This week we do a bit of bar hopping, sort of, in a responsible service of alcohol kind of a way. But seriously, when we say our top five pubs, we’re looking at the ambience, the food, the service, the whole shebang. The days of The Kontos Report just going to the pub for a drink or two are long gone, unfortunately. Some other, younger journalist can prop up the bar now as far as I am concerned. Anyway, don’t forget, especially if you run a pub and missed out here, this is all about personal taste and preference. So, here we go, in reverse order:
Number 5: The Crossroads Hotel, because its right in the middle between Liverpool and Macarthur, it’s got heaps of parking, very good tucker and the beer’s not bad. Best part: the pool tables. And, I had the best bottle of Penfolds 389 ever there with a huge ribeye steak cooked by then chef Ivan, who I think went to cook for the next hotel on the list.
Number 4: The Collingwood Hotel, also on the Hume Highway, mainly because it’s so famous because of its Tudor façade. Anyone who has driven to Melbourne on the Hume Highway in the last 40 years will know the Collingwood. Inside, it has been done up, like 99 per cent of every other pub in Sydney, plus it has a neat beer garden.
Number 3: Speaking of beer gardens, Camden Valley Inn boasts one of the best. It has lots of space and nice views to the mountains as well. Plenty of family gatherings there over the years. It’s also the only “country’’ pub in our list, but they don’t charge you extra for the fresh air. Inside is pretty good, too, and I love their British beers on tap, especially the Scottish ones (that will keep my Scottish wife happy for a minute or two, maybe).
Number 2: Macquarie Hotel. It’s right in the heart of the Liverpool, CBD, and what I like about it is that it went from zero to hero for just two or three million bucks a few years back when the owners refurbished it from a dank, dark place nobody but people with hangovers wanted to be in, to a light, breezy place with very good pub tucker and very friendly service. Love the Mac, pictured.
Number 1: Plough and Harrow. Ah, yes, Camden and its quaint little selection of pubs on just one side of Argyle Street, the Merino, the Argyle (as the Plough and Harrow used to be called not long ago), CT’s or Camden Hotel now and the Crown. All tremendously good pubs, but my personal favourite has to be the Plough because it has managed to go for modernisation without giving up all of its old features. It has it all, I guess, bit of the modern facility, the charm of the old. Plus it’s trying hard to put out some really classy fare in the food department. I have been to a few pubs this year, but thinking about it, the Plough is the one where I mostly go, with mates or the family. Cheers
