Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews Urban Alley Brewery, Docklands

Urban Alley Brewery

12 Star Circus, Docklands
8080 9800

When? 1 September 2023
www.urbanalley.com.au

VENUE

This review comprises two parts, given that Urban Alley Docklands is a pub of two parts: brewpub and brewery. Let’s start with the ‘pub’ part.

This is cavernous space, ground level, within touching distance of the ill-fated Melbourne Star. With the two dominant features, the large bar in middle and working brewery in the rear, The Urban Alley (UA) takes on a modern industrial look, with sealed concrete floors, bare wooden tables, and brick fixtures.

Seating easily accommodates 150 plus at any one time. UA clearly has association with Motorsport (Penrite), with its livery on display.

The food is best described as straight up and down pub grub with nothing too outrageous or fancy emanating from the small kitchen. A small wine list supports. Order at the bar and it’s brought to you.

The real purpose of this place is to showcase its wonderful range of beers, which is best encyclopedic in choice, and outstanding in taste. UA is an excellent producer.

No faults with the food in its support role and in Docklands it looks to be one of the busier venues.

FOOD/DRINK

Pub favourites to the fore across all sections of the menu, lemon pepper calamari, ($16.9), and lamb skewers, harissa, tzatziki, lemon (3 for $22.9) form the list of popular starters.

Nine styles of pizza, all around $ 26, three burgers around $26, and mains which offer standard like chicken parma ($28), rockling, chips, slaw ($29) and showstopper, beef short rib, 32 hrs slow cooked* full whack at $46. (* The slow cooked times always fascinate me: pubs are shut at some stage and surely you wouldn’t leave the stoves going!!!)

And while there is a wine list, $12pg//$50 btle from labels like Farm to Table, 821 South, it really is the beer from UAs range of draught, premium pale, zero, hazy IPA, fruited sour, smoked amber etc, etc that showcases what Urban Alley is about.

The average prices are;

• Entrees – $18
• Mains – $30
• Desserts – $15

Tried was;

• Arancini, smoked pumpkin, truffle, porcini mayo – 4 for $16.90. No shortcomings here, the truffle came through in the rice balls, mayo was fine, big size, not bad.
• Marinated chicken breast burger, onion ring, lettuce, cheese, mayo, chips – $20 on special, normally $26.9. Again, a solid pub offering with well marinated chicken strips and a plentiful amount of extras. Good, hot chips, again no faults.

SUMMARY

UA Brewpub is clearly determined to make this business in the Docklands work and every effort is being made to win and keep customers with generous money saving meals deals through the week, all day.

Another absolute win is the 90minute free parking next door to the pub so it is easy to head there, have a nice lunch/dinner, park safely for nicks and take in some of what this area offers, so sadly maligned but has a real point of interest and difference so close to the CBD.

So here’s a challenge to our Cities’ Burghurs: Genuinely make an effort to promote Docklands and what it has to offer and really assist the traders down there, rather than some nebulous commentary on world affairs. This is Melbourne.

Urban Alley is a good place to start.

SCORE: 13.3/20