NOW EXPERIENCING:The Albion Hotel
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The Albion Hotel

Monday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
314 Smith Street, Collingwood, VIC, 3066
Phone
(03) 9965 0996
Website
albionhotel.pub
Instagram
@albionhotelcollingwood

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 09 Jul 2024

By
Frank Sweet

The Albion Hotel in Melbourne's Collingwood has had a makeover

A winning position and a banging Latin American menu bolstering a list of largely local craft brews and wines make this freshly reanimated pub a Collingwood smash.

The new fitout at the Albion Hotel in Melbourne's Collingwood
Why you goSmith Street is plainly one of Melbourne’s youngest and coolest, so where are all the pubs? It’s a question you and your mates might like to dissect over a pint of local draught out the front of this freshly flipped, ready-made hit of a local. Reanimated by Bodriggy Brewing owners Pete Walsh and Anthony Daniel from the ashes of a gambling den called Punter’s Palace, real estate doesn’t come much more prime than this: a 150-year-old bluestone corner pub at the centre of Melbourne’s creative inner north. And with sun in abundance from the early arvo casting hot light over its coveted streetside tables, the aspect ain’t too shabby either. How you use the Albion will likely change from visit to visit. You might arrive early and make use of that outdoor seating and the excellent people-watching it affords. Maybe you’re in for a Latin-inspired counter meal courtesy of Mexican-born chef Johnny Dominguez. Or perhaps you’re holing up for a late-night D and M with your day ones. However you slice it, for a rebooted pub without much modern-day lore, there’s heart here right from the start.
Why you stayThe tartan carpet, the 50-shades-of-brown exterior, the bottle-green tiles that skirt the bar, the Stones-adjacent playlist, the old-timey magpie graphic on the coasters – it all nods to ’70s Australian pub culture. Given its short life, however, it’s yet to develop that cosy lived-in quality that makes the surviving pubs from that era so appealing. But what it lacks in sticky floors and pungent beer mats it makes up for in modern furnishings, food that boldly goes beyond the humble parma, with arepas, AKA flatbread, stuffed to the hilt and Peruvian raw fish in the form of kingfish ceviche, and the ability to switch gear from gastropub to nightclub once the kitchen calls last orders. That makes for a pretty mixed crowd: hungry mums and dads sitting down to a nice meal among Collingwood Magpies barackers and revellers of all stripes. There’s no core crowd as such, which, pleasingly, means everyone is welcome.
The bar setting at the Albion Hotel in Melbourne
There's a great range of beer, wine and cocktails at the Albion Hotel in Melbourne
What drink to orderBeer drinkers, know this: the Albion Hotel is a schooners-only establishment. A Stingrays Draught will sting you a tenner, which, if you’re playing at home, is the equivalent of a $14 pint – roughly market value for a Melbourne pub that serves raw fish. The good news is that a schooner is unequivocally the best amount of beer you can buy: it won’t get warm, and it won’t have you back at the bar before you even get comfy. You’ll find a good nine-ish Bodriggy beers on pour for your refreshment, and you’ll also find the odd tapped wine – a chardonnay by Little Reddie batched specifically for the Albion, no less – plus a wine list that keeps things pretty local. A brief cocktail list featuring something called a Purple Disco Machine suggests a mixed drink here is more about the fun than the finesse, but the mezcal page, some 10 tipples strong, says it’s time to get responsibly loco.
What to pair it withThe staff here are notably enthusiastic about the menu, and why wouldn’t they be? The cauliflower steak, for instance, puts the entire plant to use: the purée made from the leaves and stems, the florets deep-fried and scattered as a garnish with pickled onions and herby chimichurri salsa. It’s their best-seller, and it’s vegan. The beef brisket torta – manifestly non-vegan – is as immense as a steak sandwich comes, loaded with meat that’s fibrous defences have fallen to 12 hours of slow cooking, and whose juices form the backbone of a ripe, smoky broth, a rich cup of liquid happiness in which to dunk your sub. Bringing it all home for the sweet tooths – a crunchy, velvety crème brûlée, described by owner Pete Walsh as “horribly moreish”.
The steak dish at the Albion Hotel in Collingwood
The dining area and kitchen at the Albion Hotel in Melbourne
Why we love itWe love it because Smith Street, for all it’s colourful energy and things to do, is relatively light-on for pubs that kick it al fresco; lighter still for those that show the footy, raffle off a weekly meat tray, and serve both thick porterhouse steaks and build-your-own tacos.
Regular’s tipIf you can jag a table out the front, plant the flag and summon the gang. It’s one of the best spots to while away a weekend afternoon in the area, and no doubt one of the major reasons the new-look Albion has got off to such a flying start. That, of course, is more of a summer strategy, so if it’s too cold, the next best spot is the grand horseshoe bar at the centre of the pub. The staff are bright-eyed and chatty, and generally up for a chinwag between serving if you’re going it alone, so pull up a stool, order a schooner and pour your heart out.
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In partnership with Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
Authour image
Frank SweetFrank Sweet is a Melbourne-based food and drink writer and a former editor of Time Out Beijing.
Tags
Drinks DirectoryPubParty vibesRestaurantCasual catch-upMelbourneMeal and a bevAfter work drinksDate nightFamily affairMelbourne – Inner NorthVego Food OptionsGood for groups
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