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The best Aussie pubs to watch the AFL

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Posted 22 Aug 2024

By
Hilary Simmons

Where to get the best view of all the AFL action this season. 

It’s that time of year again – ​​footy fever is here. And the best place to watch the action (other than on the ground) is a kick-ass pub with a bunch of mates. There’s no bigger period on Australia’s sporting calendar (if you ask Melburnians, anyway), so all you need to do is work out which are the best pubs to watch the footy.

The following pubs will pour you a pint, televise all the action, provide a great atmosphere and keep you well fed with tasty pub meals and snacks. Come finals season, expect footy-themed food and drink specials, sun-drenched beer gardens, rooftop watch parties, and plenty of pre- and post-game cheer. Gather your crew and catch the game while debating who’ll take out the number one spot this year.

Wherever you go, make sure you enjoy the chance to celebrate or commiserate with your mates after the siren.

Where to watch the AFL in Melbourne
Melbourne
Marquis of Lorne
This much-loved backstreet pub is a clubhouse of inner-northside cool, regularly packed with colourful characters and fuelled by craft beer, natural-leaning wine and next-level food.
Melbourne
Builders Arms Hotel
This venerable corner pub steeped in history has been a Fitzroy staple since 1853, but it now gleams with Andrew McConnell polish, offering premium drinks and upmarket bistro food seven days a week.
Melbourne
The Croxton
Sometimes you don’t want a fancy pub, you want a live music venue with a bistro attached and a history of sticky floors.
Melbourne
Central Club Hotel
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.
Melbourne
Hotel Esplanade
With 12 bars and two proper restaurants, the Espy is a seaside party palace delivering a brilliant beer choice, easy-going cocktails and Cantonese classics along with pub fare.
Melbourne
Hotel Railway
This big pub with a shady past has been reinvented as a modern neighbourhood watering hole with impressive drinks lists that embrace trend and tradition, and the eats to match.
Melbourne
Orrong Hotel
This handsome Art Deco-style pub, refreshed after a sympathetic makeover, is at once old-school and thoroughly modern, serving updated classic fare and crowd-pleasing drinks.
Melbourne
Morris House
From basement comedy club to pumping rooftop bar, Morris House offers four levels of well-designed, well-considered good times set around crowd-pleasing menus of food and drinks.
Melbourne
Hotel Railway
This big pub with a shady past has been reinvented as a modern neighbourhood watering hole with impressive drinks lists that embrace trend and tradition, and the eats to match.
Melbourne
The Lincoln
This old-school Carlton pub keeps it traditional with food and service, but updates the drinks list with craft beer, wine from small producers and classic cocktails.
Melbourne
North Fitzroy Arms
A recent refurb has transformed this old pub into a destination for all comers, with a top chef and star sommelier lifting the offerings to now draw people from near and far.
Where to watch the AFL in Sydney
Sydney
Cheeky Squire
New owners mean this Camperdown corner pub has been reinvigorated for locals, with live music, an enticing menu of counter meals and democratically priced drinks leading the way.
Sydney
The Dry Dock
With a glorious wine list, a cracking range of tap beers and an acclaimed chef on the pans, the Dry Dock – fresh from a meticulous revamp – might just be Balmain’s best pub.
Sydney
New Brighton Hotel
Looking for a great pub in Manly? Walk two minutes across the sand for an after-surf bevvy at the iconic New Brighton Hotel.
Sydney
The Lady Hampshire
New owners mean this Camperdown corner pub has been reinvigorated for locals, with live music, an enticing menu of counter meals and democratically priced drinks leading the way.
Where to watch the AFL in WA and SA
Perth
The Royal Hotel
This historic West Aussie pub in central Perth has been restored and reimagined for a new generation, effortlessly combining nostalgia with contemporary food and drinks.
Regional WA
Settlers Tavern
A world-class wine list in one of Australia’s key producing regions teamed with comforting pub grub adds up to a local watering hole that attracts everyone from farmhands to winemakers.
Adelaide
The Exeter Hotel
Not many bars can truly call themselves an institution, but The Exeter Hotel is the real deal, beloved for its strong, nicely priced local drinks offering and top pub food.
Regional SA
The Scenic Hotel
This reinvigorated country pub has charm for days, a smart menu of modernised pub classics, and a neat list of minimal-intervention wines, and a picturesque courtyard made for sunsets.
Where to watch the AFL in Darwin
Darwin
Beachfront Hotel
A major renovation has transformed the Beachfront Hotel into a prized local with much to like, from adventurous cocktails and standout craft brews to a crowd-pleasing menu for all comers.
Darwin
The Precinct Tavern
Set on the fetching Darwin Waterfront, The Precinct Tavern attracts an eclectic crowd who come for the classic pub offering, fruit-driven cocktails, craft brews and the tropical vibe.
Authour image
Hilary Simmons Hilary Simmons is a Melbourne-based writer, copywriter and editor whose work has appeared in Time Out, Urban List and Buzzfeed.
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Drinks DirectoryHappy hourMelbourneSydneySpecialty BarRoundupOutdoor areaAdelaideRegional WAMeal and a bevPubGood for groups
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