Best beer gardens

Village Brasserie

Melbourne

If size matters, this sprawling beer garden (formerly known as the Belgian Beer Café Bluestone) trumps all. Tree-lined and the size of a football pitch, it’s more park than beer garden, albeit one stocking a hell of a lot of local and global craft brews. Commandeer a table or lay out beneath the elm trees.

The Bishop of Ostia

Brunswick East

When the sun sets, the Bishop takes over Pope Joan café's camo-net shaded courtyard, serving Cricketers beers and pig’s ear sandwiches in the space where the kitchen's veggies grow.

The City Tiler

Port Melbourne

We love that nobody knows about this ’yard. Protected from industrial Port Melbourne by high vine-covered walls, this ornate converted courthouse has long, outdoor, candlelit tables, surrounded by palms and urns. Great for tapas, Argentinean brewskis and songs.

The Wesley Anne

Northcote

The Wesley Anne is renowned for its Gothic interior but the leafy beer garden is where it’s at. Battle the band-geeks and hipsters and pitch camp with a pitcher.

Grub Food Van

Fitzroy

Dogs, stripy parasols, garden beds and a shiny bullet of an Airsteam caravan combine with Lord Nelson Three Sheets ale and Tromba tequila-grapefruit refreshers. That’s some good summery times right there.

The Retreat

Brunswick

Who hasn’t fallen asleep on the Retreat’s Astroturf? Or been kicked out for attempting to climb into the welcoming boughs of that fairy light festooned tree? Cheap jugs of Brunswick Bitter and sunny afternoons make said antics inevitable.

The Standard

Fitzroy

With live music or trivia most nights of the week, the Standard is your classic Fitzroy pub. What sets it apart is its beer garden: a well-loved concrete jungle that is always packed.

The Alehouse Project

Brunswick East

You'll find the same pebbled, statue- and tree-filled courtyard here from when this joint was the Comfortable Chair, but now there are specialty beers and American chicken wings to go with it.

The Windsor Castle

Windsor

Yes, it’s a meat market, but the tiki-tastic courtyard of the Windsor Castle is one of the better places to sweat it out in summer swelter, surrounded by bamboo, and bronzed biceps.

Sentido Funf

Fitzroy

You can almost get lost in the greenery of the courtyard at Sentido Funf. This secret garden/greenhouse of Gertrude Street is mostly enclosed, making it a great all-weather option.