The Plough Hotel

Built in 1868, The Plough Hotel had grown tired, but has since been given a new energy and look from the owners of Carlton’s Kent Hotel, Joe Setaro and Tony Adamo. Joining forces with their manager from the Kent, Melissa Nolte, as the third partner, they set about invigorating the place and reigniting interest in the community.

The interior, designed and mostly built by Setaro and his wife Tina, is fresh and bright with exposed light bulbs, white tiles, bare wooden tables and black trim. It’s urban but not too slick.

The same menu is served in the two dining areas (the bistro and the restaurant). Where the bistro is perfect for families, the restaurant will give you downtime from the bustle.

The menu is large but easy enough to navigate, broken up into three main sections (shared, mains and pizzas). The shared section is far more than small bites: meatballs, chilli and lime calamari and sticky buffalo wings are highlights, while mains cover the gamut of good pub food, including steak sandwiches and a classic, huge chicken parma. With a focus on local produce, you might find pork and fennel sausages from Benalla or grain-fed Black Angus Riverina porterhouse.

Backed up by a smart Victorian beer and wine list, the new Plough sees the evolution of a Footscray icon and it’s proving very popular.