Retreat Hotel

The Retreat Hotel sits on Sydney Road in Brunswick, one of Melbourne's most vibrant and eclectic inner-north suburbs. A much-loved pub, it's a genuine local institution — combining a relaxed, characterful pub atmosphere with quality food, good drinks, a lovely beer garden and a longstanding reputation for live music, the kind of beloved local that's a real fixture of the area.

The appeal is that combination of a great pub atmosphere, quality food and drinks, a lovely garden and regular live music, ideal for a relaxed meal, a drink in the sun, catching a gig or a night out. Its versatile offering and live-music heritage have made it a genuine Brunswick fixture, and the Retreat has clearly kept its big, loyal following happy over the years.

With a 4.3 rating from more than 1,700 reviews, it's clearly a popular, well-loved spot. Menus, drinks lists, opening hours and the live-music program vary, so it's worth checking current details before you go — particularly for a specific gig — though for a meal, a drink in the garden or some live music, it's often just a matter of dropping in at the Retreat Hotel on Sydney Road in Brunswick.