Three To Try: New Pubs for Steak Sandwiches, Toasty Open Fires and British Hospitality

There’s nothing quite like a good old-fashioned pub. These three new and revamped venues prove it, offering everything from seasonal pastas to steak sandwiches and Scotch eggs wrapped in smoked ham hock.

Cherry Tree Hotel, Cremorne

The Cherry Tree Hotel dates back to the mid-1800s, when it was a popular haunt for workers at the nearby Rosella tomato sauce factory. It was a hive of local criminal activity in the 1980s, when notorious pimp and drug dealer Dennis “Mr Death” Allen made it his headquarters; it was also once co-owned by Aussie rules legend Ron Barassi. 

Most recently though, the pub was known as a dependable post-work watering hole. Now, after a six-month renovation, the Cherry Tree has reopened under new ownership and a complete redesign from Studio Y. Stained glass greets you at the entrance, dark timber wraps the front bar and deep cherry-red accents run throughout. Large windows that open onto the street flood with light what was once a dark, enclosed space, while the communal tables out front remain.

Head chef and co-owner Dan Hilton’s menu centres pub classics like chicken parmas, fish’n’chips, burgers and steak sandwiches, but there’s been an upgrade in quality, with Sher Wagyu burgers and Flinders & Co scotch fillets replacing lower-tier cuts. Hilton also gives himself room to play, drawing inspiration from wine bar-style plates. Dry-aged pork cotoletta sits alongside steak tartare with smoked oyster mushroom mayonnaise and pickled shimeji mushrooms. Welsh-rarebit-inspired croquettes come with malt vinegar mayonnaise and pickled mustard seeds and oysters are dressed with finger lime and Vegemite hot sauce. 

Beer remains a big focus. Find Guinness and Kirin alongside beers from independent Victorian breweries such as Stomping Ground. Plus, a new wine list, with the majority of bottles produced in Australia.

53 Balmain Street, Cremorne

The Flying Fox, Richmond

As in Australia, pubs are a cornerstone of British hospitality. But British pubs tend to be smaller and more intimate than what we’re used to here.

That’s the approach owners Alex Back and Sophie Machin take at their St Kilda pub The Lion & Wombat, and their new spot The Flying Fox.

The new pub occupies a modestly sized 1860s building that seats 100 guests over two levels, plus another 15 to 20 outside.

Executive chef Nathan Babos, formerly of Pt Leo Estate, combines British pub staples with French and Spanish influences – a nod to the multicultural flavours that have shaped modern British cooking.

Early standouts include a Scotch egg wrapped in smoked ham hock, and Cumberland sausage (chopped pork sausage) served with a sour cherry ketchup inspired by HP Sauce. There’s also a Welsh rarebit doughnut that oozes molten cheese over caramelised onions reminiscent of Branston Pickle, the classic British sweet and spicy condiment. Tuesdays mean $28 steak night, Sundays are dedicated to roasts, and there’s a rotating monthly pie – currently chicken tikka with masala gravy, pickled baby turnips and tamarind chutney.

Naturally, beer is a core focus. Eight of the 12 taps are dedicated to independent breweries, alongside a mandatory pour of Guinness. Soon, the team will install a traditional cask hand pump, already popular at its sibling venue, allowing local breweries to pour British-style ales served at cellar temperature.

396 Bridge Road, Richmond

Friendly Societies Hotel, Abbotsford

After sitting empty for almost two years, the pub on the corner of Langridge and Raphael streets has received a new lease on life thanks to Leo Weston and his parents Clare and Nathan Weston. The Westons returned the venue, which recently operated as The Carringbush Hotel, to the original name it carried for almost a century, from 1889 to 1984. But beyond the restored name and refreshed interiors, the family’s focus has been less about reinvention and more about creating the kind of pub where regulars feel at home.

The kitchen is led by former Retreat Hotel head chef Chris O’Dwyer, whose menu strikes a balance between comforting pub classics and produce-driven specials. 

Sometimes that inspiration comes from friends. A haul of locally foraged pine mushrooms picked by the landlord at a private farm in Balnarring recently accompanied fresh pappardelle. And cumquats from mates with a farm near Mount Beauty found their way into a sticky winter pudding. A clam chowder inspired by Nathan’s memories of eating the dish while living in Canada has also surfaced as a seasonal special.

The drinks list follows a similarly flexible philosophy. Independent Victorian breweries rotate through the taps, with beers from Sailors Grave, Beechworth and others changing as kegs run dry, while the wine list keeps things approachable.

226-228 Langridge Street, Abbotsford

Additional reporting by Quincy Malesovas and Sebastian Pasinetti.