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Builders Arms Hotel

Friday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
211 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065
Phone
(03) 9417 7700
Website
buildersarmshotel.com.au
Instagram
@buildersarmshotel

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 13 Jun 2022

By
Michael Harry

The striking facade of the Builders Arms Hotel in Melbourne

This venerable corner pub steeped in history has been a Fitzroy staple since 1853, but it now gleams with Andrew McConnell polish, offering premium drinks and upmarket bistro food seven days a week.

In the public bar at the Builders Arms Hotel
Why you goAh, the Builders. A local landmark of the inner north, this beloved pub has seen a thing or two since it opened in 1853. Through the 1970s and ’80s it had a somewhat seedy reputation as a den of disrepute, and then was best known for hosting a “queer and alternative” gay night in the ’90s and 2000s. More recently, it has morphed into one of the most dependable upmarket public bars in the city. When restaurant royalty Andrew McConnell became part-owner in 2012, he managed to deftly balance all the traditions of your favourite local (trivia, steak night, beer on tap, counter meals) with his signature sophisticated touch (a cheffy bistro, a killer wine list, Aesop hand soap in the bathrooms). It’s a much-loved spot that has earned its place as a Melbourne institution.
Why you stayIt’s a pub, but it’s a little bit fancy – casual yet comfortable, stylish yet approachable. A light-and-bright renovation brings out the building’s features, with flattering lighting and the buzz of sport on the telly (but just the one discreet screen, thanks). There’s a range of seating options to suit your mood and the size of your group – check out the gallery of tables fixed to the footpath outside, perfectly positioned to watch the brethren of Gertrude Street parade past. A tiled horseshoe bar is the heart of the venue, but venture down the back and there’s an expansive dining room with chic framed posters and bentwood chairs. The elevated food and drink offering is very Andrew McConnell: elegant, polished, and sometimes steeply priced.
What drink to orderYou’ll find a row of beers on tap from various brewers of the moment – Young Henrys, Balter, Pirate Life – and the wine choices are similarly hot-to-trot, with a nod to minimal intervention and on-trend producers, many of them Australian. Grab a glass of Konpira Maru sangiovese, perhaps, or an Aller Trop Loin malbec, or a Little Reddie NEW! chardonnay – this list is tailor-made for maximum good times. Dig more and there’s real depth to the cellar: French Champagnes, aromatic whites, skin-contact blends and Italian reds. Non-drinkers have plenty of options, too, with mocktails on offer such as Salted Fennel Spritz, Apple & Mint Iced Tea and a bracing Rhubarb Tonic, plus non-alcoholic beer, natural sparkling and spirits.
What to pair it withSeveral items simply never leave the menu, such is their legend status. Start with buttery planks of toasted flatbread for swiping through smooth, mayo-like cod-roe dip, then detour via the small but perfectly formed Builders cheeseburger – a gnarled, smashed-beef patty, crisp iceberg lettuce and melty cheese with a nest of fries – or park yourself in front of the main event: the fish pie. A generous ceramic dish crowned with a golden dome of flaky pastry conceals the piping hot seafood filling within. Chunks of snapper, smoked ocean trout, and fresh prawns swim majestically in a creamy, sorrel-spiked sauce. Four’n Twenty this is not.
Dining at Builders Arms Hotel, which serves excellent bistro food
The food is a highlight at Fitzroy's Builders Arms Hotel
Why we love itLike any good pub, this is a hub of the community, and devotees drop in for all manner of occasions. Monday is steak night, the kitchen slinging plates of prime porterhouse sourced from McConnell’s butcher, Meatsmith, with fries and salad for $25. Tuesday is the nostalgic charcoal-chicken night when you can devour half a roast bird with trimmings for $25, and one Wednesday a month is trivia night (you might win a Meatsmith meat tray). Sunday lunch features a special roast from the rotisserie – the beast-of-the-week cooked over flames in the compact rear courtyard.
Regular’s tipThere are two excellent private spaces for hire upstairs – the larger Bowery Room can fit up to 90 people, while the Private Dining Room accommodates up to 18. A hotspot for your next do.
Who to takeEveryone is welcome. From birthday parties to first dates, just-the-one with mates, or a meet-and-greet with the in-laws. It’s the quintessential northside all-rounder.
Sponsor logo
In partnership with Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
image credits: Roberto Pettinau
Authour image
Michael HarryMichael Harry is the food and lifestyle publisher at Hardie Grant Books. He was previously the editor of The Age Good Food Guide and lifestyle editor of Good Weekend.
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Drinks DirectoryFamily affairTop notch wine listMelbourneMeal and a bevBrilliant beer listPet friendlyOutdoor areaMelbourne – Inner NorthPubRestaurantCasual catch-upNon-alc OptionsAfter work drinksGood for groups
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