Harlow

The Verdict

Taking over what was once The Great Britain Hotel, Harlow is simultaneously a cocktail bar, restaurant, and a grungy dive once you head down to the basement. It also has a sleek, covered split-level courtyard that keeps the rain at bay while you party—a bit of a Godsend for Melbourne, to be honest.

The food is a bit of a mixed bag of pub classics with a twist. Snacks like duck and bacon sausage rolls, mini crab doughnuts and sticky Jack Daniels and Cola pork ribs give the place a backyard BBQ kind of vibe. For more serious eats, there are options like the steak sanga (served with maple bacon, BBQ sauce, and topped with Swiss cheese), the snack pack kebab, the vegan burger, or the smoked beer and cheese dog.

Harlow also offers a decent selection of cocktails, beers, ciders, as well as plenty of wine options. The cocktail menu is divided into three sections: hip-hop, pop, and heavy metal. If you’re feeling hip-hop, you can order the Boyz-N-The-Hood, which is made with Jack Daniels, Apple Jack, Fireball and apple juice. California Girls is the headliner for the pop section—we’re talking citrus vodka, peach liqueur, pinot gris, OJ and egg white. And lastly, if you want to get a bit heavy metal, give Voodoo People a crack: white rum, spiced rum, orgeat and fruit juice. 

So whether you’re in Richmond for a casual lunch or you’re looking to dance the night away (they have DJs playing live music Friday and Saturday nights), Harlow’s got you covered.

Image credit: Annika Kafcaloudis