This is a smart revamp of an old stager that cleverly retains its community-pub spirit while its drinks list nails what people want to drink right now with a comforting food menu to match.
You’ve got to respect a list that goes the mostly Victorian and all-Oz route, but makes an exception for Guinness on tap (yes, owner Vinnie Magrath is Irish). That patriotic flourish aside, the beer list likes to showcase local producers across multiple taps – you might find, for instance, a line-up from Thornbury’s 3 Ravens that includes its XPA, Hazy Pale and New England IPA, while its Acid Original Sour and Wild ale lurk in the fridges. You’ll also get Carlton on tap (of course you will), but it’s joined by the likes of Kensington’s Bonehead Brewing and Collingwood’s Fixation Brewing Co.
You’ll find the necessities of pub drinking, circa 2024, in the form of cider, hard seltzers and kombucha, while the zero-proof game is similarly strong (try a Calm and Stormy with analogue spiced rum, citrus and ginger beer).
Going for vino? The list focuses on smaller, independent producers such as the Yarra Valley's Thick as Thieves, and alternative grape varieties like a grenache blanc from McLaren Vale producer Thistledown. North Melbourne’s urban winery Rouleur, meanwhile, is represented with its pinot meunier, which is grown on a high plateau above the King Valley.
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