The best pubs with fireplaces in Melbourne

Hotel Railway in Brunswick has lived many lives, but the heart of what makes this iconic pub remains: quality grub, beers on tap, footy on the big screens and a welcoming atmosphere. You can grab a Sunday roast with Yorkshire pud and all the trimmings for $30, and a double serving of steak and chips for just $39 on Saturdays. The pub's roaring fireplace is located in the main dining room, plus there's a red-hot outdoor fireplace built into the foundations of an old neighbouring residence in the generous beer garden.

A major restoration has transformed this historic building into a stylish three-level drinking and dining destination, newly christened the Angel of Malvern. Courtesy of beautifully designed interiors from Studio McCue, the ground floor public bar functions as a classier-than-average watering hole for produce-driven pub fare and quality drinks. Upstairs, things get a little more interesting with a Mediterranean-leaning wine bar and eatery, and an intimate late-night cocktail and audio bar. But our favourite part? The cosy log fire!

Bright lights, a banging playlist and a heaving bar in full swing – Benchwarmer hits you all at once. It's a shape-shifter of a venue: part izakaya, part beer hall, part takeaway bottle-o, where you can stop in for a few beers and Japanese-style comfort snacks or even an all-out feast. Better yet, it's got a roaring winter fireplace so you can keep your toes warm while you sip on that sake.

Owner Phil Gijsbers and his team took over Bobbie Peels in mid-2022 and renovated the space to bring out the beauty of the 114-year-old building. Now featuring antique lighting, cosy booths and dark, intimate spaces to complement the open fireplace, here's a pub that's sure to warm up your winter-wearied bones. If the toasty environment isn't tempting enough, consider an epic wine list and elevated pub fare as further incentives to visit. 

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. Boasting three fireplaces, it's exceptionally excellent in winter – we like the one by the pool table best.

After closing its doors for a major makeover, the Doutta Galla Hotel (affectionately known as ‘the Doot’) reopened in late 2025 with new owners and a slick interiors revamp. Diners can enjoy a standout steak menu featuring cuts cooked over the Josper grill, share plates and elevated pub fare perfect for lunch and dinner gatherings. In addition, a late-night music program and 3am licence have reinvigorated the pub's after hours spirit. And yes, there's a toasty fireplace to huddle around.

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, popping from the main bar to Louey's, Mya Tiger and the Gershwin Room, then the balcony to the dancefloor, to the courtyard and back again, before realising it's going to be quite the stumble home. Before you really kick off, be sure to line your belly with a tasty feed by the fireplace. Every Sunday you can grab a $35 prime rib roast with smashed peas, baked potatoes, beef fat Yorkshire pudding, bone marrow and peppercorn sauce. 

When that winter chill bites, the Orrong is oh-so right! The beloved southside hotel has been pouring pints since 1875, so it's no surprise the team here know what they're doing. With the cold season well and truly here, they've cranked up their open fireplaces and set the scene for a perfect winter's pub day. Pop in on Thursdays for $26 steak night or Sundays for a $30 roast with all the trimmings. 

Housed within Fitzroy North's popular 150-year-old Terminus Hotel, this award-winning restaurant and steakhouse is an unbeatable winter haven. If the woodfired meats from the Josper grill alone don't draw you in, the moody lighting and a toasty open fire certainly will. This is one to bookmark for special occasions.

Stained glass windows, an excellent craft beer offering and soul-soothing atmosphere all make this the reigning pub in Fitzroy. Come winter, ditch the outdoor seating and snag a spot in the toasty dining room to really enjoy the warmth of a roaring log fire. The noble Marquis has been thrumming away happily for years now and we trust it will continue to do so through all seasons.

Melbourne’s bitter wind tunnels may be rough on our spirits, but the merry warmth of the Courthouse in North Melbourne proves a powerful escape. It’s buzzing with energy, stirring a sense of nostalgia for the old great pubs of Britain. The Art Deco building retains much of its original charm and wood panelling, with the added sparkle of fresh renovations across both storeys. It’s all curves and round edges, from the mirrors to the walls, the plants and the paintings – an exceptionally comfy space in which to dine and drink.  

When a pub's been around for 172 years, you know it's doing something right. First opened in 1854, the Lincoln – located on the corner of Queensberry and Cardigan Streets – is one of Carlton's (and Melbourne's) most beloved spots for a pint, parma and all-round good time. While it's had a couple of tune-ups over the years, that old-world charm and iconic facade remains. The green-walled, Art Deco bar is a prime spot for punters to work their way through the 12 taps of rotating craft beers and the refurbished dining room is the perfect setting for a special meal.

If it's been a while since you've popped into the Auburn out in Hawthorn, you might barely even recognise the place. The local community has been gifted with a multi-million-dollar expansion to their favourite watering hole. Once home to horse stables and then a motorworks garage, the neighbouring site is now a contemporary atrium-style dining and drinking area, featuring a retractable roof and several fully functioning fireplaces peppered throughout the entire space – perfect for the colder months. 

This South Melbourne drinking den ticks every box in the chillier months. With craft beer, excellent food, multiple fireplaces and plenty of big screens for watching the footy, there's nowhere else we'd rather be when the weather takes a turn. Plus, with fun regular events like trivia, free pool and a ‘pie or pasta and plonk’ special, there's a good reason to visit every night of the week. 

Alright, so this Brunswick East spot is probably more bar more than pub, but it's certainly just as cosy as all the pubbiest pubs you know. Styled with the '70s in mind, Old Palm Liquor features wood panelling and warm lighting, with a carefully-curated vinyl soundtrack to top it off. The menu is inspired by head chef Almay Jordaan’s South African heritage, where coal-fired barbecuing is a the order of the day. Enjoy your fire-licked dishes in the Garden Room, where a warm crackling fireplace and pair of armchairs make all your toastiest date dreams come true.

Drinkers of the west flock to this fireplace-equipped pub for its friendly and relaxed atmosphere, great craft beer, impressive wine list and famous steaks. Locals and meat aficionados can select from a menu that offers premium grain- and grass-fed steaks – from 500g O'Connor rib eye to 200g full-blood Wagyu eye fillet. This place can get busy though, so you'll want to make a booking.

The Royal Oak Hotel's website proudly proclaims that it has been serving Fitzroy since 1871, and we can see why it's stuck around. With great staff who know their stuff and tip-top pub fare that's definitely not playing 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. Bring a friend, order the schnitty or battered rockling with chips and make a night of it (the cosy indoor fireplace makes it easy to stick around).

The bright, welcoming bar of the Middle Park Hotel – complete with an inviting open fireplace in the dining room – quickly puts to rest any notions of stuffiness. On the food front, you'll find pub classics every night, but the highlight of the week is the Sunday roast, where you can nab a tasty plate of lamb or beef, crispy roast potatoes, seasonal veggies, Yorkshire pudding and lashings of gravy.

A beloved watering hole for the Fitzroy community, the venerable Union Club (located on the corner of Gore and Webb Streets) nails the atmosphere of a warm, low-key local. Sink into a leather couch by the hearth with some bangers, mash, beer and a bass guitar backing track. The pool table has also seen some epic battles, if that's more your style.

You feel like things could turn a bit gothic (or Scottish) as you sit before the flames and beneath the vaulted ceilings in this converted church. Generally though, things tick over in a convivial candlelit fashion while jazz bands play and the craft beers flow. In the spacious band room with comfy couches, there's a super toasty wood-burning stove. But if you'd rather drink outside, there's also a lovely outdoor fire pit in the beer garden.