Whether you are from the North or South, chances are you have experienced a handful of the fantastic pubs in Brunswick. From the Cornish Arms to the Retreat Hotel, Brunswick is teeming with great eateries and places to drink. When we discovered that Hotel Railway in Brunswick was finally open we were beyond excited. We had watched the design and cladding change through 2020-2021 and were keen to see what this establishment would offer an already saturated pub market!
Railway Hotel Brunswick is a fantastic pub and perfectly balances a modern and chic interior while still honouring the classic Victorian facade. When you first enter Hotel Railway Brunswick, the pink stone archway rightly builds anticipation for what’s ahead, which is an expansive outdoor bar area serviced by a beautiful bar. There is also a dedicated restaurant section with large stone tables, beautiful lighting, chic fixtures, marble statues, and scattered chairs of leather and houndstooth. Who would’ve thought all of this could be found in Albert Street?
The indoor and outdoor areas at Railway Hotel Brunswick
We don’t think we are overstating facts when we say that Railway Hotel is now our favourite bar in Brunswick. There is simply nothing like it in Brunswick or even Melbourne’s north. There are so many areas to meet with friends, whether you want to watch the game in the open-air beer garden with a large TV screen or want to be at one of the high tables in the bar area enjoying the music from the nearby DJ booth. The range of indoor and outdoor spaces that are both undercover and open-air make Railway Hotel the best spot for all kinds of weather.
When we attended, we watched the crowds migrate to different areas as the night unfolded and the music got louder. Then it started to rain and drizzle, which only served to move the beer garden guests into the bar area easily, creating more of an atmosphere.
Railway Hotel Brunswick menu
It’s fair to say that we all know what a pub menu looks like, and so we were quite excited to see Railway Hotel’s twist on these pub classics. The menu did not disappoint, and neither did the Railway Hotel Brunswick staff in walking us through the menu and peppering us with recommendations.
The Hotel Railway Brunswick menu is a Modern Australian take on pub food, featuring share plates, starters, main meals, and desserts. Our table had dietary requirements which the booking system prompted prior to our arrival, and our gluten-free and dairy-free diners found great variability in the menu offering. The service staff were so friendly and seemed to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the cocktail and wine list, making things easy for our indecisive table. Our drink recommendations were based on the food we had ordered, with this kind of service not always seen in a hotel setting.
Our favourite share plates were the Pork Belly Skewers, which were accompanied by a delicious beet puree, pickled cabbage and fermented chilli. We also loved the Kingfish Crudo with pickled carrots and pepperoncini. The biggest crowd-pleaser seemed to be the fried cauliflower bites with pepita harissa and crispy curry leaves. Fair to say, you are certainly spoiled for choice with this rich menu.
Our mains were just as impressive, and we decided on the salmon and the broccoli salad. The Ajvar glazed salmon came with fennel, sugar snap beans, chickpeas and green tahini. The fresh broccolini salad came with summer vegetables, fermented grains and mixed herbs. You can tell by our Railway Hotel Brunswick photos just how generous these dishes were, but did that stop us from ordering dessert? No. We followed up this meal with an Affogato with pistachio ice cream, and a baked cheesecake. Incredible!
Our favourite cocktail was the Vinyl & Velvet, which came out in a stunning coup glass with a beautiful dried citrus garnish. This one went down a little too easily! We also enjoyed a Rosé sparkling and were guided by the wine recommendations of our service staff. You can tell that the Railway Hotel Brunswick team have sampled the menu extensively and has been trained in the diverse wine menu they offer.
You can find the Railway Hotel Brunswick menu here, which changes seasonally.
The perfect spot for a date, celebration or group gathering
You will see from the Hotel Railway Brunswick photos that there are so many areas to meet with friends and family through the week and on the weekend. The venue has very cleverly appealed to all kinds of pub-goers, with DJ music slated for the entire summer period and different events and specials occurring throughout the week. When we attended we saw there is a Monday Schnitzel night, steak Tuesdays, pizza Wednesday and so much more. Be sure to check out the Railway Hotel Brunswick events and book in.
You can also book this historical space for a function, with different areas of the venue available for hire which includes a dedicated function menu and service staff. Any function would look incredible in this versatile and modern location, and the Hotel Railway Brunswick photos are sure to capture these memories beautifully.
Have you had the chance to try Railway Hotel Brunswick? We can recommend starting your evening here on the weekend for a meal and then heading outdoors to enjoy some music, cocktails and even some fresh air in the beer garden. Be sure to check out our other Melbourne food reviews.
