Whet Your Appetite and Whistle with a Pint at These 6 Watering holes

The term ‘watering hole’ in relation to a well-loved local pub gained widespread use in the 1960s and pertained to cosy cocktail lounges and swank nightclubs, where people could gather and mingle over drinks.

These days, it is used for favourite haunts such as neighbourhood taverns and hotels where everyone knows your name, the pub grub is always great and the beer ice-cold. Here are six you need to try next time you say ’meet me at the watering hole’:

Discover a charming, renovated venue offering delicious pub meals, local beer, cider and cocktails at The Belgrave Hotel on Burwood Highway in Belgrave. Just a stone’s throw from Puffing Billy Train Station, this Melbourne dining destination is ready to welcome you with warm hospitality, a beautiful fire to keep the chill at bay and a family-friendly vibe.

 

Start a memorable meal with Korean BBQ chicken winglets, or calamari with buffalo and blue cheese sauce; then devour pub grub such as bangers and mash – grilled lamb and rosemary sausage with mashed potato and gravy – or beer-battered fish and chips, served with tartar sauce, chips and salad. Finish with sticky date pudding, butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream.

It’s all about keeping everyone in the family happy at The Mayfair on Mayfair Drive in Emerald. With a variety of spaces from an indoor air-conditioned dining room to an outdoor beer garden and impressive playground for the kids, this is the ideal watering hole and bistro to catch up with family and friends.

 

Expect a casual, welcoming setting to enjoy a cold beer, wine or cocktail while perusing a menu of all your favourites; perhaps begin with crispy spring rolls and sticky plum sauce, or creamy garlic prawns and rice; for the main, think choices like crumbed lamb cutlets, gravy, chips and salad, or a rack of slow-cooked pork ribs in sticky BBQ sauce, served with chips and salad.

Take in everything that Kangaroo Island has to offer with a stay and meal at Parndana Hotel Restaurant on Cook Street in Parndana. A warm and welcoming dining room has comfortable tub chairs for chilling out with a cold beer or wine, as well as plush blue velvet dining chairs, polished timber and a fireplace to cosy up beside in colder months.

 

 

Classic pub meals that are hearty and satisfying are on the menu such as starters of buffalo chicken wings and sweet chilli hot sauce, before sharing a Hawaiian pizza topped with Napoli sauce, ham, pineapple and mozzarella; carnivores slice a knife into Scotch fillet, cooked to their liking, served with chips and salad, or chow down on a hamburger with grilled cheese, bacon, egg, lettuce, tomato and house relish, with chips.

Discover an historic pub in a picturesque coastal location at Kalimna Hotel on Hotel Road in Kalimna. Opening in 1886, this Gippsland watering hole boasts a warm and welcoming bistro along with live music, wood-fired pizza and a courtesy bus for those who need a lift.

 

A family-friendly menu to tempt all tastes promises starters of lemon pepper calamari and aioli, or arancini balls and Napoli sauce; for the main, opt for the Parmageddon – chicken schnitzel, topped with ham, chorizo, pork belly, onion, jalapeños, capsicum, chilli, rich housemade Napoli and three types of cheese – or a Porterhouse steak, with mushroom sauce, chips and salad.

Find a decidedly modern take on food and drinks while maintaining old-school charm at Collingwood watering hole The Fox Hotel on Wellington Street. This cunningly versatile pub turned modern eatery projects a relaxed, welcoming vibe with rustic charm from recycled timber and well-worn brick, while a rooftop deck beckons on balmy days for chilling out with a bite and brew.

 

Kickstart your meal with pulled pork empanadas, with cheese, jalapeños, Murray River salt, finger lime and aioli, then wrap your hands around a peppered kangaroo burger, with cheese, pickle, an onion ring, lettuce, beetroot, mustard and chips. Mains such as lamb shank with bush tomato glaze, mash, Dutch carrots, eggplant, chickpea, ginger, pickle and massaman curry sauce always tempt, along with beer-battered barramundi, chips, salad and finger lime tartar sauce.

Genuine country hospitality in a relaxed stylish vibe is what you’ll find at The Thirsty Farmer on Wellington Street in Baradine. Located at the foothills of the Warrrumbungles and the gateway to the Pilliga, explore the surrounding area before dropping by to find a warm and inviting atmosphere blending traditional charm with modern comfortable touches.

 

The dining emphasis is on fresh, quality produce and traditional recipes with a modern twist; relax on the balcony or at the back bar in the beer garden and snack on Panko prawns with chips and tartar; then contemplate mains such as Thai green chicken curry and jasmine rice, or tender lamb cutlets with mash and vegetables. Churros and salted caramel dipping sauce entice sweet tooths to finish.