Correction (9 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources on 5 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
This page answers one question: where can you keep a night going in Northcote once the dinner booking is over? It covers six places, all in Northcote, five on High Street and one on Charles Street. It leans on late hours and leaves live-music nights to other pages.
Every place was checked against two independent sources. Hours are given only where a named listing prints them, and we say whose listing it is. Where we could not find a cover charge, a door policy or a price, we say that instead of guessing.
Read it like a run sheet: pick your first stop, pick your last, and sort the trip home before you order the second round.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late bar with food | Joe’s Shoe Store | see below | not printed here |
| Snug and courtyard drinks | Buck Mulligan’s | see below | not printed here |
| Late-ish drinks and small plates | Goodwater | fried polenta, pecan muhammara | $15 |
| Cocktails after dinner | Kitty Somerset | see below | not printed here |
| Last stop, latest hours | Albion Charles Hotel | see below | not printed here |
| Happy hour then a late finish | Francesca’s Bar | Selected Cocktails (happy hour every day 5-7pm) | $15 |
Joe’s Shoe Store — 233 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Start here if you want a bar that says it stays open. Its own site lists hours as Monday to Sunday, from 4 until late, and describes the place as “Bar. Food. Open Late.” AGFG confirms the High Street address. We could not find a published menu or prices, so check before you plan a meal around it.
The run sheet: Make this your early stop, since the site lists it from the afternoon, then move on once you know where you are finishing.
Buck Mulligan’s — 217 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
This is the one with a snug and a courtyard. Its site lists Tuesday to Friday from 4 until late, and Saturday and Sunday from 2 until late. The same site calls the snug “perfect for whiskey tastings and book groups” and the courtyard “a lovely leafy spot to while away the afternoon”. We could not find prices; the menus on its site are PDFs.
Cover / last entry / ID: We could not find a published cover charge, last-entry time or door policy, so carry photo ID and ask at the door.
Goodwater — 300 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Goodwater’s site lists Wednesday and Thursday from five to eleven at night, Friday from five until late and Saturday from three until late. The Sunday opening time is missing from the printed hours, so check it before you count on Sunday. The site also says you can book the whole courtyard. Its food menu prints fried polenta, pecan muhammara at $15, which gives you a snack to anchor the first round.
On the menu (copied from goodwater.melbourne/Food.pdf on 5 October 2026):
- fried polenta, pecan muhammara: $15
- white anchovies, guindilla peppers: $18
- sumac lamb belly skewers, cowboy butter: $21
- beef tartare, black olive, yolk, crisps: $25
The strip: Goodwater sits at the three-hundred end of High Street, so slot it between an earlier stop and a later one rather than treating it as the finish.
Kitty Somerset — 565 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Kitty Somerset’s site says it is open from 5 each evening, 7 days a week, and describes itself with “Cocktails and good times.” The closing times come from the AGFG listing, which gives Sunday to Thursday 5 to 1, and Friday and Saturday 5 to 3. We could not find a menu or prices.
Get home: If you are leaving near closing on a Friday or Saturday, book your ride or check your public transport before the last round, and never drive after drinking.
Albion Charles Hotel — 2 Charles Street, Northcote VIC 3070
This is your latest listing on the page. The hotel’s own site prints general opening hours of every day, 10:00 until 4:00. It also calls itself “your local pub and sports bar”. It sits on Charles Street rather than the main strip. We could not find a menu or prices, so treat it as the late finish, not a planned meal.
Your night if: You want a final stop that the site lists as open until the early hours, make it this one, and have your trip home sorted before you walk in.
Francesca’s Bar — 222-224 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Francesca’s site lists Sunday to Thursday from 5 until 1, and Friday and Saturday from 5 until 3. It prints that happy hour is every day, 5 to 7, with Selected Cocktails at $15, Selected Pints at $10 and House Wines at $6. It also points to a monthly gig guide, so check that page for what is on. Outdoor areas are described as pet friendly for on-lead animals.
On the menu (copied from francescasbar.com.au/contact on 5 October 2026):
- Selected Cocktails (happy hour every day 5-7pm): $15
- Selected Pints (happy hour every day 5-7pm): $10
- House Wines (happy hour every day 5-7pm): $6
The run sheet: Land here for the early happy-hour window, then decide whether this is your finish or your launch pad for the next stop.
Quick answers
Which Northcote bars are open the latest?
On the listings we checked, the Albion Charles Hotel prints the latest hours: every day, 10:00 until 4:00, on its own site. Francesca’s Bar lists a 3 close on Friday and Saturday, and AGFG gives Kitty Somerset the same Friday and Saturday close.
Where is there a happy hour in Northcote?
Francesca’s Bar prints on its own site that happy hour is every day, 5 to 7. Selected Cocktails are $15 there.
Can you eat late at a Northcote bar?
Joe’s Shoe Store describes itself on its site as “Bar. Food. Open Late.” Goodwater’s food menu prints fried polenta, pecan muhammara at $15. We could not find menu prices for the other places on this page, so check with them first.
Can you book a courtyard for a group night out in Northcote?
Goodwater’s site says you can book the whole courtyard. Buck Mulligan’s site describes its courtyard as a lovely leafy spot and its snug as suited to whiskey tastings and book groups, but we could not find a published booking policy there, so ask directly.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 5 October 2026: the Australian Good Food Guide, the places’ own websites and OpenStreetMap. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 5 October 2026. Menus, prices and opening hours change, so check with the venue before you go. The cover photo is illustrative, from Unsplash, and does not show any place on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Joe’s Shoe Store: agfg.com.au/joes-shoe-store-81109, joesshoestore.com.au
- Buck Mulligan’s: openstreetmap.org/12240741519, agfg.com.au/buck-mulligans-bar-bookshop-62927, buckmulligans.com.au
- Goodwater: openstreetmap.org/12032082712, agfg.com.au/goodwater-139448, goodwater.melbourne, goodwater.melbourne/Food.pdf
- Kitty Somerset: openstreetmap.org/617504741, agfg.com.au/kitty-somerset-37817, kittysomerset.com.au
- Albion Charles Hotel: openstreetmap.org/54455658, agfg.com.au/albion-charles-hotel-82208, albioncharles.com.au/contact, albioncharles.com.au
- Francesca’s Bar: openstreetmap.org/6876562380, agfg.com.au/francescas-bar-82927, francescasbar.com.au/contact, francescasbar.com.au, francescasbar.com.au/functions
