Pubs are where many families celebrate every birthday, bands get their first gig and teenagers get their first hospo job. Along with cafes , they’re probably our most welcoming hospitality space and a key part of the Good Food Guide 2025 . You don’t need to follow a dress code or earn a certain amount to stake your claim to a table or stool.
Right now, Melbourne is at the height of a pub renaissance that’s been 10-plus years in the making. Many point to The Marquis of Lorne and The Builders Arms as the lodestars for today’s schmick but soulful renovations that are sweeping pubs across Melbourne. The pub revival gathered pace after the pandemic , as veterans decided to leave an unpredictable market and many old gems ended up in the hands of next-gen publicans, who got to work polishing them.
From the restored Mona Castle in Seddon to The Beehive in Hawthorn and the North Fitzroy Arms, today’s rebooted pubs combine nostalgia with a sense for what punters want now: food that’s a cut-above, a sense of community, and more than just beer in their glass. Most importantly, their owners have retained the character that so many previous pub renovations have destroyed. To celebrate the pub’s triumphant return to a beloved cornerstone of Melbourne’s drinking and dining, The Age Good Food Guide 2025 includes a new award for Pub of the Year.
It recognises a pub – new or old – that embodies the best parts of our city’s pub culture, from genuine community spirit to qual.