There’s nothing quite like the Aussie pub. A warm and welcoming neighbourhood icon, ride-or-die for the regular and beacon for the tired traveller, there’s a beautiful old boozer in almost every suburb, from Fitzroy’s many corner haunts to Richmond’s pub-crawlability.

While some pass relatively untouched from custodian to custodian, others are bought and overhauled as locals nervously await their fate (though of late, more and more thoughtful reimaginings fit with the fabric of the community).

Victorians have a few non-negotiable pub preferences: parma over parmi, pots over schooners, and potato cakes over, heaven forbid, potato scallops. But what makes our state’s pubs truly ours – and truly outstanding – surpasses semantics. A pub’s history is embedded into its walls and squished into the carpet, matched in magnitude only by the ice-cold beer running through its taps.

When it comes to food, parmas and steaks will always be make-or-break, but potato cakes – once a fish-and-chip-shop cornerstone – have emerged as a new marker of excellence. Straying from the pack pays off, too. Some of the state’s frontrunners cherrypick the best bits of bistros, izakayas and wine bars and inject them into a pub.

Here’s where to pull up a bar stool.

Albert Park Hotel

Born in 1883, then again in 2020, there’s more than meets the eye at this vibey south-of-the-river spot. A four-storey atrium floods the front bar with light. But beyond it, in-house Chinese diner Happy Valley skilfully sidesteps the pub standard with a menu that’s fun, feastable and farmer-focused, and service that lets the good times roll.

Best for: Dim sum and late-night cocktails.

85 Dundas Place, Albert Park, thealbertpark.com.au

Ascot Vale Hotel

One of the best in the north-west, the Ascot Vale makes pulling the throttle on a busy thoroughfare worth it. In a sea of car dealerships and crash repairers, the 1875-built corner joint is an old soul with a fresh face. Locals swarm the place pre- or post-footy for the self-professed #coldestpotsinmelbourne and size-of-your-palm dimmies.

Best for: Sporty sorts and weekday happy hour.

447 Mount Alexander Road, Ascot Vale, ascotvalehotel.com.au

Builders Arms Hotel

This ritzy bistro is as casual as it gets for Andrew McConnell, and an opportunity to try several of his signature dishes in one hit: The Whipped Cod Roe, The Cheeseburger, The Fish Pie. Behind the bar are similarly iconic drops, from a zippy skin-contact wine by Unico Zelo to a big-ticket burgundy.

Best for: A taste of the McConnell magic at an entry-level price.

211 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, buildersarmshotel.com.au

Central Club Hotel

After a relentless reno, this tired TAB recently re-emerged with a slick but thoughtful fitout. Tables are topped with upcycled jarrah timber, and repurposed wrought iron leads to an incoming whisky bar. Odds are you’ll find something delicious and drinkable on the all-Aussie drinks list, and an Italian-ish menu of hand-made pastas is a sure-fire winner, too.

Best for: Refuelling after a Queen Victoria Market jaunt.

246 Victoria Street, North Melbourne, centralclubhotel.com.au

Corner Hotel

A live-music linchpin dating as far back as the ’40s, the trusty Corner has stayed true to its roots and then some. Beyond the big old bandroom is one of Richmond’s favourite rooftops – always lively, sometimes lifting off – where a crowd-pleasing selection of tap beers and all the usual pub suspects will power you up pre or post-performance. Or both.

Best for: Weekly rock and pop culture trivia.

57 Swan Street, Richmond, cornerhotel.com

The Courthouse North Melbourne

This revamped 1850s boozer nods subtly to Australiana, with spotted-gum tables, Victorian ash timber panelling, old-school tan tiling and stucco for days. Freshly RSA’d staff pour hand-pumped Love Shack ale and house wines by Koerner, while a wood-fired grill turns out charred whole fish. Marshmallow-crowned hot Milo keeps the kidlets happy.

Best for: A schnitty before a show at Arts House over the road.

86-90 Errol Street, North Melbourne, thecourthousenm.com.au

The Espy (Hotel Esplanade)

Standing guard over St Kilda sunsets for just shy of 150 years, this multi-level monster is remarkably diverse, with a light-filled main bar, street-front beer garden, cocktail bar, two band rooms, Chinese and Italian-American restaurants, even a secret area behind a nondescript door. Just after a few pots in the sun? That can be arranged, too.

Best for: Gigs in the storied Gershwin Room.

11 The Esplanade, St Kilda, hotelesplanade.com.au

Goldy’s Tavern

When the DJ is in full swing and punters spill out onto the street, the energy at Goldy’s is unlike anywhere else in town. There are cheffy takes on dude food, from fried pickles to pecan pie, but the indie kids are here for the 1970s aesthetic, by-the-glass pet nat, and ultra-local taps pouring Bodriggy, Co-Conspirators, Venom and Aqua Boogie.

Best for: Impromptu pool comps.

66A Gold Street, Collingwood, goldystavern.com.au

Great Northern Hotel

The reason this neighbourhood stalwart lives up to its name? It’s finessed the tried-and-tested pub formula, and it fits Carlton North like an old glove. Tap beers globetrot, but Carlton Draught stays put; $20 parmas never fail to fill the place on Mondays; and sport-plastered screens always give the front-bar flies something to get impassioned about.

Best for: Beer-garden brews and local yarns.

644 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North, gnh.net.au

Hotel Railway Brunswick

In its heyday, the Railway was the kind of place you could get anything you liked. It closed when that business model proved more illegal than sustainable, but now – with fresh owners and an even fresher Mediterranean menu – still offers plenty of choice. In summer, doors to the central courtyard open up creating a breezy indoor-outdoor space crying out for cold beer and fried squid.

Best for: Lazy long lunches.

291 Albert Street, Brunswick, hotelrailway.com.au

Izakaya by Tamura

Takako Tamura’s Hokkaido-style fried chicken is 14 years in the making, and it shows. Golden nuggets with arguably the chonkiest crumb in town arrive atop sweet citrus soy and make for the perfect drinking snack. Throw in a super-sour yuzu marg and a killer house Manhattan, and it’s no surprise the two-tiered bluestone building is heaving at weekends.

Best for: Party-starting izakaya-style snacks.

343 Smith Street, Fitzroy, izakayabytamura.com

Lamaro’s Hotel

A pub with polish by Melbourne dining heavyweight Geoff Lindsay (of now-closed Dandelion) this spot has earned its institution status. Behind racing-red awnings, kids and corporates simultaneously run amok. Euro-bistro mainstays reign (and there’s a weighty wine list to match) alongside a few textbook pub plates and Southeast Asian flourishes.

Best for: Arvo-stealing lunches and wood-fired Black Angus steaks.

273-279 Cecil Street, South Melbourne, lamaroshotel.com.au

The Lincoln

The Linc has staked its claim as a great eating pub, with deftly done classics (schnitzels, steaks, Sunday roasts) alongside not-so-classics (XO crab crackers). But the comforts transcend the edible, with umbrella-shaded on-street seating outside and many a neat nook within. Established in 1854, it’s still got the grit of a bygone-era boozer, but its gastropub glow is golden.

Best for: Constant grazing and friendly-faced hospitality.

91 Cardigan Street, Carlton, hotellincoln.com.au

Marquis of Lorne

Often so packed to the rafters that – even on a weeknight – the door will shove a few people aside as you open it, the mighty Marquis has a strong case for being Melbourne’s most popular pub. Maybe it’s that rockling burger. Or the raucous rooftop sunsets. Or the certainty of a chummy run-in. Or just the consistency; good times are guaranteed.

Best for: First-rate food and rooftop rendezvous.

411 George Street, Fitzroy, marquisoflorne.com.au

Mona Castle Hotel

The Mona is a cherished locals’ haunt, located in a quiet residential street and dating back to 1874. A recent refit maintained the bones of the place, and there’s nostalgia in the menu, too, evidenced by chicken-salt chips and frog-in-a-pond. Grab a pot from neighbours Hop Nation, then let a monochrome Merv Hughes and Shane Warne keep watch over the imbibing.

Best for: Test cricket over a few tins.

45-53 Austin Street, Seddon, monacastlehotel.com

Mount Erica Hotel

A behemoth. That’s how you’d describe Marquis of Lorne’s south-side sibling. But while the two pubs share some great genes (top-tier food is in the family), the Mount Erica is undeniably Prahran’s own. When it inevitably fills up it’s a party; pints and pups are free-flowing in the breezy beer garden, and the vibes seep into the kitsch-cool dining room.

Best for: Group get-togethers and slaw-crowned schnitzels.

420 High Street, Prahran, mountericahotel.com.au

The Napier Hotel

“The Nape” is a true every-person’s pub, where sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers on communal timber benches breaks down barriers between regulars and new recruits. In some ways it’s a time capsule, its walls plastered with local sports memorabilia, and old hands perched at the bar. But it’s not bound by tradition, particularly menu-wise; the pepper-crusted roo is one to hop back for.

Best for: Sunday roasts and courtyard pints.

210 Napier Street, Fitzroy, thenapierhotel.com.au

Naughtons

You could say this 1873-built corner hotel, a warmly lit retreat from the revs of Royal Parade, is the dark horse of Melbourne’s pub-dining scene. Not for locals, though. Finding a spare table among hordes of them is a challenge on steak night, when the convivial dining room is wall-to-wall and the farm-to-table schtick really sticks.

Best for: Fancy potato cakes and matesy service.

43 Royal Parade, Parkville, naughtonshotel.com.au

Northcote Social Club

The burgers are better (but not the be-all and end-all) at Northcote Social Club. Impressive pub grub makes it a High Street staple, but the Corner Hotel DNA helped it become a live music hub. Generations of gig-goers have all but worn out the front bar’s leather booths, while the roomy back deck is a prime position for a pint.

Best for: Free Monday gigs and a freewheeling crowd.

301 High Street, Northcote, northcotesocialclub.com

The North Port

Try as you might, you cannot have a bad time at the North Port. Impossible with staff this easygoing, fireplaces this plentiful, and dogs so welcome (in the front bar, anyway). Add a backing track of bluesy guitar licks and a sublime egg-topped schnitty, and it’s no wonder this place is chock-full of regulars seven nights a week.

Best for: Footy on every TV and a Friday meat raffle.

146 Evans Street, Port Melbourne, northporthotel.com.au

The Orrong Hotel

The fact you can’t put your finger on the demographic of this art deco Armadale icon is a testament to its 2021 revival. Retaining its old-school sheen means veterans aren’t deterred, but a menu makeover helped it soar to “new local” status for many of the area’s unacquainted. Important to note: the old coolroom is now a poolroom.

Best for: An all-are-welcome attitude.

709 High Street, Armadale, orronghotel.com

Prince Public Bar

Whenever a pub is overhauled, there’s always a danger it could wind up unrecognisable. But while today’s Prince is a drastic shift away from recent, sticky-carpeted iterations, it now more closely resembles its original ’30s-era self. Inside, leather-clad rockdogs and rosé-sipping corporates alike tuck into dishes overseen by chef Dan Cooper, of hatted Prince Dining Room upstairs.

Best for: Elegant roasts with all the trimmings.

29 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, theprince.com.au

Railway Club Hotel

What the Railway lacks in being even remotely near a train line it makes up for with a diehard commitment to beef. Rub shoulders with suits in the polished dining room or join the high-vis contingent for knock-offs in the front bar. You’ll get first-rate steaks at both, though South Melbourne Market dim sims and the ciggie machine are exclusive to the latter.

Best for: Standard-bearing steaks.

107 Raglan Street, Port Melbourne, railwayclubhotel.com.au

Railway Hotel

Now pushing 90, this art deco spot has long been a pillar of the tight-knit Yarraville Village community, pulling pints for punters from all walks of life. But a recent refurb paid homage to its history, reintroducing the west-side drinking den to a new generation. Get amongst it in the red-tinged front bar or timber-clad poolroom.

Best for: House-made sausage rolls and Bulldogs banter.

35 Anderson Street, Yarraville, railwayhotelyarraville.com.au

The Retreat Hotel Abbotsford

There’s more familiarity to be found the further you delve into the warren-like watering hole, seemingly untouched by the hand of time. Its walls are covered with vintage sports paraphernalia, and don’t be surprised if you walk in on the occasional Bee Gees singalong. The cooking is more nanna’s-on-Sunday than glamorous gastropub, which is just how the locals like it.

Best for: Disappearing into the woodwork.

226 Nicholson Street, Abbotsford, retreatabbotsford.com.au

Royal Oak Hotel

Born into a pub empire, the Royal Oak’s prestigious heritage means the pressure is on. But this close cousin of the much-loved Marquis lives up to the hype, firmly cementing itself in the hearts of Fitzroy North pubgoers from day one. If the toffee-skinned roast chook doesn’t hook you, the tan-on-tan space that’s a lesson in cosy comfort just might.

Best for: Settling in and swapping stories.

442 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy North, royaloakhotel.co

Royston Hotel

If you know, you know. In an industrial pocket, the stone-fronted Richmond stomping ground appears like a mirage, lit from outside by a glowing red neon sign and from within by a sea of lively locals. Parma night pops off (to the detriment of walk-ins) and despite the pub’s loyal following, you still kind of feel like you’re in on a secret.

Best for: Hasselback potatoes and hand-pumped ales.

12 River Street, Richmond, roystonhotel.com.au

The Standard Hotel

Is there anything more glorious than an afternoon in the dappled light of the Standard’s leafy courtyard, with a pot of something frosty in hand? There’s nothing flash about this beloved pub, but that’s part of the allure. Equally appealing: double-cheese parmas, plenty of plant-based possibilities, and a front bar that’ll take you back a few years, run by the friendliest crew in town.

Best for: Frothies with Fitzroyalty.

293 Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy, thestandardhotel.com.au

Union House

Pubs are meant to mean many things to many people, but the Union is a rare chameleon. After a fireside feast (the stellar sirloin often outshined by the accompanying mash), it’s likely a D-floor will devour you downstairs. Doubly so if the Tigers get up. Footy tipping and meat raffles are local lures, and the menu rivals that of the surrounding restaurants.

Best for: Steak night and Tigerland pride.

270 Swan Street, Richmond, unionhouse.com.au

The Victoria Hotel

Coeliacs, small children and teetotallers unite: the Vic happily caters to all. A worthy kids’ menu means this footy-forward boozer is regularly packed with pint-size fans, and everything – except a few beers – is devoid of gluten. That progressive approach extends to a lengthy list of non-alc drops: Everleigh cocktails, Non pear and kombu wine, and Garage Project brews.

Best for: Family (and dietary) friendly dinners.

43 Victoria Street, victoriahotelfootscray.com