The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

Food and live music return to the East Brunswick Hotel

Anna Webster

Fried chicken burger with fries at the East Brunswick Hotel.
Fried chicken burger with fries at the East Brunswick Hotel.Brook James

The East Brunswick Hotel (once the East Brunswick Club) will ring to the sound of live music for the first time since 2012 after reopening last week.

It has undergone its second renovation in less than three years. The first, in 2015, saw the once-dilapidated band room given a shiny, sticky-carpet-stripping reboot. It operated for just a short time before closing and sitting vacant for 18 months. In late 2017, property developer Scott Didier, a hospitality newcomer, bought it for $4.4 million. He will run the pub with his children.

The latest renovation is more of a refresh. Built over three floors, the pub features an underground private dining room and cellar, a ground-level public bar (with industrial-style exposed roof beams and a John Farnham mural), and upstairs cocktail bar and balcony. There are also 12 freshly refitted apartments.

Dark chocolate rocky road with blackberry puree and chocolate ice-cream at the East Brunswick Hotel.
Dark chocolate rocky road with blackberry puree and chocolate ice-cream at the East Brunswick Hotel.Brook James
Advertisement

As an ode to the great bands that have played at the pub over the years, such as Jet, Angus and Julia Stone and Regurgitator, the stage in the public bar has been restored. The East Brunswick Hotel will again host live music from Thursdays through to Sundays.

Food is a little more upmarket than your standard pub fare. Alongside a fried chicken burger and the signature one-pound (450-gram) meatball on potato mash are dishes such as ale-steamed mussels with bacon and garlic bread, a soba noodle salad bowl, and a vegan pulled "pork" dish.

Almost all the beer and cider is Australian and the wine is mostly local, too.

The East Brunswick Hotel has had another refresh.
The East Brunswick Hotel has had another refresh.Brook James

Didier has also bought the retail space beside the East Brunswick Hotel, with plans to extend the pub in future.

Advertisement

Open daily 11am-1am.

280 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, 03 9381 5840, eastbrunswickhotel.com.au

Continue this series

September hit list: Where to eat and drink in and around Melbourne
Up next
Tomahawk steak at Buenos Aires-inspired Asado.

Asado fires up, bringing Argentinian barbecue to Southbank, Melbourne

The team behind San Telmo, Pastuso and Palermo have another iron in the fire.

Japanese Martinez cocktail (gin, sweet vermouth, umeshu).

Casual Sakana replaces Kazuki's Japanese restaurant in Daylesford

Daylesford fine diner Kazuki's has become more casual Sakana. But Kazuki's fans should stay tuned.

Previous
Sardines with bloody mary dressing at Westwood Wine Bar.

Westwood Wine Bar opens in West Melbourne

A European-style cafe and wine bar opens in the former Clever Polly's site.

See all stories

Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.

Sign up

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement