Best Fireplaces in Melbourne

The sibling of Neighbourhood Wine is cool and comfortable. Take a seat at the bar, or in front of an open fire, and enjoy the rotating share plates and easy-drinking wines.

This whimsical cafe has old-world charm, a dog-friendly garden and top-floor tea rooms. But the warmest spot is by one of its two hearths, especially the outdoor brick fireplace that burns right through the winter weekends.

Nearly every style of beer you can imagine is available at this convivial beer hall, and they’re all made right there. Plus, there are two huge braziers to huddle around.

This art deco pub is a beautiful mixed bag, just like Coburg itself. If you’re eating here, expect elegant pub dishes and a specials board devoted to gnocchi. Its fiery heart is a hidden private boardroom that’s often booked out for larger groups – but if it’s free, you can ask for a table and enjoy a warming meal by the fire.

This late-night bar brings the flavours of New Orleans and Texan barbeque to Melbourne. There’s wood in the open fire, and wood in the meat-smoker out back.

This corner pub is from some of the crew that revamped the Royal Oak Hotel and The Marquis of Lorne. Visit for a retro menu filled with fun takes on pub staples – plus an outdoor bar with a retractable roof.

Locals get a little misty-eyed when you mention the Napier, such is the respect for this backstreet corner pub. It’s decked out in a hodgepodge of Australiana kitsch and has a menu of pure comfort. And in the winter, a toasty spot near the fireplace is the best place to be.

This Abbotsford bar and eatery is a Johnston Street cure-all. And it has the cure for your cold hands: two fireplaces burning each day through the city’s cooler months.

The Retreat is a trip back in time – to 1915 to be exact. It’s one of the few pubs in the city with a true heritage fit-out: a warren full of tiny rooms, stained glass and curved timber surfaces. And it’s a cosy place to hide out when it’s cold, ideally by one of its three gas fireplaces.

This classic pub – which has stood on its corner for over 150 years – is one of Melbourne's best. The three-level hotel is the ideal place for a warming feed or a knock-off pint, and it has three fireplaces to keep you warm every day through winter.

Henry Sugar is the wine bar every neighbourhood should have. It’s intimate yet communal, sophisticated yet relaxed. And it keeps cosy through winter with its blazing fireplace, fuelled by the same red-gum wood that powers the charcoal grill. The team is probably stoking it up right now.

This is the warmest wine bar in Fitzroy North, and not just because of the blazing fireplace. Its share-friendly menu might include excellent handmade pasta, elevated seasonal veg and an unmissable Sunday roast.

This quirky lime castle with a huge courtyard is a warm getaway from bustling Chapel Street. Settle into the dining room for hearty pub classics and balmy fireside chats.

This dimly-lit pub sits in a converted 19th-century church – and is adorned with wine barrels, wagon wheels and a large, wrought-iron chandelier. Get cosy near the brazier in the band room, or head to the rear courtyard for hearty pub classics by the outdoor fireplace.

An incredible sound system. Absurdly good value house wines. A hearth to keep you warm in winter. And an unusual canteen-style window that passes drinks right onto the footpath. This is one of Melbourne’s most fun wine bars.

If you love beer, a visit to The Local Taphouse is non-negotiable. It’s influenced by 1930s European taverns and has one of the country’s most curated beer lists. If you love having a drink by the fire, consider yourself extra lucky. Order a porter or a stout and settle in near one of its two hearths.

The Arms is an ode to good old Aussie footy pubs. Mains are approachable, slightly elevated, pub classics. But the snacks and desserts nod to dishes popular throughout the venue’s life, like a riff on apricot chicken and sticky date pudding.

This classic pub is open till late, which means there’s a high chance of catching some live music and a late-night pint. It serves no-fuss pub fare at reasonable prices, and the dining room’s fireplace blazes right through winter.

This ’70s log cabin-themed burger bar serves some of Melbourne’s best burgers. Expect American-style combos centred around beef, chicken, mushroom and vegan pattys. And a fireplace that burns every day during Melbourne’s cooler months.

This comfortable bar has been a home away from home for many East Brunswick locals. Stop in and enjoy a glass of red by the hearth.

This archetypical inner-city pub has everything you’ll need to bunker down for winter: warming pub meals, sharp pints of stout, a pool table and a blazing open fireplace in the lounge.

This beer bar only stocks limited release, hard-to-find brews – plus a solid line-up of funky, mostly local, wines. The snacky menu is izakaya-influenced, with favourites such as tempura, karaage chicken, edamame and plenty of yakitori skewers to snack on by the fire.

Shuttered for years, this classic Melbourne pub was carefully restored to its former glory by a crack team of publicans. Find excellent steaks and Sunday roasts, a cosy fireplace, a coolroom turned pool room, and a Sunday sesh-ready courtyard.

There’s always action in the Prince’s grand front bar, but it’s the breezy, shaded beer garden that really commands the crowds. It’s a south-side magnet, so get down early if you plan to eat your burger or a steak at a table.

This historic neighbourhood spot, around since 1888, has room for 230 punters. Head to the beer garden for pub classics and woodfired pizzas, while the kids make the most of the on-site playground.

The 1926-built Bridge Hotel has heritage charm in spades – plus three crackling open fireplaces and a nostalgic fisherman’s basket for some all-out Australiana.

A 19th-century building in the city’s south is home to one of the neighbourhood’s favourite Italian restaurants. And its three fireplaces blaze every night throughout the winter months. Keep your mitts warm in the grand dining hall or one of the old judge’s chambers.

This classic corner hotel was revamped by the Marquis of Lorne team. The interior has a little Wes Anderson energy, with brooding timber panels and a roaring period fireplace. Plus, a lofty menu and exceptional wine list.

A 19th-century gastropub with a vintage front bar and a bistro up there with the city’s best. The most coveted tables are by the open fireplace, which burns every day through winter. Settle in with its menu of modern classics and a set offering that wouldn’t look out of place in a classy restaurant.

Located in the basement of the Punch Lane building, sleek small bar Juliet champions female winemakers, distillers and cheese makers from Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Order its snacks – featuring sustainable produce and native Australian flavours – and keep warm by the fire.

Serving the neighbourhood since 1871, this old boozer is now run by the Marquis of Lorne crew. Its pub staples are more elevated than most, from rock oysters to roast lamb rump. And there’s still plenty of old-school charm.

At this 1857-built art deco pub, enjoy a meal cooked on the hotel’s parilla grill and English-style ales served from hand pumps. Plus, stunning Sunday roasts and a record player spinning Dolly Parton and the Beatles.

A bar devoted to literature, whiskey and snacks from Ireland.

This welcoming pub nods to old English-style boozers. There’s a heritage-style facade, horseshoe bar and hotel upstairs for overnighters. But the menu brings you back to the present with kingfish ceviche and Wagyu tartare.

The Scottish craft-beer brand found a home in Coburg’s historic Pentridge Prison. Head to the beer garden – set in a former prison yard – or the taproom in a grand old bluestone building. Find Australian-exclusive brews, sticky-glazed chicken wings and a full plant-based menu.

You might need a map to navigate this iconic seaside pub. Across its five floors, you’ll find multiple bars and two restaurants. Not to mention three stages for live music, including the legendary Gershwin Room.