Heading over to Mollymook for a few days of leave, we headed south via the roundabout way through Goulburn.
We were really surprised! A town like Goulburn… such a working town, we thought there’d be a plethora of pubs to call in and have a drink at.
Not the case. We did, however, find a lovely little pub down near the railway station.
The Coolavin, complete with a small museum of railway memorabilia and a nice little garden out the back.
Annandale. Go for a walk and you easily get the sense of what used to be. On just about every single corner is what could have been a former hotel.
Historically, suburbs like Annandale, before the gentrification, were very working class, and very much like Balmain or Rozelle, hotels proliferated.
The Victoria Hotel in Young St Annandale is a great little local tucked away amongst houses just off the main drag. Cold beer, great food and while the beer garden’s not leafy, it’s a good space to enjoy any time of the year.
I’ve driven and run (City to Surf) countless times past the Sheaf Hotel at Double Bay and in all those 50+ years had no idea it led a double life.
From the front it’s a typical hotel… heavy brick two story art Ecco facade with public and gaming bars at the front, but walk through the breezeway (past some fantastic music memorabilia) and there’s another world out the back.
The beer garden is warm and inviting with Sunday arvo music, heaters and plenty of shelter from rain and sun.
VERY dog friendly. Fab afternoon.
Father’s Day 2017. Early Spring, 27 degrees in Sydney. Perfect weather for lunch at this popular local, The Courthouse at Newtown.
Coopers is back on tap after their IDIOTIC stance on marriage equality.
Well priced pub food and a sun-soaked beef garden.
Went for a wander through the historic St Stephen’s cemetery afterwards. Love the reference in one headstone to one of our previous pubs 🙂
Saturday was a beautiful late winter’s Sydney day. Perfect for a walk around the foreshore facing the city.
A great local, trading since 1937, the Kirribilli Hotel, right next to Milsons Point station, has a good range of domestic and imported beers on tap, and plenty of screens for the sports nut.
The Kauri Foreshore Hotel. Glebe, down near the fish markets.
Limited wine list, and only a few beers on tap. The Blackwattle Bay foreshore walk has been done really well. Gorgeous day in the sun for a walk… the company was better than the pub.
Bourke Street is busy around Green Square, but up near this part of Surry Hills it’s pretty quiet – the road has been deliberately narrowed to reduce through traffic and make it more attractive for the locals.
The Carrington has been one of the locals here since 1877. It’s a pub that has appeal to local residents – they have their own “locals card” which offers a 10% discount, as well as
As the pictures below show, it’s dog friendly – gotta love a pub with human AND dog food on the menu!
We deliberately sought out a dog friendly pub somewhere near the water this weekend as Sydney was set to experience a beautiful (record breaking) 26 degree winter’s day.
Dick’s is an iconic Balmain hotel, well known to Swans fans as a designated fan hotel showing every Swans game live. A very suburban hotel opposite The Exchange in Beattie St, it has a really clever canvas sound shell over the dog-friendly beer garden that contains the noise and keeps the neighbours happy.
A good range of beers and ciders on tap in the various bars.
What a great little local.
Right near the very end of Darling Street, close to the wharf and bus turning circle, this hotel is a great place to relax in one of the various cars and dining areas.
A great outdoor area, a cozy fire, good range of beers on tap and a decent menu from the kitchen.
It would be a terrific place to book an area for a birthday.
We’ll be back.
The Hunters Hill Hotel… not really a local as it’s a bit more commercial and frequented by plenty of people who have traveled to this well known sports pub.
Recently renovated, it has a great kitchen that pumps out up-market pub grub all day, and huge screens for the folks who come to watch whatever live sport is on.
So, this weekend, we... 