Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews the Union Club Hotel, Fitzroy

Union Club Hotel

Corner of Gore and Webb streets, Fitzroy.
9417 2926

When? March 24, 2023.
www.unionclubhotel.com.au

VENUE 

Four years has passed and not a lot, if anything has changed at the Union Club in Fitzroy.

This is an acme pub in Melbourne; a large double-storey red brick hotel dominates this quiet corner, glorious shade provided by a massive tree for those seeking outside refuge. The pub trades 3pm Mon -Wed, and from Midday on Thursdays to Sunday.

Inside, this is beyond old school. Glorious wooden bar straight ahead, kitsch random photos, bric a brac aplenty when eyes raised. To your left, there is a dining room with a high ceiling, Wooden tables and chairs, leadlight windows and carpet that has a million footsteps on it over the journey.

Old style arcade game – Galaga – keeps company with a Rolling Stones Pinball machine quietly in another corner. To the rear, op shop couches, pool table fill the room and a warm comfortable feeling envelopes you.

But that’s not all. Past there, a Roof deck takes in the vistas of the skyline of nearby suburbs while the beer garden, colourful,  covered and heated provides a further option to socialise.

The menu is neither overworked nor overpriced and is genuinely interesting with all plates/preferences catered for. Same with the drinks that truly represent a wide selection of beer and wine makers, all reasonably priced.

Best of all from  my viewpoint is that whatever ailed its beer taps is gone. Spot on in taste, poured by engaging staff.

Fans of the TV show Offspring will recognise the back drop; much better in real life.

May the Union Club trade, like this, for decades to come.

FOOD/DRINK

A straightforward, smallish menu still is the Union Clubs offer, but with dishes to cater for Vegetarian /Vegan preferences.  A couple of starters, Spiced Pumpkin Croquettes, chili mayo (14), sit with 3 pizza, Pepperoni, Margherita, Vegetarian @ 18.

Three types of Burgers @$24 are served with all toppings and Gluten Free Buns are available.

Old style mains, Continental Sausages, Spring Onion Mash, (24j, Vegetable  Lasagne (24),  team up with Pan Fried Barramundi, (31), BBQ GLazed Ribs, slaw (29) and Sesame Noodle Salad (22).

Melbourne Bitter and Carlton D are preferred and they are in fine form, with most wines 11pg, the excellent drops from Christmeny (Riesling), DeBortoli (Prosecco), Kangariila Road (Shiraz) on at around that price range.

The average  meal prices (bistro) are;

• Entrees – $15
• Mains – $25
• Desserts – $13

Tried was,

• Salt/Pepper Calamari, lime aioli. $19. Thin coating, fried quickly, arrives crisp and plentiful, another good plate of this ever present starter on Melbourne pub menus. More than any other dish, this has to be timed to perfection and theirs was.
• Black Angus Porterhouse, 300g. Full plate $36. All in, Chips/Salad, good biting pepper sauce, the steak, asked rare, arrives MR, but nonetheless a good plate of food.
• Sweet chili glaze Pork Belly, char Pineapple, chili salsa, chat potatoes. $28. Nice thick one piece arrives, plenty of meat, with crackle, had a faint taste of sweet chili, with a stack of roasted potatoes. Very good pub eating.

Summary 

The Union Club, in many respects is a no brainer when considering heading to a pub in the inner North. Simply, its glorious old world charm is represented in a cryogenic capsule of what Melbourne pub life was in the 50s/60s when bar staff would holler.. ‘last drinks’ around 6pm.

Unbelievable now to think that was it at that bewitching early hour, but true it was, and the term sly grog shop was on everyone’s lips, rather than grabbing a cheap parma and pot at your nearby local.

Around 4 years ago, I headed here to be let down by the simplest, yet fundamental pulse of a pub: the beer. Not this time: The draught was spot on.

It had to be, and was, a rare miss when everything else is fine.

So head here, and relive a time long past in the life of Melbourne and take it all in. If ever there is a definitive tome written about the most interesting pubs in Victoria, be assured The Union Club Fitzroy will be  in the top 20.

Score:  14.5/20