NOW EXPERIENCING:Punters Club
Wednesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
Website
puntersclubfitzroy.com
Instagram
@puntersclubfitzroy

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 06 May 2025

By
Tomas Telegramma


Inside the reopened, refurbished Punters Club in Melbourne

One of Melbourne’s best new pubs technically isn’t new at all. It’s a live-music landmark from the ’90s, given new life by a crack team with big hospo and music cred.

A range of standout dishes at the revived Punters Club in Melbourne
Why you goIf these walls could talk. In the ’90s, the Punters Club was an epicentre for live music on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy where bands like Something for Kate, Spiderbait and You Am I made their mark on Melbourne before the landmark pub closed in the early 2000s. The site went on to live a number of lives, but in 2024, a dream-team of hospitality and music-industry legends banded together to restore its former glory and bring the Punters Club back to life. And wasn’t the resurgence glorious? With its original façade reinstated and a charming old-school vibe retained inside, some 20 years after its closure a new guard of punters is now joining the club. They’re lured by a roster of live music that not only pays homage to the pub’s past, but invites in a whole new generation of talent. Plus, it serves some of Melbourne’s absolute best pub food, and it has once again become a hotspot for sunny pints on the street or rooftop (check it out).  
Why you stayThe Punters is a pub with everything going for it: great food, great drinks, great vibes. But live music is its heart and soul. Most nights of the week you can catch a free gig or DJ set by a motley crew of mostly local talent. Check the website for what’s coming up. 
What drink to orderIf you want to knock the froth off a couple of beers, kick off with a pot (or pint) of the Punters-branded draught, made in collaboration with Collingwood brewery The Mill. If it’s wine time, a handful of drops on tap are priced reasonably between $13 and $14 a glass, including a chilled shiraz-cabernet blend from Victorian winemaker Trutta. And there’s whisky business on the cocktail list – go for the barrel-aged Boulevardier. 
Wine on tap at the Punters Club in Melbourne
Tuna tartare is served on chips at Punters Club in Melbourne
What to eatFitzroy is pub central, so outrageously good pub grub isn’t hard to find in the postcode. But with chef Dylan Marshall (formerly of The Scenic in South Australia) helming the kitchen, the Punters Club manages to stand out in a crowded field. The menu is all killer, no filler, but there are a few non-negotiables. First, the flavour-bomb tuna tartare, served on top of Smith’s crinkle-cut salt-and-vinegar chips, still in their packet. And second, the generously sized kangaroo schnitzel, a golden disc that comes with creamy mash and peppercorn-studded sauce. Other snacky winners include South Melbourne Market dim sims with Lao Gan Ma chill oil, onion bhaji with raita and tamarind chutney, and crisp falafel with baba ghanoush. 
Regular’s tipWatching your wallet? At the Punters Club “Our weekends end on Mondays”, so that’s the night to visit if you’re in the market for a cheaper-than-usual experience at the pub. Start your week right with a $15 burger and fries, $10 pints of the house draught, and $15 Negronis and Tommy’s Margaritas, soundtracked by entirely free live music. Weekday lunch specials are a drawcard, too. The ever-rotating menu will include a sandwich, curry, pasta or hearty salad for $25 with a beer, or $30 with a wine.