The Provincial Hotel

The Verdict

The Provincial is pretty much the Grand Old Dame of Brunswick St pubs. If you don’t have three stories of loose nights here (which all seem to end on The Rochey’s dancefloor at about 3am) you’re not a true Northsider at all.

It also happens to be Portia de Rossi’s favourite Melbourne venue. Little trivia for you there.

Well the Grand Old Dame has a few tricks up her sleeves, folks, because she just launched a brand new rooftop bar, named (predictably) Provincial Rooftop. Hey, originality is overrated.

A home and lifestyle magazine would probably describe the décor up here as ‘eclectic’. Vintage patio furniture, mish mash colours, rambling vines and a crumbling, dilapidated sort of vibe. It fits with the Provincial’s overall hand-me-down aesthetic: somewhere to relax, where you can chill, drink a few pints and while away a Sunday afternoon.

Up top, you’ll find 10 beers on tap (a solid mix of craft and generic), plus local and international wines by the glass. There’s a few sassy cocktails to shake things up too—try either the Dance with the Devil (rich, dark undertones, spiked with vanilla and butterscotch) or the You’re Punching Mate (a fruit punch with pickled watermelon, pomegranate and mint that kicks like an absolute mule).

Food on the rooftop is all about salt and swagger. Expect eat-with-your-hands classics like the Johnson Jamma burger (fried chicken, onion, jam, cheese and bacon crisps) or The Brunswick (a mac patty, cheese and crumbled cheese Doritos). And yes, that is as ridiculous as it sounds.

Image credit: The Provincial Hotel