before they were famous and doesn’t even try to rub it in. The beers on offer range from standard and reliable to weird and wonderful, and Melburnians just can't get enough. 

Time Out tip: Those who turn their noses up at cheeseburger spring rolls, prepare to have your snooty taste buds humbled. The ones here are pretty great.

Ah, the Fox. This happy little pub is our pick for the best family-friendly joint in town because you’ll always be welcomed with open arms. Hang out at the cosy front bar to enjoy great banter across the counter, a live blues, jazz, country or soul performance and a pint of the constantly changing taps pouring local craft heroes, with many more in the bottle. If the weather’s good, pop out the back with your pooch for a session in the sunny little courtyard. 

Time Out tip: Date you brought not the best conversationalist? There's a stack of nostalgic board games here, so you can break the ice with a game of Scrabble. 

Ask any Prahran local, and they’ll probably have a fond story for you about the Duck. The much-loved hotel has been servicing the neighbourhood since the late 1800s, with one of the few intact Victorian-era hotel facades remaining in the area. When it came time to its recent refurbishment, the team made sure to stay true to its rich 150-year-plus history, elevating its gastropub status with a new layout and refined menu. 

Time Out tip: This establishment is very accomodating for dietary requirements, so if you can't eat gluten, meat or dairy, don't fret. The kitchen will still whip you up a mean feed.

Melbourne's pub landscape is now awash with elevated offerings, harking back to the kitsch of old-school iterations – with cleaner plating and higher price tags. While there's certainly a time and place for ironic white tablecloths and fancy parmas, the Rochey is your spot if you're after a solid, no-frills pub experience.

Time Out tip: If you've heard about curry sauce-slathered 'spice bag fries' but haven't tried them yet, look no further – you can get a delish serving here.

This corner pub recently re-opened its doors with brand-new owners and a fresh Italian-inspired makeover. The dream team behind the renovations, Iza Dawkins and Andy Lockyear, completely transformed the historic watering hole to create a lighter atmosphere, with dedicated spaces for dining and drinking woven throughout. The menu has also been blessed with a major glow-up, of course, with Dawkins and Lockyear dishing up Italian fare and gastropub classics to draw in the lunch crowds. Think housemade pasta, juicy heirloom tomato salads, fior di latte-topped parmas, steak and fancy dressed-up pizzas.

Time Out tip: Check out the Drewery Bar upstairs if you're a history buff. Named after the pub's original moniker back in 1854, the moody space features the building's original bluestone (look carefully and you'll even spot newspaper from the 1850s wedged between the rocks!). 

In an age where revivals, renovations and glossy makeovers are making social climbers out of our bars and pubs, our love for the resistance grows, and nowhere do we love better for its rough edges than the Catfish in Fitzroy. It’s a rambling, weathered boozer that knows you care much more about what’s in your glass and what’s on the stage than whether or not the walls are millennial pink and if there’s a Montauk theme to the furnishings (there’s not, obviously). 

Time Out tip: Get one of their famous philly cheesesteaks for dinner. 

At catty-corners with the Fitzroy Town Hall lies the almost equally venerable Napier Hotel. Founded in 1866, it’s an atmospheric old-style pub with its original high ceilings, decorative plasterwork and stained-glass windows intact. Animal heads stare down from the walls, and the shelves are loaded with statuettes, old toys and other tchotchkes accumulated over many years. The menu includes old favourites, interspersed with a couple of dishes you may not have ordered at your local pub before, such as Sichuan lamb ribs.

Time Out tip: Get the peppery 'roo steak. It's famously good.

The Curtin’s band room has a full schedule of local, national and international acts and there are free live gigs in the front bar every Saturday arvo. Gig posters cover the walls and band stickers plaster the bar fridges, which chill glasses for craft beer on tap like Brooklyn, Barrow Boys and Two Brothers. After takeovers at Huxtaburger and Bluebonnet BBQ, Sonny's have now set up a permanent fried chicken kitchen inside the Curtin. The chicken is brined here for 24 hours and you can order dark or white meat, wings or even a whole bird. 

Time Out tip: Check out all the upcoming gigs.

Tucked away in the neighbourhood streets of Abbotsford just off of Johnston Street, the Retreat is a marvel of Victorian pub design. The original chandeliers and dark-turned wood survive, and stained glass decorates the windows, doors and the cabinet above the bar that follows its S-curve through the cosy front room. The Retreats serves up a real quality-without-pretence brand of kick-ass pubdom. 

Time Out tip: There's a fairly generous function space upstairs with two fireplaces, state-of-the-art AV equipment and room for about 20 to 80 people. Solid option for a work function! 

Opposite Queen Victoria Market on Peel Street, the Drunken Poet is Melbourne’s cosiest little shebeen. This place pours some of the freshest pints of Guinness in the land, Vegemite-rich with living yeast, and a cracker Kilkenny to boot. Behind the bar you’ll usually find a friendly publican who’ll remember your name and provide service with a smile. 

Time Out tip: Check out the portraits of famous authors lining the walls. Oh, and give this pub a miss if you're after an epic feast; Drunken Poet's too drunk to cook up anything beyond a humble toastie (not that these sizzling melts aren't delicious in their own right.) 

As far as Ye Olde English pubs in Melbourne go, the Sherlock Holmes never misses a clue. Down a flight of steps from Queen Street, this cosy basement pub is encased in ancient brick and beams and is always a welcome retreat from the busy Melbourne streets. An excellent and often changing list of English pub ales dominate the taps, all served up with a chipper and helpful attitude. , but won’t think twice about reminding a cheeky punter to keep a civil tongue. The menu is mostly brown and grey foods, in the great British tradition. Bangers and mash, a pie of the day, corned beef with cabbage (our pick of the menu) and fish and chips are all on offer, and while they’re not exactly topping the charts in flair or flavour, these vittles are true to form for a traditional English pub, and will definitely warm you up on a cold night.

Time Out tip: Book a table. This place can get busy!

The oldest standing structure in Melbourne, a shingled pre-Victorian gingerbread house tucked down Bank Place in the CBD, is home to one of the city's best old-school pubs. If you want to drink like the stock market crash of ‘87 never happened, this is the pub for you. Financial and legal district suits of a silver-haired variety pack this place nightly, swilling Stella and Heineken like the Commies are coming. Upstairs in the dining room, prime cuts are served by waiters in long aprons, with bottles of shiraz more ballsy than the Australian Open to accompany. 

Time Out tip: Knock off work early on a Friday and spend the arvo here – it has the most infectious happy hour vibe out of probably any other pub in the CBD.

The venerable Wesley Anne is one of Melbourne’s oldest and prettiest pubs. Housed in a former church, its rough stone walls have seen generations of drinkers, musicians and sinners, in general, come and go. It’s divided into three parts with three very distinct characters: there’s the slightly Gothic main barroom, a warm and comfortable band room and the large, leafy beer garden. Pop into all three or settle into one; either way, you're in for a pleasant arvo or evening of drinking. 

Time Out Tip: If you're a fan of jazz, you'll be in good company at the Wesley. You can check out the current gig program here.

If footy is a religion, the Great Northern Hotel is its mega-church. Nestled away in the inner North, this sprawling sports pub has a well-earned reputation as the premier destination for locals and visitors alike to watch the game. The main dining area can feel like mission control during the crossover between dinnertime and the match, thanks to a massive, wall-spanning screen. Bodies spring up to roar success, while groans of despair rumble under the celebrations. If the main event isn’t to your liking, a bit of table real estate can be claimed in the pup-friendly beer garden. 

Decorated with skulls, red-tinted stage lights and skateboard decks, the Bendigo is presided over closely by the lords of hard rock. The Bendigo attracts those with tatts and piercings, who drink Jack Daniel's and who lost their hearing years ago from exposure to constant excessive volume levels. There's always something happening at this rowdy spot, so check it out next time you're looking to live a little on the wild side, and don't be scared, they won't bite (at least we don't think they will). 

Time Out tip: Music lovers, go here to see the gig program.