Time Out Food & Drink Awards 2023: Best Casual Drinking Venue Nominees

For those of us old enough to remember, it always felt fancy to get a pint at the European Bier Café. The multi-level pub housed many a liquor-fuelled adventure as groups of uni students and workers embarked on their own Euro trip across the beer taps, right in the heart of Exhibition Street. Though those hazy nights may be behind us (mostly), it’s hard not to feel a pang of nostalgia as you look at the familiar and beautifully preserved facade of the 1920s building, reimagined today as Morris House.

Wesley Place precinct is a time portal back to ye olden days, with preserved heritage buildings and conservation efforts paying tribute to an important historical moment in time for Melbourne. Nestled humbly within this precinct, behind the Wesley Church and beside a resilient olive tree with origins dating back further than 1875, is the Caretaker’s Cottage. It's now a bustling, albeit pint-sized public bar where you can feel part of Melbourne’s history, and its future, all at the same time. 

In Melbourne’s fast-paced hospo scene, it’s easy to take for granted the local haunts we frequent over the years and have come to know and love. Bright, shiny openings dominate our feeds and, especially in the food space, there’s always somewhere new and compelling to visit. But some places seem to maintain an indistinguishable allure, bolstered by their persistence to keep things fresh and their loyal patrons happy – and judging by Marquis of Lorne’s consistently packed-out capacity since its 2014 refurbishment, it’s one of them.

When Molly Rose first opened its doors in 2019 in a Collingwood backstreet, northside craft beer lovers rejoiced. Though it’s not difficult to find the local brewer’s creations in your everyday bottle shop, there’s something to be said for drinking at the spot where all the beer alchemy takes place – from the fermentation process to that final frothy pour.  

While pubs that start from scratch have a fresh slate to work upon, the newly renovated Courthouse Hotel has had big shoes to fill since it reopened: its own. Here’s a venue that proudly earned two hats back in its heyday, once one of the most popular watering holes for great gastropub fare in North Melbourne. While it’s suffered a chapter or two of neglect since, new owners have recently swooped in to restore the restaurant to its former glory. So do they succeed? We booked a table to find out.