Hotel Westwood

This classic pub feels warm and lived in. The interior is adorned with a pool table, an open green carpeted area and plenty of tables, and the walls are dotted with taxidermy animals and old paintings. Your beer will be served in an old-style dimpled pint glass with a handle, alongside revamped pub classics such as burgers, subs, loaded fries and assorted arancini (try the cheeseburger or pizza fillings).

The beer list is mostly from the Lion stable (Furphy, Little Creatures and Brooklyn Lager), alongside Guinness and Coopers taps. Those wanting a local option will find Hop Nation and Two Birds in the fridge. Cocktails are tropical out the back, and classic in the front. There might also be a handful of house specials like the Roadrunner (tequila, cucumber, jalapeno, lime, and agave) and the Piranha (which is described to patrons as an alcoholic Ribena). The pub has an expansive outdoor area, complete with a beer garden with a pink-hued courtyard bar, tropical-inspired cocktails, and a taco truck.

But the main focus at Hotel Westwood is live music (it is, after all run by the same group behind Cherry Bar and Yah Yah’s). Its programming features a range of artists from country to hip-hop and more acts from in and around Melbourne’s west. Events can be spread from the main bandroom to a second, cabaret-style seated bandroom (named the Bistrotheque) with a fireplace in the shape of a turret. The space – with turquoise vinyl booths and bright pendant lights hanging overhead – might also play host to a lively trivia night.