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21 Of Melbourne’s Best Beer Gardens For A Summer Tipple
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21 Of Melbourne’s Best Beer Gardens For A Summer Tipple

by
November 3, 2020

Kassia is the Editor of AWOL, and a straight-up travel…

Pretty much everyone I know currently living in Melbourne spent the weekend sinking a few cold ones, judging by social media. No judgement, you all deserve it!

With summer just around the corner and pubs in your 25km radius back open for business, level up your drinking experience with the city’s best beer gardens.

I don’t know what it is about drinking in the sunshine that makes the whole experience more enjoyable, but it’s basically science at this point. Sun, booze, and socially-distanced company: what a dream.

It’s damn near impossible to name all the beer gardens in a city as trendy as Melbourne, but here’s a solid 21 joints to get you started.

#1 Whitehart Bar

 

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Right in the heart of the CBD, Whitehart Bar is one of the prettiest buildings made of shipping containers you’ll ever see. Not to mention the large outdoor area is often lit up with projections of locally-designed art. Enjoy craft beers, boutique wines, signature cocktails and a whole new food menu.

Address: 22 Whitehart Lane, Melbourne CBD VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9602 2260
Hours: Re-opening on November 5, check website for new open hours

#2 Paradise Alley

 

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The laneway bar of Paradise Alley in Collingwood is surrounded by street art, to really embody Melbourne’s ‘cool’ vibe. They team up with other local businesses to serve up top notch food and bevvies.

Address: 25 Easey Street, Collingwood, Melbourne VIC 3066
Phone: (03) 9029 8484
Hours: Wed-Fri 4pm-late, Sat- Sun 12pm-late

#3 Hello Josè

 

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Make it a fiesta with West Melbourne’s Hello Josè. Relax in this fun and colourful outdoor area while chowing down on their Mexican inspired food and drink

Address: 85 Peel St, West Melbourne VIC 3003
Phone: Book via email: [email protected]
Hours: Two dinner seatings a night: 5 – 7:15pm and 7:30pm onwards. Bookings of eight or more can be made outside these hours

#4 The Flying Duck Hotel

 

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It’s actually the beer garden that makes The Flying Duck Hotel famous, which bodes well. It’s also very big, which is ideal for these Covid times, and it has an air-conditioned glasshouse for when you want to be outside but not melt.

Address: 67 Bendigo Street, Prahran, Melbourne VIC 3181
Phone: (03) 9510 8081
Hours: Wed-Thurs 5pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-close, Sun 12pm-7pm

#5 The Boatbuilders Yard

 

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How about a little beer garden with some water views? That’s exactly what The Boatbuilders Yard, located along the South Wharf Promenade, delivers. Plus a long wine lost, classic cocktails and drool-worthy desserts.

Address: 23 S Wharf Promenade, South Wharf, Melbourne VIC 3006
Phone: (03) 9686 5088
Hours: Thu 10am-8pm, Fri 10am-10pm, Sat 9am-10pm, Sun 9am-8pm

#6 Garden State Hotel

 

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Colour me obsessed with the multi-leveled, leafy, fairy lit outdoor area of Garden State Hotel. It might be on Flinders Lane in the CBD, but you’ll feel a (sophisticated) world away. That’s even before you nosh down on their gourmet eats.

Address: 101 Flinders Lane, Melbourne CBD VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 8396 5777
Hours: Wed-Thurs 4pm-late, Fri-Sat 12pm-late

#7 College Lawn Hotel

 

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College Lawn Hotel‘s beer garden is a nice big one, which means you have more chance of getting in these days. The vine-covered walls and other greenery give it a very ‘backyard’ vibe, and it’s know for its well-priced booze.

Address: 36 Greville Street, Prahran, Melbourne VIC 3181
Phone: (03) 9810 0074
Hours: Sun-Thu 12pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12am

#8 The Wesley Anne

 

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This church-turned-pub gives off some edgy gothic vibes inside, but the garden area is as tranquil as can be. They have a wide range of drinks on offer and live music performances, The Welsey Anne is a whole mood.

Address: 250 High Street, Northcote, Melbourne VIC 3070
Phone: (03) 9482 1333
Hours: Mon-Sun 12pm-late

#9 Dr Morse Bar and Eatery

 

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I simply can’t resist a bit of exposed brick decor, which is a look Dr Morse Bar and Eatery has nailed. May I also just add they have a brekkie menu (which will win me over every time) and an undercover section of the garden because, you know, Melbourne.

Address: 274 Johnston Street, Abbotsford, Melbourne VIC 3067
Phone: (03) 9416 1005
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-late, Sat-Sun 8am-late

#10 The Standard Hotel

 

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The Standard Hotel is consistently a Fitzroy locals favourite, thanks to their pub grub, cold beers and live music — so the fact they have a huge beer garden is just one hell of a bonus.

Address: 293 Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne VIC 3065
Phone: 03 9419 4793
Hours: Mon-Tues 3pm-10pm, Wed-Sun 12pm-10pm

#11 Le Bon Ton

 

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Fun name, even more fun beer garden. Hidden in the back streets of Collingwood, Le Bon Ton is a saloon-style bar with a smokehouse, making it the place to be for US-style grills and absinthe drinks.

Address: 51 Gipps St Collingwood Melbourne VIC 3066
Phone: (03) 9427 2133
Hours: Wed-Sun 12pm-9pm

#12 The Retreat Hotel

 

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The self-proclaimed ‘home of live music’, The Retreat Hotel has hosted some killer bands over the years. Not to mention the beer garden is super pretty, with astroturf, fairy lights, greenery and smatterings of pretty pink flowers.

Address: 280 Sydney Road, Brunswick, Melbourne VIC 3056
Phone: (03) 9380 4090
Hours: Mon-Sun 12pm-late

#13 Trunk Diner

 

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Trunk Diner is home to the largest beer garden in Melbourne’s CBD, as well as American-themed eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner and seemingly endless seating options.

Address: 275 Exhibition Street, Melbourne CBD VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9663 7994
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-late, Sat-Sun 8am-late

#14 Prudence Bar

For a different vibe, Prudence Bar has some seriously quirky decor — think taxidermy deer-heads mixed with African and Balinese sculptures. The large outdoor area feels a lot like walking into long Viking hall.

Address: 368 Victoria Street, North Melbourne 3051
Phone: (03) 9329 9267
Hours: Mon-Sat 4.30pm-1am, Sun 4.30pm-11.30pm

#15 The Alderman

Posted by The Alderman on Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Alderman is cosy and intimate, like hanging out in Grandma’s garden… with a bunch of strangers. If you’re a fan of Art Deco and craft brews, this is your jam.

Address: 134 Lygon Street, East Brunswick, Melbourne VIC 3057
Phone: +61 3 9380 9003
Hours: Tue-Thu 5pm-11pm, Fri 5pm-12am, Sat 3pm-12am

#16 Workshop Bar

 

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Workshop Bar is an oasis in the middle of the CBD for its palmy beer garden and its talent for fostering creative culture — many local artists and musicians have all showcased here.

Address: Level 1/413 Elizabeth St (enter via Beckett St), Melbourne 3000
Phone: (03) 9326 4365
Hours: Thurs 5pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-1am

#17 Welcome To Thornbury

 

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A big yes to the name, a bigger yes to the second largest beer garden in Melbourne. Welcome to Thornbury is super unique, being the only permanent food truck stop, with numerous trucks rotating daily.

Address: 520 High Street, Northcote, Melbourne VIC 3070
Phone: (03) 9020 7940
Hours: Mon-Fri 5pm-10pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-late

#18 The Bergy Seltzer

 

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The Bergy Seltzer is yet another super cool Brunswick watering hole. This dive bar has plenty of beers on tap, a very chill out vibe and (usually) live music.

Address: 68 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056
Phone: (03) 9380 9790
Hours: Wed-Sun 4pm-1am

#19 The Great Northern

 

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Probably one of the most well known places in Melbourne for your classic Aussie pub vibes. According to their website, The Great Northern also happen to have the largest beer garden in Melbourne, if not Australia.

Address: 644 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North, Melbourne VIC 3054
Phone: (03) 9380 9569 (although for the moment you’ll have to make booking via their website)
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-8pm

#20 The Aviary

 

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With a slight industrial feel, the very pretty garden of The Aviary offers a casual setting to devour a huge selection of local beers and delish food that’s meant to be shared.

Address: 271 Victoria St, Abbotsford VIC 3067
Phone: (03) 9428 7727
Hours: Tues-Fri 4pm-late, Sat-Sun 12pm-late

#21 Corner Hotel

 

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Ok so it’s a large rooftop, but I would argue that the Corner Hotel still counts as having an elevated beer garden — and a very green, inviting one at that. The venue is known for its live music, traditionally hosting local and international acts.

Address: 57 Swan St, Richmond VIC 3121
Phone: (03) 9427 7300
Hours: Wed-Thurs 5pm-late, Fri-Sun 12pm-late, differing hours for public holidays

(Lead Image: Instagrqam / @cornerhotel)

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Kassia is the Editor of AWOL, and a straight-up travel addict. She was born without a sense of direction, yet an intense desire to explore the world. As such, she's lost 90% of the time but she's learned to roll with it. You can catch her latest adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.

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