The Standard

LOCATION
One block west of Brunswick Street, between Bell Street and Moor Street.

REVIEWED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
With an intimate front bar, refurbished dining room and the largest, leafiest beer garden in Fitzroy, The Standard is a popular dining destination for locals or those looking to kick-start a night out. Set a block back from Brunswick Street, The Standard has retained its old-school Fitzroy feel, which translates as a buzzy, bohemian vibe behind its unassuming facade. Old style early closing times and a “no cocktails” bar policy encourage a laid-back, comfortable neighbourhood vibe. Those who venture within will find an intimate front bar crowded with memorabilia and full of regulars, as well as a refurbished dining room available for functions, a cosy lounge with an open fire and a huge beer garden complete with retractable roof and heating for chilly days. Meals are available throughout the pub.

There is a solid menu of pub classics and some more exotic fare supplemented by a large specials blackboard which changes fortnightly. The pub does a roaring trade in fish and chips, burgers, eggplant or chicken parma and an excellent porterhouse steak, while the blackboard specials allow the kitchen to get a little more experimental. Standout dishes include the chicken Kiev stuffed with porcini mushrooms, sage and macadamias and pepper-crusted kangaroo fillets on bacon and chive potato mash with broccoli and port wine sauce. There are eight beers on tap as well as many locals and imports by the bottle and an outstanding, always evolving, wine list of more than 100 wines by the bottle and a good choice by the glass. Be prepared to wait for meals on busy nights as this is a crowd favourite for those looking to catch some live music or indulge in trivia Tuesdays. As a comfortable local pub with good food and a congenial atmosphere, this place still sets the standard.

Angela Costanzo