Knox pubs: The Acorn bar and restaurant in The Basin reopens with beer garden
An icy cold beer on a warm day with mates you haven’t caught up with all year is the perfect way to visit The Basin’s favourite pub, which has undergone some exciting renos.
Outer East
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If you’re looking for the coldest beer this side of town, you’re in luck.
Arguably Knox’s favourite village pub, The Acorn, welcomed back patrons on Wednesday after coronavirus forced it’s closure along with the rest of Victoria’s hospitality industry earlier this year.
When The Basin venue closed in March it was a quaint English-style pub, but after serious deliberation owner Tony Eastwood decided it was time to makeover the old girl.
“The virus arrived and knocked everyone off their feet, so when we shut I took a month to decide to change things up,” Mr Eastwood said.
“It’s been an English pub for 15 years.
“(I thought) People don’t want to come to an English pub, they want an Aussie local venue.”
As workman finished the last touches and downed tools, Mr Eastwood and his team open the doors to the fully booked bar and restaurant promptly at 4pm and there are plenty of exciting new additions for thirsty customers to enjoy.
The reinvented bar and restaurant pays homage to its local community history and also recognises the bands who have played at the popular venue.
“We’ve incorporated local history and have the original Basin Fire Brigade truck (facade) as a feature,” he said.
“We know bands and live music has been struggling this year so we have every band that played here up on the wall in The Valley Room (dining room).”
He said there is a fresh menu, dance floor and a new beer garden.
“There is a beer garden situated down the back with an old 1950s truck,” Mr Eastwood said.
“You can enjoy a craft beer and relax in the garden.”
Although don’t despair, the publican is still pulling the traditional beers including Furphy, Carlton, Kilkenny and Guinness.
“We’ve levelled up with our menu and we have a glycol beer system, which means we have the coldest beer this side of town,” he said.
“The beers will be super crisp and cold.”
Mr Eastwood said punters could expect an exciting roofed deck to be unveiled in 2021.
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