Every true beer aficionado knows there’s one key ingredient to a great Sunday session. It’s cold, wet and frothy. Throw in some good company, a banging soundtrack and a few choice eats and you’ve got a weekend situation that’s damn near perfect. Thankfully, there are a swag of Melbourne bars and pubs dishing up the very kind of Sunday lovin’ you’re seeking. It stars beer as the headline act. Wrap up your weekend in style, with one of these great Sunday sessions.
Biff Tannin’s – Brunswick
Pitched as delivering that cellar door experience in the heart of the city, Biff Tannin’s is a hot-spot for anyone interested in good drinking. It’s rocking a clever curation of wines, whisky and boutique beers. All served without the side of stuffiness you might find elsewhere. Sundays here are a local favourite, pulling a familiar crowd for those weekend wind-downs. Or beer-downs, rather, thanks to the bar’s legendary Sunday sesh special, offering $15 craft beer jugs from 12-5pm. Round out the fun with some snack-happy bites from the menu of cheese, charcuterie and pizzas.
East Of Everything – Hawthorn
Tucked away in Hawthorn lies a little slice of craft beer heaven named East of Everything. It’s the kind of place that’ll wrap you up in a big, warm beer-y hug anytime you visit. But Sundays are where the real treats are at. First up, the soundtrack’s whatever you want it to be, with the bar slinging half-price pints for anyone who brings along their own vinyl to pop on the turntable. You’ll groove to your favourite tracks and enjoy a budget-friendly brew for the honour of doing so. There’s also a host of ‘tappy hour’ beer specials (4-7pm), plus food deals like a pint-and-po’boy combo to tempt your tastebuds.
Beer Deluxe – CBD
They just don’t make Sunday sessions like they used to..or do they? Over at Fed Square’s iconic Beer Deluxe, the end of that weekend will see you kicking it old-school, great beer in hand and without too much coin lost in the process. Each Sunday, the craft beer bar’s Old Skool Flavas sessions feature a program of live acoustic tunes, a sun-drenched beer garden and beer prices cheap enough to have been plucked from the olden days. Just be sure to get nice and comfy, because this monster beer list will take you a while to get through.
The Woodlands Hotel – Coburg
If a long, lazy beer lunch sounds like some kind of Sunday session heaven, you’ll find your weekend plans in excellent hands at The Woodlands Hotel. This Coburg pub has long been a champion of Victoria’s craft beer scene, showcasing top drops from across the state. Come the end of the weekend, the dining room here plays host to a hearty Sunday lunch, featuring a produce-driven menu of elevated pub fare to match those beers. If you’re lucky, you’ll round out the afternoon with a happy hour ale in your glass (4-6pm) and one of the kitchen’s sticky date & beer puddings in your belly.
The Local Taphouse – St Kilda
At St Kilda stalwart The Local Taphouse, a legendary craft beer selection and a popular weekly pub quiz combine to deliver one downright delightful Sunday session. The game plan? Spend the afternoon soaking up sunshine and sampling delicious things out on the rooftop deck, before venturing downstairs for a battle of the minds at the locally-loved Trivia Night With Janet. Kicking off at 7.30pm, this free-to-play quiz session offers loads of laughs and the chance to score some great prizes, including a few beer-related ones for good measure.
Image Sources: East Of Everything, The Woodlands Hotel, The Local Taphouse.