If there were an award for best all rounder pub, which every good pub should really strive for, The Fox would always be in the running. Warm, welcoming, and more diverse than most northside pubs, the Fox’s inclusive attitude is a testament to publicans Bridie Harrop, Clodagh Harris and Tracy Walsh, who clearly don’t care if you’re gay or straight, old or young, veggo or carnivore, canine or human, so long as you like a good beer and a good time.
Decorated in they style of a 1980s man cave, its interior brick walls are lined with beer cans, taxidermy and the odd stuffed toy fox, while a faded bikini chick poster and the pool table in the corner really bring the look home. On a Saturday night, a DJ spinning his own epic collection of soul and Motown 45s is so happily immersed in his little world of grooves you can’t help but be jealous. This is part of their ongoing series of DJ sets by Melbourne’s most dedicated vinyl collectors, and who better to set the soundtrack to your weekend? The music offering is rounded out by live bands on Sunday – always family-friendly stuff, in case your kids need a boogie.
An excellent list of rotating craft beers on tap currently includes a Grand Ridge wheat beer that's a perfect imitation of the summery German style, all bright banana pudding and soft grain. There’s also an incredible list of beers in the bottle, including a ton of tasty imports like a Kereru Karengose salty seaweed ale that tastes like an ultra light pale ale dosed with a drop of South Pacific seawater.
The food is absolutely cracker, too. Huge portion sizes will destroy even the most soul-crushing hangover (a theory we’ve tested on several occasions with the parma). There’s also just enough creative flair to keep you coming back week after week, like a Moreton Bay bug pie that’s absolutely brimming with huge chunks of bug tail. And we have it on good authority from a vegetarian punter who we witnessed inhaling a burrito at inhuman speeds that the many non-meat options are pretty bloody tasty, too.
To top it all off, the tiny beer garden out the back is dog welcoming, and the little rooftop patio has amazing views out over the rusted tin rooftops of Collingwood, trailing off into the Melbourne skyline as the Sunday sun sets on the world’s greatest city. It’s a sight for sore eyes, and one we hope you see often.
