Cheers Central Victoria’s remarkable gold rush heritage with a solid session at the most rocking Bendigo pubs and bars.

Contemporary draws readily lurk among Bendigo’s historic streets, and chief among them, arguably, is its captivating cocktail o’clock scene. From grand old pubs restored to their former glory, to basement dive bars, sun-licked beer gardens, rooftop cocktail bars and piano bars with drag queen hosts, parties kick on right across town. Here, we collate the best Bendigo pubs and bars for your go-all-night amusement after a day of exploring the city.

1. The Dispensary Bar & Diner

You’re a fair way from Melbourne but Victoria’s laneway life is alive and kicking in Bendigo, home to The Dispensary Bar & Diner. Complete with artistic murals, fairy lights, outdoor heaters (thank goodness) and local homebrew, this Bendigo bar is about as quintessential-culture capital as they come in Central Victoria. If it’s a super special occasion, an extensive champagne list, where a 1996 Cristal has been known to frequent and sparkling wines also show face, will sort you. Otherwise, there’s signature cocktails, excellent wines, all the spirits and a load of beers to choose from. Sensible patrons will also line their stomachs with picks from the food menu, which offers a $56 Lucky Seven selection of Modern Australian dishes, as well as a $79 Dispensary Experience set menu curated entirely by the expert team.

2. Wine Bank On View

Stellar drops served inside the heritage-listed walls of a former bank? Sign us up for vino and bites at Wine Bank On View, a Bendigo bar built in 1876. The space also serves as a wine merchant, so it’s where you go to grab the really special stuff, but stick around to knock back quality vintages from the likes of Heathcote’s Jasper Hill, Western Australia’s Cullen Wines and Mount Langi Ghiran in the Grampians, on site. There’s also a lovely menu of main meals to wash your vino down with, plus Wednesday ushers in regular wine tastings with a rotation of weekly features.

3. The Social

Pick your poison from more than 400 spirits at The Social, a Bendigo bar and eatery located in the middle of town opposite Rosalind Park. Too early for the hard stuff? 12 tap beers, a host of cocktails and a tight edit of local wines will edge you in gently. If you’re visiting on a Saturday, launch your festivities from midday when a bottomless brunch, which includes food, swings into gear. You’ll also find a large food menu on hand, inspired by Asian flavours, like house made dumplings, Karaage chicken bao buns and Thai pork skewers designed to generously share.

4. GPO Bar & Restaurant

A local’s haunt shaking up some of the most smashable cocktails in town, GPO Bar & Restaurant is always on fire. Festoon lights hang from the ceilings as dim mood lighting sets a slick adults-only scene while various nooks and alcoves provide plenty of opportunity for intimate catchups. All your classic tipples are on the menu, some even laced with rainbow-hued confectionery, while local craft beers and wines also do the job. When hunger strikes, share plates like stone-baked pizzas, tapas and giant paella pans provide mouth-watering fixes. These guys also love a boozy bottomless brunch, rolling out a $69 deal every Saturday and Sunday from 12pm.

5. Rifle Brigade Hotel

Every city needs a failsafe pub where you can return again and again, safe in the knowledge you’ll eat well, drink well, and enjoy the setting. Rifle Brigade Hotel is Bendigo’s go-to. A Victorian-era boozer that occupies a sizable corner block, there’s nothing ground-breaking about this spot, known by locals as the ‘Gun Club’, but that’s all part of the charm. On the food menu, you’ll find standard pub fare (think burgers, pizzas, steak and seafood), while the drinks menu pays homage to Victoria’s wine scene. There are several spaces to choose between depending on your mood (and the weather), from the sizable courtyard at its rear to one of the tables spilling out onto the pavement out the front. Or just pull up a stool at the beautifully worn timber bar.

6. Handle Bar

When the sun’s out, there are few better spots in the city to idle with a drink in hand than Handle Bar. The main calling card at this rustic, laidback Bendigo bar is its sizable, string-light-festooned backyard. Featuring a mishmash of astroturf, and brick and timber flooring, the piecemeal beer garden is a charming spot for sundowners with friends. Handle Bar’s origin story is equally appealing, the result of a 2014 crowdfunding campaign that brought together more than 30 local donors who co-founded and now own the space. Handle Bar’s raison d’etre is simple: a relaxed setting that offers independent beer and regular free entertainment.

7. Piano Bar Bendigo

A run-of-the-mill watering hole this ain’t. If a night spent propping up the bar down the pub feels a touch too pedestrian for you, might we recommend Piano Bar Bendigo? There’s perhaps no other Bendigo bar that boasts the same intoxicating mix of cocktails and carousing as this joint, which promises piano and vocalists, with songs played at your request, plus an alluring roster of drag queen-led events, from bingo to trivia and comedy sketches, with audience involvement very much encouraged – sing along and dance to your heart’s content. If you’re keen to give it a real nudge, head upstairs to Rumours Upstairs, a club on the top floor of Piano Bar that’s open every Saturday from 9pm. It’s the place to dance all night — trust us.

8. Babylon Lounge & Garden Bar

Gunning for the title of Bendigo’s most hipster bar (until the sun sinks where it’s a whole new venue, practically) is Babylon Lounge & Garden Bar, a central oasis. The greenhouse-style ‘garden’ area is drenched in greenery and bathed in natural light, while the lounge area is as snug as can be, featuring forest green velvet sofas, dim lighting and a few quirky touches (hello faux fireplace and mannequin swinging from the ceiling). There’s a mezze menu for when hunger strikes, and a solid range of craft beer, both on tap and in tinnies. Once night falls, prepare to rage as this Bendigo bar is renowned for its dance floor and DJs, open all the way until 3am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

9. Nimbus Rooftop

Bendigo’s first rooftop bar, Nimbus offers sweeping city views, as well as stellar cocktails. You’ll find all the garden variety concoctions at this third-floor haunt (pina colada, moscow mule, bloody mary, margarita etc) as well as a couple of off-kilter options. The fluorescent Japanese Slipper, for example, encourages serious fun – a heady mix of Midori, triple sec and lime. Keep an eye on their Instagram page, as the venue often hosts masterclass events and live music.

10. Gold Mines Hotel

Few other Bendigo pubs boast a setting as stately as the Gold Mines Hotel. With its fretworked verandahs dripping with wisteria, a grand cedar staircase, Baltic pine floors, archways embellished with gold-leaf, stained-glass windows, and nearly a dozen fireplaces – this National Trust-listed property is a fine spot to linger over a drink. Come summer, nurse a glass of Pimms in the expansive, leafy garden. When winter rolls in, cosy up by one of the many fireplaces with a bottle of shiraz. This historic two-storey edifice, built in 1872, moves beyond an impressive beer and wine selection, as a decent array of cocktails, warm and friendly country hospitality, and a red-meat-heavy menu (think beef burger, confit duck leg, grass-fed porterhouse, and lamb rump to name a few past hits) keep crowds returning.

11. The Foundry

Another easy-going pub where locals love to gather, The Foundry is the place to catch live sports given the 20-odd big screens that line the walls. Its dedicated Mister Bobs sports bar is probably going to offer the most electric atmosphere, but it’s rivalled by an outdoor courtyard where games are also streamed live and loud. Miss Molly is the Bendigo bar’s cocktail lounge and if you’re there on Saturday between 4pm and 5pm, take advantage of Martini Madness which offers three delicious variations for just $15 a piece. The Bistro, a little more family-friendly than Miss Molly with its own kids’ menu, is the place to find a feed as pub classics are nailed with flair.

Originally written by Chloe Cann with updates by Kristie Lau-Adams

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