Here's our list of the best pubs and bars in Windsor, so you can go grab a beer, sip a wine, eat some pub food or catch some live music in this Melbourne nightlife precinct.
Windsor bars and pubs are genuinely some of the best and most unique that Melbourne has to offer. This suburb may be small, but it’s one of Melbourne’s top spots for an inner-city vibe without the hustle and bustle. It’s quickly becoming a popular haunt among a younger crowd, with quirky restaurants, hipster cafes and record shops, and it’s clear this is one of the next suburbs set to boom.
In many ways, Windsor is one of those Melbourne antiquities, stemming from a time when the city was broken up in to many smaller suburbs, rather than the monoliths we know today. Despite its small size, Windsor packs some of the best pubs and bars in the city, offering up some Chapel Street highlights that even its bigger brother, Prahran, struggles to match.
If you’re keen to journey further down Chapel Street and explore a larger suburb than pint-sized Windsor, check out our list of the best bars and pubs in Prahran. Otherwise, read on and check out our handy interactive map to all the venues we’ve listed here.
You can also check out Melbourne’s most comprehensive guides to the best bars and pubs in each suburb and street here.
Chapel St
LOVER
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVY7z54ByOs/
– Address: 60 Chapel St
– Vibe: Fine dining
– Dedicated Menu: Fancy finger foods
Lover is one of the best fine dining spots in all of Melbourne. It’s the perfect place to enjoy some great food with mates.
You can grab some tasty oysters, ceviche, and even pretzels, perfect for enjoying with some wine or beer. The menu is curated by popular chef Paul Turner, who has been at the helm of some of Melbourne’s top restaurants.
They’ve got some cool beers on offer here too, this includes a Doss Blockos XPA, a HEMP IPA, and even a Passionfruit Creamsicle beer, which is absolutely amazing.
Morris Jones Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
– Address: 163 Chapel St
– Vibe: Hens Night vibe / Sunday arvo chill
– Live Music: DJ’s
– Dedicated Menu: Beer, wine and sushi
Morris Jones is a restaurant unlike any other, it’s a Californian inspired haunt that comes out of an 1887 building with an amazing history.
Their happy hour is also one of Melbourne’s best, happening between 4-7 every tue-fri and 4 – close on Sundays, you can enjoy a $6 schooner or glass of wine, or if you’re feeling extra fancy, for an easy $17 you can grab a Veuve Clicquot, which is usually worth about $75 for a bottle.
Their food is pretty awesome as well, there’s a cool sip and sushi special, which, for $65 you can grab all you can eat sushi and drinks! Check out more info and book in on their website here.
Killing Time Bar
– Address: 11 Chapel St
– Vibe: Trendy music inspired haunt
– Live Music: DJs
– Dedicated Menu: Drinks only
The Killing Time Bar is the perfect bar for real Melbourne people. It has a bit of a hidden club vibe and it’s probably one of our only super-creative bars, boosting up our amazing music scene here. It’s always jam packed, offers a real club vibe early in the morning, and you can enjoy some great music with some like-minded people.
This spot’s also got a killer area out the back with some shrubbery that’ll make you feel like you’re sitting in the jungle, and if you’re lucky, you can sneak upstairs and catch a great view from their upstairs lounge area, all while enjoying some killer tunes spun from the decks immediately next to the bar. There’s not a lot online about this spot, so check out some photos of the bar over on their socials here.
Wonderland
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXkxMfsOIz3/
– Address: 37-39 Chapel St
– Vibe: Cool modern vibes
– Live Music: DJs
– Dedicated Menu: Classic food with some fancy twists
The Wonderland Bar is a cool spot that balances itself perfectly between hustle and bustle club and laid-back bar.
They’ve got some great cocktails on offer, classics like Bloody Mary’s, Cosmopolitans, and Whiskey Sours, plus some lesser-known drinks like an illusion shaker, and their own range of drinks that you can check out here.
Their menu is also worth mentioning – they offer some great Burgers and Parmas, and something that we all wish was on every menu, potato gems. You can grab them with bacon or chill or even haloumi, if your mouth’s watering too, head there today.
The Railway Hotel
– Address: 29 Chapel St
– Vibe: Old school interior but with a modern Melbourne vibe
– Live Music: Acoustic
– Dedicated Menu: Pub grub with a modern twist
The Railway hotel is a really fancy haunt, where you can enjoy city views with a glass of wine in hand – how good does that sound? There’s absolutely nothing bad to say about this spot, their outdoor area is completely breathtaking, there’s some laid-back seating with some cushions, perfect for a long stay to enjoy some wine with some friends.
It’s also the perfect spot to sneak away to during your lunch break – their menu is available for only $18. They’ve got some cool food on offer too – like a 500G pot of mussels for $22!
Also, it’s an important spot to keep in mind whenever you are wanting to go grog shopping – it’s one of Melbourne’s only 24-hour bottle shops!
Piano on Chapel
– Address: 17 Chapel St
– Vibe: Intimate, laid-back and cozy
– Live Music: All about those keys
– Dedicated Menu: Drinks and pizza nextdoor
Piano Bar is a new favourite of ours on Chapel Street, having only begun life during the pandemic but already carving out a niche as a casual, intimate and truly unique piano bar just outside of the hustle and bustle of Chapel Street.
Right on the very upper end of Chapel, near Killing Time, Piano Bar is centered on the pianist skills of its owner and his wide catalogue of fan-favourites. At every table are song request cards, involving all who join him directly in the action, and late at night it’s not unusual to see a liquored-up crowd belting along their top picks together alongside him.
In a street famous for its clubs and DJ-led bars, Piano on Chapel is a very welcome breath of fresh air, and well worth checking out.
Holy Grail
– Address: 67 Chapel St
– Vibe: Nautical and comfortable
– Live Music: Acoustic or DJs
– Dedicated Menu: Too many great things to list
Windsor’s Holy Grail is one of Melbourne’s coolest bars that you can head to all year round. It’s nothing like you would’ve ever seen before, it resembles an old ship, with private areas and stained-glass windows, you can chill out in an area with your mates without getting in the way of anyone else.
Smokers love this joint because it’s a bit of an enigma, you actually feel like you’re smoking inside as the entire front of the bar, despite being enclosed, is technically classed as an outdoor area. Inside-inside it’s totally lux, with leather couches that you sink into and lots of spots to have a nice quiet, comfy hang-out. Plus it has one of the largest street seating arrangements on Chapel, s gorgeous electric fireplace, and it’s dog friendly. They’ll usually have DJs on weekend nights and they offer some cool stuff too, beers, wines, spirits and plenty of tasty cocktails like a lychee concubine, which tastes as amazing as it sounds.
Lucky Coq
– Address: 179 Chapel St
– Vibe: Large, diverse, retro pub-bar fusion
– Live Music: DJs
– Dedicated Menu: Classic light-pub favourites
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away Lucky Coq was a rockin live music venue called The Duke of Windsor (no relation). Now it’s one of the better known modern party pubs in Melbourne, thanks to its sprawling two levels, great mood-lit atmosphere and massive party vibe on a weekend, where DJs are a focus and the pool table area can turns into a dancefloor.
Filled with kitschy knick-knacks and memorabilia, as a venue, Lucky Coq ticks essentially every box. Upstairs it’s got a great, if small, beer garden where you can look up at the stars, downstairs it’s got a great bar with a huge variety on offer, the DJs play in an old truck facade, and the pub-style food offers all the classics. Check them out here.
The Wolf Windsor
– Address: 152 Chapel St
– Vibe: Trendy music inspired haunt
– Live Music: DJs
– Dedicated Menu: Pub grub with a modern twist
The Wolf is a hidden gem that you need to check out on a pub crawl around Windsor’s best bars.
They’re a nice laid-back spot that are dedicated to giving customers the best service. Their drinks list is never ending, it’s got a heap of amazing beers on tap from classics like Furphy’s and Stone and Wood to fancy beers like Brooklyn Bel Air Sour and Moon Dog Fizzers.
On the food front, they’ve got everything you want and more, these are things like burgers, steaks, and a heap of amazing share platters with tacos, oysters and chicken tenders. Check out the full menus here. Like all good pubs, they’ve got a bunch of weekly specials, like an $18 Parma night every Wednesday, and $18 Steak night on Thursdays, there’s dirt cheap food here, but it’s worth so much more.
56 Bricks
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNzoRJzDZrG/
– Address: 56 Chapel St
– Vibe: Trendy music venue feel
– Live Music: DJs
– Dedicated Menu: BYO food (pizza shop next door)
If it’s an old school flair you’re after, look no further than 56 Bricks. They are solely focused on bringing customers some classic drinks, quality service, and awesome music.
They’ve got some killer drinks, one that is worth mentioning is their popcorn-infused vodka shot, mixing many people’s two favourite things. Their music curation is one of the best too, the DJs bring in some great funky beats to patrons, adding to the trendy vibe.
This spot doesn’t have any bookings, so it’s walk ins only, go give 56 Bricks a visit today.
Punk Carla
– Address: 29 Chapel St
– Vibe: Equal balance between laid back and club
– Live Music: DJs
– Dedicated Menu: Cocktails galore
This spot is like a cool Hollywood style bar, complete with private booths and bottle service.
Like you’d see on any TV show or movie, you can book in a booth at Punk Carla, and add on a pop, punk, rock or punk star package, which involves things lie a 10 person shot pack, with a 1.75lt vodka, and many more things you can check out here.
They are dedicated to making some of the coolest cocktails, with wacky flavours like a Sugar Daddy, which includes Fairy Floss Liquor and Prosecco – if that doesn’t make your mouth water, there’s also a heap of amazing wine on offer, like Moët and Chandon ranges, and even Bombay Sapphires.
Punt Rd
The Windsor Alehouse
– Address: 42 Punt Rd
– Vibe: Laid back brewery
– Live Music: Acoustic
– Dedicated Menu: Classic beer snacks and great tap beers
If you’re a beer fan, then The Windsor Alehouse is a must visit spot. They focus on bringing customers with the best international and local beers.
On the food side, you can grab a heap of tasty stuff here, these are things like Halloumi Fries, Japanese Fried Chicken, and a whole heap more that you can check out here.
They’ve also got a cool beer list where you can check out what they’ve got on offer any time of day – at the time of writing, they’ve got cool things like Guinness, Porters, and even a Sour Gose, so truly something for everyone.
Mimolette
– Address: 80 Punt Rd
– Vibe: French inspired
– Dedicated Menu: Café snacks and coffee
There’s been a lot of alcohol on this list so far, and if that isn’t your cup of tea, look no further than Mimolette.
Mimolette is an Espresso Bar that is truly the epitome of Melbourne’s coffee culture. They’ve also got some French inspired foods, like les baguettes with different flavours, or even some cool toasties for $13, which may sound pricey, but with fancy things like jambon out tomate (Jamon and Tomato), it’s worth every penny. They also offer some cool independent grocery items.
Windsor’s best of the rest
Her.
– Address: 2 Windsor Place
– Vibe: Hidden gem
– Dedicated Menu: Cocktails
Nestled away in the heart of Windsor, Her. is one of Melbourne’s hottest hidden gems for all things cocktails. If cocktails are your thing, this tuckaway is a must-see among Windsor’s bars and pubs.
Their almost perfect Google rating notes the laid-back nature of the spot, and their dedication to providing customers with some of the best cocktails in the state.
Her. also offers a pretty cool Guzzle & Graze special, where you can enjoy 2 hours of gourmet platters and bottomless alcohol, which sounds like a great way to spend the weekend, book it in here.
Windsor Castle Hotel
– Address: 89 Albert St
– Vibe: Laid back, no drama classic pub
– Live Music: DJs
– Dedicated Menu: Pub grub with a modern twist
The Windsor Castle hotel has been a staple of the Windsor scene for a number of years now, providing customers with classic pub fare, great alcohol, and amazing service.
They’ve got some cool modern inspired menu items; to name a few, there’s a bevy of sharing platters with Sliders, Arancini and Calamari, or if you’re not a fan of sharing, you can grab things like a Mushroom Bolognese, Beef and Dark Ale Pie, or even a Lamb Saag curry. Check out the full menu here.
Neptune Food & Wine
– Address: 212 High St
– Vibe: Fancy
– Dedicated Menu: Fine dining with amazing wine
Neptune Wine bar is a spot that’ll quickly become your new favourite. They’ve got all types of wine for all types of people, to name a few, this includes some Prosecco and Cuvée, and some delicious whites from popular regions across the world like Italy, France, and even South Australia.
It’s food galore here, you can pick and choose some great finger food and small plates to pair with your wine, or even a set menu that they have perfectly curated for customer enjoyment. There are a few different options – for $68 you can get either a meat, vegetarian or vegan based set meals.
Check out the full menus here. This is a great spot that’s worth your time and money.
Tusk High Bar
– Vibe: Fancy club vibe
– Live Music: Live bands and DJs
– Dedicated Menu: Cocktails, cocktails, cocktails
The Tusk high bar is something out of old school New York, there’s live music, velvet interiors, and a heap of amazing drinks, making it one of the more unique Windsor bars and pubs on this list.
They’ve got some pretty cheap menu items too, everything is under $20! on top of that, they’ve got some cocktails that are worth checking out.
If the cocktails are to your liking, you can even enjoy a cocktail making class, where for A$69, you are able to enjoy a fun night, in a private room where you get to learn the amazing craft behind your favourite drinks. To finish the night, you also get 3 cocktails and a cheese platter!
Check out more info on that here.
