Sports pubs, gastro pubs, early openers, late night dives, pubs with beer gardens and live music…whether you're looking to watch the game, indulge in a hearty meal, catch a band or settle in for a Sunday session, Melbourne has your pub needs covered.  

Top picks

Grosvenor Hotel, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Grosvenor Hotel

Pubs
The Grosvenor Hotel has been around since the 1800s and despite numerous changes, the mantra remains the same: good food, good vibes and good brews.
Standard Hotel, Fitzroy

The Standard

Pubs
One of the last bastions of the Fitzroy of old, head to The Standard for a pint in the public bar or relax with mates in the leafy beer garden.
Union Club Hotel, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Union Club Hotel

Pubs
Even before Offspring made it a small screen celebrity, this great local knew how to pull a crowd: good booze, good food, a beer garden and a pool table.
Windsor Castle, Windsor, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Windsor Castle

Bars
Follow the parade of pink elephants beckoning from the roof of this beloved pub, where a leafy courtyard and indoor nooks create an all-seasons escape.
The Retreat, Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia

The Retreat

Pubs
Boasting a cosy front bar, massive beer garden and dance hall/band room, The Retreat is cherished by all who pass beneath her faded facade.
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How I Melbourne profiles

Meet local personalities and hear their recommendations ahead of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
Rushani Epa

Rushani Epa

Rushani Epa is the editor of Colournary Magazine, which aims to provide a platform to First Nations, Black and PoC food writers and creatives.
Ben Brown

Ben Brown

AFL player Ben Brown is an ambassador for domestic violence prevention, helping children with disabilities, and sexual and gender equality in sport.
Diana Chan

Diana Chan

Four years on from taking out MasterChef’s top prize, Diana Chan has become a household name.
Kara Monssen

Kara Monssen

Kara Monssen is the Herald Sun’s lead food and wine writer, reporting for Kitchen Confidential and Delicious, and reviewing Victorian restaurants.
Lucinda Price

Lucinda Price

Comedian. Actor. Presenter. Writer. Visionary. Lucinda Price, aka Froomes, is a modern multi-threat creative.
Peter Rowland

Peter Rowlands

A caterer to the stars since 1962, Peter Rowland made his name delivering dazzling events, from official state functions to the Australian Grand Prix.

Local breweries

More Victorian breweries
Burnley Brewing, Burnley, Victoria, Australia. Photo: Sally M Photography

Burnley Brewing

Breweries
Settle in with local beer lovers and pick a paddle of creative brews for tasting at this relaxed local taphouse and gastropub.
Stomping Ground, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Stomping Ground

Breweries
Get an education in all things amber nectar at this good-looking brewery and beer hall with a 30-tap bar and tasty dishes matched to brews.
Bonehead Brewing, Kensington, Victoria, Australia

Bonehead Brewing

Breweries
Share the craft beer dream with two high-school friends who opened their own microbrewery and taproom in Melbourne's inner west.
The Mill Brewery, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia

The Mill Brewery

Breweries
An industrial gem in Collingwood's collection of breweries, The Mill brews and serves up small batch beers in a former mechanic's workshop.
Urban Alley, Docklands, Melbourne, Australia

Urban Alley Brewery

Breweries
This brewery is serious about sustainability, using an environmentally-friendly brewing process to create kosher and vegan-friendly beers.
Temple Brewing Company, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Temple Brewing Company

Breweries
Beer is better with food, and the fine beer at Temple Brewing Company is matched by exceptional food made in-house at the East Brunswick brewery's HQ.
Brewery

Molly Rose

Breweries
The beating heart of Molly Rose is their brewery and venue in Collingwood. It's where you'll find the team crafting their delicious beers from Monday to...
A bar with a row of seats in front, and several bottles and glasses in the background

Two Doors Brewing

Breweries
Two Doors Brewing is the first microbrewery and wine bar in bustling Ashburton Village since the 'dry zone' was declared in the 1920s. This is a family...
Moon Dog World, Melbourne, Victoria

Moon Dog World

Breweries
Take a mini-vacation at Moon Dog Craft Brewery's enormous warehouse brewery-bar. It's a playground for adults – with beers on tap.

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Chin Chin, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Melbourne restaurants

Food & wine
Melbourne is a melting pot of cultures, a fact reflected in its restaurants, cafes, bistros and bars. Feast on a dizzying spread of the world's great cuisines.
Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne

Live music

Art & culture
Variety and energy characterise entertainment and nightlife in Victoria. Melbourne features an ever-changing number of clubs, bars and live music venues.
Cocktail at Bar Americano, Presgrave Place, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Bars

Food & wine
Take an unexpected turn, duck into one of Melbourne's famed laneways, scamper up some stairs and take a tipple in a bar with a distinct personality.
Napoleone Brewery and Ciderhouse, Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, Victoria, Australia

Breweries

Breweries & distillieries
Victorian countryside and inner-city breweries prove that there's a lot more to Aussie beer with a burgeoning hand-craft and artisan beer scene.