Melbourne Patron

The Imperial Hotel, corner of Bourke and Spring Streets, Melbourne Touted on its website as Melbourne's third-oldest pub, there's no doubting that the Bourke Street Imperial Hotel  (2-8 Bourke Street, Melbourne) is old-school. Established in 1858 and boasting red cedar doors of the same age, "the Impy" is one of those comfy drinking holes you tend to forget about, even though you pass it on the tram every day. It's on the corner of Bourke and Spring Streets, right on the 86/96 tram line, and a hop-skip-jump from Parliament Station. Red cedar doors dating back to 1858 I'd been to the Imperial a few times before. It's an easy meeting point considering its proximity to PT, and a safe haven from the unpredictable Melbourne rain when all you feel like is a drink on the way home. I've watched footy there, sipped wine at their footpath tables when I couldn't get into City Wine Shop , seen comedy upstairs, and even been through a break-up the...

I've only ever been to The European  (161 Spring Street, Melbourne) for brunch, but apparently it also does quite a swanky dinner. It's a favourite of my family's for brunch when they come to visit me in Melbourne. I find it slightly austere, but classy. Its heritage and location (opposite Melbourne's Parliament House) pull it a notch above other places, and the food is on the traditional side, but wonderful. Last weekend, one of my (originally) Sydney friends was visiting, and, being early January, not much was open. So we decided to class it up (opposite of 'slum it', anyone??) and head to The European for a late breakfast. We nabbed a table outside - far more pleasant than being inside on a beautiful summer's day, although the inside is attractive both aesthetically and temperature-wise in winter. Our waitress was somewhat glum-looking, but polite and efficient. Coffees were delivered quickly, but the food was slow. It didn't matter a great deal a...