Arriving at the local watering hole with your best mate by your side is unmatched. You’ll take a swig of a pint and your furry companion dives into the communal watering bowl. You both look up at each other—it doesn't get much better than this.
Melbourne/Naarm’s pub scene embraces four-legged companions, from old-school institutions to 100-year-old hotels, some even have their own resident pooch. Offering water bowls and a spacious beer garden, these establishments ensure that doggos can partake in the hospitality as much as their human counterparts. For those seeking dog-friendly pubs in Melbourne, here are Urban List's top recommendations for 2024:
Orrong Hotel
709 High Street, Armadale
Image credit: Orrong Hotel | Supplied
Orrong Hotel is a 150-year tenure and one among many of Armadales’s architectural masterpieces, serving up pub classics, plated both in the front bar and dining room.
Enveloped with eight open fireplaces and outside heaters, this establishment exudes warmth, complemented by its wooden furnishings, making for the ultimate winter destination to keep yourself and your doggo toasty.
The Lord Newry Hotel
543 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy North
The pub behind a green brick frontage in Fitzroy North, The Lord Newry Hotel is a stone's throw away from Edinburgh Gardens, meaning you can enjoy a pint after taking your dog for a run.
The laid-back spot with classic pub fare offers a large outdoor dining area for doggos to stroll around. If street-side dining is your forte, be prepared for locals to shower your dog with affectionate pats
The Marquis of Lorne
411 George Street, Fitzroy
Image credit: Marquis Of Lorne | Supplied
While Marquis of Lorne lacks a traditional beer garden, they warmly welcome (and love) dogs inside on the ground level, so you can expect to see lots of dogs lounging under tables.
Bringing a modern twist to pub culture, you can feast on a hefty cheeseburger or freshly shucked oysters while your four-legged friends eagerly await a chip treat.
Great Northern Hotel
644 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North
The Great Northern Hotel, a laid-back 1880s watering hole with a swarming beer garden and pub grub, embraces man’s best friend as much as it does humans. They even have a dedicated Instagram page, Dogs Of GNH capturing pups relishing the establishment.
Doggos simply need to enter and exit through the beer garden gate on Pigdon Street, so if they’re not vibing with another woofer, the exit is in close reach. The spacious area means pups can also join in on the footy shenanigans on the big outdoor screen and indulge in customary parma scraps —a rite of passage.
Bodriggy Brewing
245 Johnston Street, Abbotsford
Image credit: Bodriggy Brewing | Supplied
The Abbotsford warehouse takeover, Bodriggy Brewing has quickly become a local hangout and with good reason, it's a one-stop shop comprising a brew pub and bottle shop with a dining area.
With spacious areas, good beer, dog-friendly tables outside and a doggo-welcoming foyer area as well as an easy wide exit for dogs needing a bathroom break, this venue ensures pups are as much a part of the experience as their human companions.
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Newmarket Hotel
34 Inkerman Street, St Kilda
Tucked away from the chaos of Saint Kilda’s foreshore, New Market Hotel amasses a throng of locals and tourists alike. With classic pub grub on the menu, your furry friend will be salivating at the thought of your leftovers. While there’s a dog-friendly outdoor area, if your pup fancies a dip in the ocean or a romp in the sand, St Kilda Beach is conveniently nearby.
The Standard Hotel
293 Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy
Image credit: The Standard Hotel | Supplied
Hidden behind a somewhat austere exterior, The Standard Hotel is a charming Fitzroy pub with one of the best beer gardens in town.
While it may not be immediately obvious when you walk through the venue, this hotel is indeed dog-friendly. Walk out the back and you’ll find an abundance of trees, vines and greenery, making for a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy a beer with your canine companions and friends.
The Palace Hotel
505 City Road, South Melbourne
The Palace Hotel may just stand out as the friendliest of dog-friendly pubs with its very own resident pooch, Billy the Staffy. Its beer garden is spacious with half undercover, meaning your pup can choose to bask in the sun or seek shade, and there are plenty of water bowls to ensure Billy among other pups stays well hydrated.
College Lawn Hotel
36 Greville Street, Prahran
Image credit: College Lawn Hotel | Supplied
While furry friends must be on a lead at all times at College Lawn Hotel’s expansive beer garden, Prince Gardens is located only a few blocks away, offering ample opportunity for off-leash play once you’ve finished your pint. Shaded with umbrellas and equipped with water bowls, the garden ensures your pup can rest comfortably away from the sun on warmer days.
Prince Patrick Hotel
135 Victoria Parade, Collingwood
Prince Patrick Hotel emerges as a Collingwood institution with a remarkable 135-year tenure. Despite its weathered exterior, don't be fooled—the food and drink options are top-notch, offering nine taps pouring a variety of craft beers.
The best part of this dog-friendly venue is that they can join you everywhere, both inside and on the covered patio which is dotted with water bowls.
If you're looking for more of Melbourne's best, check out:
Leading image credit: Urban List | Supplied
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