Spend your golden afternoons unwinding, socialising and revelling in the refreshing taste of a good beer at some tranquil beer gardens around Melbourne. From leafy spaces in the heart of the city, to bustling venues further out, there’s plenty of spaces for you to enjoy a cool drink or two. Most of these beer gardens in Melbourne are dog-friendly, so you can bring your furry friend along and bask in the sunshine together. Of course, with the unpredictable weather, most of these venues also have undercover areas, so you can visit for a pint, rain or shine. Start your journey into the bustling world of beer gardens in Melbourne by pouring over this list.
1. The Commons Collective
The sprawling Commons Collective is filled with a number of different spaces to suit every need, including a Beer Garden. Soak in the sunshine and sip on cocktails with your mates, while grazing on a casual bite or two. If you don’t feel like cocktails, you’ll find plenty of beers on tap, as well as cider, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. The Beer Garden is open from Thursdays to Sundays. Learn more here.
📍 17 Moubray St, Melbourne VIC 3004
2. The Great Northern Hotel
Relax in the beer garden and try one of their 22 beers on tap at the Great Northern Hotel. This bustling spot in Carlton has plenty of space for both you and your doggo. Chow down on classic pub fare and weekly specials, and catch the latest sports games on the big screen. Find out more.
📍644 Rathdowne St, Carlton North VIC 3054
3. Welcome to Thornbury
This iconic space in Melbourne’s north has a bustling beer garden, bar and arcade. There’s 35 beers on tap, and the spacious beer garden is the perfect place to soak in some sunshine. Feast on burgers, parmas, nachos and more, then pop inside to the arcade and play over 90 retro games. Welcome to Thornbury regularly runs seasonal food festivals, so there’s always something exciting going on. Dogs are welcome! Learn more here.
📍520 High St, Northcote VIC 3070
4. Welcome to Brunswick
Welcome to Brunswick has plenty of cool spaces, including a brewery, a dining hall, and yes, a beer garden. The massive beer garden can fit a whopping 300 people, and plays host to plenty of cool events, including market days, dog festivals, and footy viewing. The beer garden is undercover, so you can visit rain or shine. Sip on a rotating variety of small batch brews, and pair your drink with a burger or two. See more here.
📍408 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056
5. BrewDog Pentridge
The Scottish craft brewery BrewDog has come to Melbourne, and taken over Pentridge Prison with a beer garden, two on-site bars, two-level indoor area and more. The open-air beer garden has plenty of spots for you to relax, including undercover seats and a little games area. There’s also a container bar, serving up plenty of craft beer, wine, cocktails and more. Feast on pub far, like pizzas, burgers and tacos. Learn more about BrewDog Pentridge here.
📍E-Division, 1 Champ St, Coburg VIC 3058
6. Garden State Hotel
Enjoy a drink in the tranquil surrounds of the public bar and beer garden at Garden State Hotel. Located in the heart of Melbourne CBD, this picturesque spot is filled with sunlight, leafy green trees and twinkling lights. Indulge in cocktails, beer, wine and more, while grazing on pizza, burrata and larger dishes like fish and chips. More details here.
📍101 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
7. Arbory Bar & Eatery
The iconic Arbory AFloat gets a lot of love during the warmer months, but the classic Arbory Bar & Eatery is perfect for dining all year round. Relax in the outdoor area, which stretches 100 metres along the Yarra. Nibble on casual bites and sip your way through their extensive drinks menu underneath leafy green trees. Learn more here.
📍1 Flinders Walk, Melbourne VIC 3000
8. Whitehart Bar
You’ll find this two-storey container bar in the heart of Melbourne. Tucked down a laneway, Whitehart Bar has taken over a former carpark, and is serving up refreshing drinks, tasty pizza and excellent tunes. Sit down in the open-air space and unwind with a beer, wine or cocktail, or get moving and grooving to sounds of DJ sets. See more here.
📍 22 Whitehart Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
9. Hopscotch Melbourne
This buzzing riverside venue has its own microbrewery, 30 beers on tap and an urban beer garden with city views. Find ales, draughts, crafts and cocktails by the river at Hopscotch, and enjoy fried chicken, healthy bowls, burgers and more. See more here.
📍Ground Floor, 4 Riverside Quay, Southbank VIC 3006
10. The Standard Hotel
Wander along the backstreets of Fitzroy, and grab a drink from the beloved Standard Hotel. Their beer garden is a delightful place for you to relax in all year round, with plenty of greenery, high walls to protect you from the elements and awnings to keep you covered from the rain. Bring your dog along, sip on a beer or two, and indulge in a bite from their menu, which is stacked with comforting dishes like slow cooked lamb ragu. See more here.
📍293 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
11. The Keys
A 110-year-old warehouse in Preston has been transformed into The Keys, a massive leisure centre complete with a vintage bowling alley, arcade, bar, bistro and beer garden. After a game or two, try one of the 48 beers on tap, and unwind outside in the sprawling beer garden. Enjoy a bite with chicken wings, burgers, parmas and more. Find out more here.
📍Unit 1/188 Plenty Rd, Preston VIC 3072
12. Moon Dog World
Head to the massive Moon Dog World in Preston, and feel spoiled for choice with 72 beers on tap. This paradise for beer lovers has a beer garden, retractable roof, elevated decks, lagoon and even a waterfall. If you don’t feel like beer, there’s also wine, spirits, seltzers and non-alcoholic options. As for food, you’ll find grazing options, share plates and desserts. Dogs are welcome to join you in the beer garden. See more here.
📍32 Chifley Dr, Preston VIC 3072
13. Leonard’s House of Love
Have a groovy good time at Leonard’s House of Love, a 70s-inspired log cabin and bar in South Yarra. Grab a nice cold beer on tap, order a burger and some fried chicken, and relax in the outdoor beer garden. Then, spend the night playing a game of pool and listening to some good tunes. Leonard’s is open until late, closing at 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1am on all other nights. Dogs are welcome. See more here.
📍3 Wilson St, South Yarra VIC 3141
14. Dr Morse
You’ll find DJs, parties and live music from Thursdays to Sundays in the beer garden of Dr Morse. This lush courtyard garden in Abbotsford has a retractable roof for wet weather, as well as heaters for cold nights. No matter what the weather is like, you can enjoy cocktails, burgers and more underneath a sparkling disco ball. Dogs are welcome. More info here.
📍274 Johnston St, Abbotsford VIC 3067
15. Abbots Yard
Find good times aplenty at Abbots Yard, a beer garden, communal dining hall and entertainment venue in Abbotsford. Hang out at the picnic tables and cook up your own sizzling BBQ skewers for the perfect day out. Cool down with frozen margaritas, and find plenty of things to do with retro gaming consoles, darts, a pool table and live music spaces. Dogs can come along too! See more here.
📍329-341 Victoria St, Abbotsford VIC 3067
16. The Retreat Hotel
Visit The Retreat Hotel in Brunswick and listen to live music and entertainment in the front bar and backroom. Then, head outside to the massive beer garden, soak in some sunshine and quench your thirst with their range of beers on tap. You’ll also find hearty pub fare and weekly specials. See more here.
📍280 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056
17. Stomping Ground
Stomping Ground has beer gardens in two locations around Melbourne. Visit their massive beer hall in Collingwood, and try 30 beers on tap underneath a retractable roof. Or, check out their newer Moorabbin location, and relax in the beer garden, try wood-fired pizza and listen to live music on Fridays and Saturdays. Learn more here.
📍100 Gipps St, Collingwood VIC 3066 or 9 Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin VIC 3189
18. The Ascot Lot
Find plenty of street food at outdoor venue, The Ascot Lot. This beer garden in Ascot Vale is open from Fridays to Sundays, offering up a delightful range of food trucks that will suit every palate. Don’t forget to grab a drink while you’re there. Learn more here.
📍448-462 Mt Alexander Rd, Ascot Vale VIC 3032
19. College Lawn Hotel
Venture over to the leafy backstreets of Prahran, and find a spot to laze the day away at College Lawn Hotel. Their beer garden has an outdoor bar, serving up ten beers on tap. This massive space can seat 150 people, with a covered section to keep you dry during the rain. Socialise with your mates and chow down on some comforting pub classics. Furry friends can come along too. Learn more here.
📍36 Greville St, Prahran VIC 3181
20. The Station Hotel
Sink your teeth into some sensational steak while dining in the beer garden at The Station Hotel. There’s TVs scattered across the area, so you can watch live sports while downing a beer or two. On Sundays, they host Sunday Funday, so you can bring the family along, and have fun with a kids playground, free petting zoo and entertainment from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. The Station is also dog friendly! More info here.
📍59 Napier St, Footscray VIC 3011
21. Studley Park Boathouse
The historic Studley Park Boathouse has plenty of outdoor spaces for you to spend your sunny afternoons. Look out over the river, dine on woodfired pizza and sip on cocktails, beer, wine, cider and more. After your meal, hire a rowboat and go for a paddle. See more here.
📍1 Boathouse Rd, Kew VIC 3101