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Ruinbar

165 Beaufort Street, Perth, WA, 6000
Phone
NO PHONE
Website
ruinbar.beer
Instagram
@ruinbar_

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 12 Mar 2024

By
Max Veenhuyzen

You’d think a beer-centric pub run by a craft-brew pioneer in a heritage-listed space would be good. And it is. Just add self-proclaimed pretty good pizza, and good times are assured.

The facade of Ruinbar in Perth
Why you go

Miles Hull, the opening general manager of pioneering Fremantle craft brewery Little Creatures, has watched Australia’s beer culture change from up close. Some might say he played a part in ushering in some of this change. Two decades on from that formative gig, Miles is fronting another beer-centric project, Ruinbar, a 300-person space drawing inspiration from the low-frill ruin pubs of Eastern Europe. The setting is a long-mothballed heritage-listed building in the inner city, the vibe is approachable, and the drinks list celebrates both big-name and small-scale producers.

 

Why you stay“For a good time, call Ruinbar.” You’ll find this graffiti in the men’s bathroom, scrawled in baby-blue ink. You could try, of course, but I doubt that the staff (hip, care-free) would hear the phone ring over the din of a crowd (loud, diverse, happy) clearly having a good time. The writing on the door might say bar, but there’s something very pubby about Ruinbar’s character. Sound-amplifying brick walls help conjure a buoyant atmosphere in the main bar, while smaller side rooms and a courtyard area offer some relief from the noise.
The beer garden at Ruinbar in Perth
At the bar at Perth's Ruinbar
What drink to orderQuality, not quantity – it’s a mantra that Miles has been spruiking since his Little Creatures days and it’s followed him here. There might be bigger beer ranges in Perth, but Ruinbar packs a lot of interest into its selections. Packaged beers include big names such as Trumer Pils and Coopers Green, and a handful of non-alcoholic options. The rotating taps are where you’ll find the more out-there brews from the little guys – the likes of high-calibre double IPAs and IPLs, for instance. The current tap pours are written in chalk on salvaged planks of pallet wood. Elsewhere, the wine list covers classic and on-trend styles such as natural sparkling and chilled reds, while the cocktail list puts gentle spins on the classics: who’s for a Dusk Till Dawn, a Margarita homage starring blood-orange soda?
What to pair it withInspired by the neighbourhood pizza bars of the ’80s and ’90s, Ruinbar’s in-house pizzeria, Pretty Good Pizza, shares the same nostalgic bent of the mothership. Pizzas are named after hip-hop anthems: California Love is the street name of the Hawaiian pizza, while the vegan number invites plant-based eaters to Express Yourself. The good, beer-friendly stuff is sold as whole, gently pliable pizzas or by the slice, with the single serves cut from crunchier, rectangular pizzas. And yes, you’re welcome to bring your drink with you into Pretty Good Pizza, as well as eat your pizza anywhere in the bar (or even at home). 
The pizzas at Ruinbar are worth the visit.
Inside Perth's Ruinbar
Why we love itFor years, this heritage-listed setting lay dormant. In new owner Miles Hull, this prominent corner of Northbridge has a sympathetic patron who has managed to preserve the building’s historic character while ensuring it flourishes in its new era. Glimpses of the spaces’ past lives are everywhere, from paint stains in the bathroom (once a print shop) to excavated artefacts born again as bar decorations.
Regular’s tip Although Pretty Good Pizza is attached to Ruinbar, the pizza shop also has a stand-alone entrance for those whose immediate priority is eating rather than drinking. As the name suggests, the pizza is pretty good. Having said that, a beer-vending machine is on hand if you’d like to enjoy a tinny while you wait or your glass hits empty while you’re eating in the shop. (Just one thing: you buy beer tokens through the cashier, so the experience isn’t quite like the Kirin machine from your last Japanese holiday.) On Wednesdays, dine-in pizzas are half price, further underscoring the good in the pizzeria’s offering.
Who to takeWhile beer is central to Ruinbar’s identity, there’s enough on offer to keep all drinkers happy. Although a little outside the heart of Northbridge, the bar is a short walk from the Perth Cultural Centre as well as HBF Park, making it perfect for bookending an outing to the gallery, theatre or a concert. To paraphrase that scribble on the bathroom wall, for a good time call (into) Ruinbar.
Al fresco at Ruinbar
Authour image
Max VeenhuyzenMax Veenhuyzen is a Perth food, drink and travel journalist who contributes to key Australian publications.
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Drinks DirectoryOutdoor areaParty vibesBrilliant beer listPerthDate nightAfter work drinksGood for groupsPubTakeawaysWheelchair accessibleNon-alc OptionsMeal and a bevSpecialty BarBarCasual catch-up
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