Tony Leonard reveals his favourite pubs of 2024!
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3AW/De Bortoli Pub of the Year 2024
Welcome to the final summary for 2024 and the announcement of the winner/s of De Bortoli’s Pub of the Year for 2024.
Many thanks goes to Tony Moclair for allowing this segment to continue, in its 34th year on 3AW. Again my eternal gratitude to Vince Gurcuillo from De Bortoli, our segment sponsor over the journey.
General observations in 2024:
There are a couple of facts about dining out in 2024, no matter what your choice is, be it pubs, cafes and restaurants.
Simply put: Surcharges.
These will hit you through use of your card/s, when you dine, etc. From a pub perspective, there is no commonality in what is applied, the rough applications are 1.5-1.75 per cent card, 10 per cent weekends, 15 per cent public holidays.
Not all but most pubs will add this on with an assurance this extra goes to staff as stated, or covers their transactions with financial institutions. As for the former, I hope this is the case.
Pricing on meals: It is becoming harder, but impossible to get a cost effective deal as far as meals go. Pubs are subjected to the greatest increase in costs for utilities, insurance, goods and services that I can remember since starting this in 1996.
In the finish the consumer pays and no more stark this year when a steak, chips and salad, in a no frills suburban pub (with pokies) was charging $53. But, there are good deals to be had, but a change of habit is required to your socialising, mid, rather than at weeks end.
Go to pub websites, have a look for meal deals, parma/steak nights, and most pubs are happy to play their part with reduced prices.
Reviews: As difficult as this is, the hospitality industry has to call out erroneous, out of date, anonymous reviews that are detrimental to their business. Some reviews still turn up prominently 8-10 years old, pre- Covid where nothing said then has any relevance now. You know the culprits; this has to stop.
As a rule of thumb, anything published over 18 months ago (mine included) is to be avoided.
This year a total of 40 pubs were visited, of which 15 constituted a first time visit. The remainder have been significantly made over, have new owners, or not visited for at least four years.
The four finalists for Pub of the Year 2024
● Home Hotel, Launching Place (reviewed February 2)
● Petrel Hotel, Geelong West (reviewed April 19)
● Graham Hotel, Port Melbourne (reviewed August 9)
● Rising Sun, Sth Melbourne (reviewed November 2)
THE AWARDS FOR 2024
Best tap beer: Beehive Hawthorn. Excellent Carlton Draught. 7oz/200ml glasses. Outstanding.
Best entree: The Graham, Port Melbourne. Scallops, XO butter, mushroom.
Best pub food: Any of the top four mentioned, special tip of the hat to the Rising Sun, South Melbourne and Home Hotel, Launching Place.
Best wine list: Home Hotel, Launching Place. The broadest offer from the Yarra Valley, big and small, at very fair prices.
Most unique: Mirboo North Hotel. Any pub that puts SM Dim Sims, or lamb rogan josh as their toppings qualifies as unique. Special mention to Napier Fitzroy, home of the legendary ‘Bogan Burger’.
Best redevelopment: Beehive Hawthorn. It is a fabulous refit – just wonderful.
Best beer garden: Woodlands Hotel, Coburg/Napier Hotel, Fitzroy.
Favourite moment (1): Springs Hotel, Waubra. Community commitment fully realised. Old bank on the road to Avoca has been brought to life as a thriving pub for everyone. The feel good of the year.
Favourite moment (2): Ashley Hotel, Braybrook. You see a lot of signs in pubs, never have I seen … “the dumping of rubbish in the car park is strictly prohibited”. There you go.
De Bortoli/3AW Pubs of the Year 2024
Home Hotel, Launching Place
This is testament to self belief. What has been invested in bringing this to life is anyone’s guess. And now this small outer eastern suburb has a pub in which to be justifiably proud.
Rising Sun Hotel, South Melbourne
Experienced operators, acme pub of Melbourne adds up to a wonderful pub experience. This is hospitality 101 in a Melbourne pub.
Both pubs pitch their offers differently but have been my standouts (along with a number visited this year) for the De Bortoli Pub of the Year in 2024.
In closing, the list of pubs of the year, from 1996 is underneath.
The De Bortoli Pub of the Year Honour Roll – 1996-2024
2024: Home Hotel, Launching Place//Rising Sun, Sth Melbourne
2023: Junction Hotel, Newport and the Mountain View Hotel, Whitfield
2022: Telegraph Hotel, Geelong West
2021: North Port Hotel, Port Melbourne
2020: White Hart, Longwood
2019: Avoca Hotel, Avoca and Lamaro’s, South Melbourne
2018: The National, Richmond
2017: Centra, Geelong and the North Melbourne Hotel
2016: Fitzroy Town Hall, Fitzroy
2015: The Tinamba Hotel
2014: Plough Hotel, Trentham
2013: The Royal, Clifton Hill
2012: Wayside Inn, South Melbourne
2011: Lincoln Hotel, Carlton
2010: Terminus Hotel, Clifton Hill
2009: Grand Hotel, Richmond
2008: Station, Footscray and the Carringbush, Abbotsford
2007: Bouzy Rouge, Richmond
2006: The Albion, Port Melbourne
2005: Metropolitan, North Melbourne and the Brandon Hotel, Carlton
2004: The Beach Hotel, Albert Park
2003: Court House Hotel, North Melbourne
2002: London Tavern, Richmond
2001: Doyle’s, Mentone and Vine, Abbotsford
2000: Royal Park, North Melbourne
1999: The Emerald Hotel, South Melbourne
1998: Clare Castle, Carlton and O’Connells, South Melbourne
1997: Hotel Spencer, West Melbourne
1996: All Nations Hotel, Richmond