Here are the best bars and pubs in Hawthorn perfect for beers, wines, cocktails, pub food and catching live music on Burwood Road, Glenferrie Road and beyond.
The best bars and pubs in Hawthorn are pretty underrated, we reckon. The suburb as we know it today first came to life back in the early 1800s, where it’s thought that Charles La Trobe saw the bushes across the region, which looked like the Hawthorne plant, and thus named the suburb became Hawthorn.
There are some great sights around the region too, Hawthorn FC called the great Glenferrie Oval home for many years, Swinburne Uni is in the heart of the main street, and there are some fantastic old-school venues and homes from hundreds of years ago, giving a great classic feel to the region. Hawthorn is also only a quick tram ride into the city, the suburb is home to a bunch of tram lines, it’s an easy venture to pretty much any spot across Melbourne.
You can also check out Melbourne’s most comprehensive guides to the best bars and pubs in each suburb and street here.
If you’re a local, also check out the best bars and pubs in South Yarra here, Abbotsford here, and Richmond here. If you’re keen to journey somewhere a little bit secret and ‘underground’ instead, check out our list of the best hidden bars.
The best bars and pubs on Burwood Road
Nevermind Bar
Address: 336 Burwood Rd
Vibe: Laid Back
Dedicated Menu: BBQ Food
Nevermind Bar is certainly up there among our favourite Hawthorn bars and pubs – it’s one of the suburb’s most popular watering holes for good reason, committed to slinging some great grub and tasty drinks. You can grab parmas, burgers, and lots of great finger food, check out their full menu here.
Like all good venues out there, Nevermind also has the capability to chuck on some gigs, usually featuring some of Melbourne’s best up-and-comers. If you’re keen to play at the venue, they’re always looking for performers, check out more info on that here.
The Kilburn
Address: 348 Burwood Rd
Vibe: Modern
Dedicated Menu: Cocktails + Whisky
The Kilburn brings some of the fanciest cocktails and whisky you’ll find on this list of Hawthorn bars and pubs. Some of their most popular drinks include the lemongrass ginger spritz, the north side gospel, and the sloe negroni, among many more original drinks you can see here.
The Kilburn is home to some of Melbourne’s greatest Whiskies, and they showcase it through some master classes. For an easy $60 a head, you can get a 45-minute class, which includes a pot and a sampling of 5 drams (a tasting glass of whisky). Check out more info here.
The Hawthorn Hotel
Address: 481 Burwood Rd
Vibe: Classic pub feel
Dedicated Menu: Pub classics
The iconic pub is easily one of the top spots across the Hawthorn region. Affectionately known as the Hawko, they’ve got all the pub classics – fish and chips, porterhouses and bangers and mash. Where they stick apart is with the tap list – there’s some cool stuff like Panhead XPA, White Rabbit Dark Ale, and lots more that you can check out here.
The Hawthorn chucks on some great live sport, you can catch games from UFC to NRL, and everything in between. Check out more info about the Hawthorn Hotel here.
Radium
Address: 57 Burwood Rd
Vibe: Laid back
Dedicated Menu: Drinks
If you’re after a little bit of a chiller among the Hawthorn bars and pubs, look no further than Radium. Their laid-back interior is a great spot to kill some hours with some mates over the weekend. They don’t offer food, but you can order in some takeaway from one of the menu local spots.
Radium also holds a regular Draw and Drink session, where you can also get a free cocktail and nibbles. Check out some future dates over on Eventbrite here.
Gibson’s Wine Bar
Address: 73 Burwood Rd
Vibe: Upper class
Dedicated Menu: Wine, wine, wine
This spot sums up Melbourne pretty well – it could easily be at home in the CBD, but instead it brings a taste of inner Melbourne flair to the Hawthorn bars and pubs scene. It’s a wine shop by day, then you can enjoy a glass or pinot or two on their array of chairs by night. They’ve also got some regular live music, to make sure that glass of red tastes extra good. To pair up with your wine, Gibson’s offers some share plates. Check out more info on Gibson’s Wine Bar here.
The Black Sheep
Address: 546 Burwood Rd
Vibe: Trendy
Dedicated Menu: Gin + Beer
Gin fans rejoice, there’s a spot just for you among Hawthorn’s best bars and pubs. The Black Sheep is focused on providing some of the best Victorian beer and gin. They’ve got 8 beers on tap, all from independent brewers, and over 20 gins, so you’ll definitely find something up your alley. They also use their venue to hold some cool arts events, more info can be found on their Facebook page here.
Tinto Bar
Address: 555 Burwood Rd
Vibe: Chill and modern
Dedicated Menu: Spanish inspired
Tinto Bar brings a massive taste of Spain to the Hawthorn region. There are some great meals on offer like Pescado del Mercado (fish), Asado de Wagyu (flank steak), and plenty more.
Spain is also well known for their amazing wine, and Tinto lean into this, offering a massive range of some great drops. Check out more info on their wine list here.
The best bars and pubs on Glenferrie Road
The Resistance Bar
Address: 6/672 Glenferrie Rd
Vibe: Late night feel
Dedicated Menu: Burgers
Burgers and bevs, is there any better pairing? Perhaps our favourite Glenferrie Road destination on our trip around the best Hawthorn bars and pubs, The Resistance Bar slings some pretty mouth-watering burgers of all different types, and you can pair it up with a delicious drink from their stacked menu. If you love their burgers too much, they also stock some DIY burger kits, so you can enjoy the resistance from the comfort of your couch. Check out more info on the DIY burger kits here.
Hawthorn Brew Bar
Address: 796C Glenferrie Rd
Vibe: Café
Dedicated Menu: Café classics
If you’re not a drinker or night owl, this is the bar for you. They’ve got all the favourites like egg and bacon rolls, bagels, scrambled eggs, and lots more, and of course everyone’s favourite coffee types too.
If you find a meal you’re into, you can order pretty much everything from Hawthorn Brew Bar on Uber Eats too, so you can enjoy it at home. Check out more info on Hawthorn Brew Bar here.
Lulo Tapas and Wine Bar
Address: 798 Glenferrie Rd
Vibe: Modern
Dedicated Menu: Share plates, wine and cocktails
The Lulo tapas and wine bar brings some great dining options to the eastern suburbs. Lulo has a degustation menu available, where you can grab either 6 or seven courses of mouth-watering delicacies.
On the drinks end of things, Lulo has a stacked 12-page menu full of cocktails, wines and beers, so there’s no doubt you’ll find something to your liking. Check out more info on Lulo bar here.
The best bars and pubs on Auburn Road
Merchant & Providore
Address: 132 Auburn Rd
Vibe: Laid back
Dedicated Menu: Wine + Coffee
If you’re looking for a taste of Austalia’s winery region in the suburbs, Merchant and Providore is a spot you need to check out. There’s a bit of everything available, if you’re the deso, they offer some coffee, or if you’re a wine snob, they’ve got a massive range of grape juice ready for you to dive into.
Check out more info on Merchant & Providore here.
Riversdale Hotel
Address: 277 Auburn Rd
Vibe: Classic pub
Dedicated Menu: Pub classics
Some more great pub vibes come through with Hawthorn’s Riversdale Hotel. Their menu is one of the most interesting, inspired by Cambodian flavours.
Like all good pubs out there, they’ve got some great deals, Wednesday is Parma day and Thursday is steak night, where you can save a bit of money on your meal. Check out more info on the Riversdale here.
The best of the rest
Luton Lane
Address: 8 Luton Lane
Vibe: Trendy
Dedicated Menu: Wine
Hawthorn knows how to do a wine bar well. Luton Lane have a nice short menu, so you know they do it well. You can grab some stuff like arancini, mussels, and fries, among much more that pairs really well with a glass of wine.
On the wine end of things, their 4-page menu covers everyone’s favourite varieties, some of the highlights being the $420 bottle of Tattinger sparkling, and the $260 bottle of Yarra valley red, but don’t worry, there’s some more affordable options too. Check out more info on Luton Lane here.
Fiorelli Bar and Restaurant
Address: 209 Camberwell Rd
Vibe: Trendy but laid back
Dedicated Menu: Italian inspired
It’s been around for just over 30 years now, and they just keep better and better. You can find Fiorelli opposite the popular Rivoli Cinema, it’s the perfect spot for a pre / post movie drink or two. There’s some great food on offer at Fiorelli, things like Pasta, Salmon, Veal, and lots more.
You can check out the menu here.
