If a pub has been pouring schooners for over 135 years, it probably has a hold on the community. That’s at least true of the Auburn Hotel site in Hawthorn East, which was built in 1888 and has been a go-to watering hole for many south-east locals ever since.

The pub, on busy Auburn Road, recently expanded, taking over the neighbouring block. After a $4.3 million renovation, the new arm, which opened last November, houses a beer garden, playground and 230-seat atrium space with a bar, a central fireplace, TV screens and a pizza oven.

Studio Y oversaw the design of the new space, which studio lead Tess Speldewinde describes as a “harmonious blend of old and new”. The team used the building’s existing “imperfection to form a lived-in design aesthetic”, with exposed brickwork and ceiling trusses adding to the well-worn feel. The look is completed with a distressed paint finish.

We think you might like Access. For $12 a month, join our membership program to stay in the know.

SIGN UP

In the atrium, you can pull up a seat at a high top, take a a table by the fireplace or stand by the bar and catch a game on the TV screens. Plus, a retractable roof means that when the sun comes out you can make the most of it.

Outside in the beer garden you’ll find large picnic tables and a relaxed vibe that complements the old pub feel. If you’re bringing the kids, the new playground will keep them entertained. On Sundays from 12.30pm to 3.30pm there’s even a mini petting zoo with chicks and rabbits, and regular acoustic performances by long-time resident Adam Two, who’s been playing the venue since the 1980s, when it traded as The Geebung Polo Club.

New head chef Tony Moss has revamped the menu, which combines pub classics (including the local-favourite chicken parma) with more contemporary dishes. Snack on small plates like kingfish crudo and burrata with tomato jam and mandarin. The Ora King salmon and fried chicken burger are standout mains, as are the new woodfired pizzas, which are available until 11pm on weekends. And like any good pub, there are a bunch of midweek deals. Our go-to? The $25 steak night and the local butcher’s meat raffle on Thursdays.

Auburn Hotel
85 Auburn Road, Hawthorn East
(03) 9810 0032

Hours:
Mon to Thurs 12pm–10pm
Fri & Sat 12pm–12am
Sun 12pm–10pm

theauburnhotel.com.au
@theauburnhotel