Auburn Hotel has been proudly serving Hawthorn locals since 1888 and it’s now entering a fresh, new era in its prime position on the corner of Victoria Street and Auburn Road. The landmark pub has long been a neighbourhood favourite of the Inner East, known for its satisfying pub fare and as a favoured spot for after work drinks. Now, the beloved watering hole has revealed a two-pronged facelift that’s sure to enhance the dining (or drinking) experience of locals and visitors alike.
The first part of the expansion is the addition of the Pavilion, an atrium style drinking and dining hub. The historic site on which the Pavilion stands was once home to horse stables, before becoming a motorworks garage called Regan Motors. Fast forward to spring 2023 and the site has been transformed into a thoroughly contemporary extension to the hotel, complete with a striking fireplace centrepiece, a retractable roof and a state-of-the-art pizza oven.
The Pavilion’s outdoor deck area extends from inside and overlooks the beer garden, meaning it's a great place to get some fresh air all year round. The new beer garden itself is huge and the kids playground will keep the little ones well and truly entertained while you enjoy the refreshed menu.
Feeling snacky? Opt for some shared dishes – we like the look of the burrata with heirloom tomatoes and mandarin olive oil. If it’s a pub classic you’re after, the Auburn classic lamb pie or the roasted pork belly with apple sauce and bacon jus will do the trick. There’s also a spanking new selection of woodfired pizzas, all served straight from the oven in the Pavilion.
Bonus: Auburn Hotel is welcoming locals into the pub’s two new spaces with a special ‘locals weekend’ offer running from November 18-19. The first drink is on them (redeemable via the Pass) and there’ll be live acoustic sets on the Saturday and Sunday, plus a free petting zoo.
If you can’t make it on locals weekend, you’ll be glad to hear there’s something happening almost every night of the week at Auburn Hotel. Mondays are $20 mains (bargain!), Tuesdays are trivia and Wednesdays are parma night. Thursdays mean $25 steak night, a meat raffle and live music. On Fridays there’s happy hour from 4-6pm, while the week ends with Sunday Funday for the kids.