The Best Pubs in Preston
Preston’s pub scene is a living contradiction. It’s got old-school neighbourhood pubs that have been serving schooners since before the word “craft beer” entered the Australian vocabulary, sitting alongside new-wave venues that serve pet-nats and vegan cocktails in spaces decorated with taxidermy and political statements. The result is a pub landscape that covers more ground than you’d expect from a suburb this size.
Whether you want a $7 pot in a room that hasn’t changed since 1985, a locally brewed pale ale in an industrial warehouse, or a schooner with a parma in a proper Aussie bistro, Preston has you sorted.
The Olympic Hotel — Bell Street
Best for: Classic Aussie pub experience with bistro and cold schooners
The Olympic Hotel is Preston’s most traditional pub. Located on Bell Street in the heart of the suburb, it’s been feeding and watering locals for decades, and it does the basics exceptionally well. The bistro serves classic pub fare — parma, steak, fish and chips, schnitzel — at prices that won’t make you wince. A chicken parma runs around $18-22, which is genuinely competitive in 2026 Melbourne.
The beer garden is generous, the schooners are cold, and the atmosphere is exactly what you want from a neighbourhood pub: no music so loud you can’t talk, and a genuine mix of locals ranging from young families to retirees.
Tallboy & Moose — 270 Raglan Street
Best for: Craft beer enthusiasts and anyone who wants to see beer being made
Tallboy & Moose sits on the Preston-Thornbury border and has become one of Melbourne’s best microbrewery experiences. Opened in 2016 by “Tall Dan” and “Canadian Steve,” the industrial-style venue has its beer vats proudly on display — you can literally watch your beer being brewed while you drink it.
The beer list is extensive and diverse: stouts, ales, sours, pilsners, pale ales, lagers, and seltzers. The food comes from Wee Man’s Kitchen, a resident kitchen serving pub grub with a Scottish twist — homemade haggis, black pudding, solid burgers, and chips.
Both indoor and outdoor seating. Family-friendly during the day, more adult crowd in the evenings.
The Raccoon Club — 145 Plenty Road
Best for: Grungy, offbeat vibes and board games with your beer
The Raccoon Club defies easy categorisation. A red door at 145 Plenty Road leads into a long, narrow venue filled with people playing pool and board games while taxidermy raccoons watch from above the bar. Walls covered in political statements, nude drawings, CDs, records, and VHS tapes. Well-priced drinks and no kitchen — you’re welcome to get food delivered.
The kind of pub you bring out-of-town friends to because it’s impossible to describe without seeing it.
The Keys — Murray Road
Best for: Groups, activities, and drinking with something to do
The Keys is what happens when someone builds a pub that’s also an entertainment centre. 12 bowling lanes, a gaming arcade, a dance floor, 45 beer taps, kegged cocktails, and a beer garden that holds hundreds. Designed for groups, celebrations, and anyone who gets bored sitting still.
The beer selection is one of the largest in Preston’s north — 45 taps covering mainstream lagers to local craft. Food does pub classics: pizzas, burgers, loaded fries. Book ahead for bowling on Friday and Saturday nights.
Surly’s Bar and Garden — High Street
Best for: Local brews, pet-nats, and a pub atmosphere with a craft beer soul
Surly’s opened in December 2019, closed three months later due to the pandemic, and somehow emerged stronger. The mismatched furniture (sourced through Facebook Marketplace) and the 1930s-40s aesthetic give it genuine character. Ultra-local ales, pet-nats, and vegan cocktails. No kitchen, but local restaurants deliver.
Oliva Social — 102-104 High Street
Best for: Pub-style socialising with cocktail-bar quality drinks
Oliva Social straddles the line between neighbourhood pub and cocktail bar. High ceilings, polished concrete floors, front courtyard with fairy lights. The Chinotto Connection is their signature cocktail. Food covers pizzas, tapas, and grazing platters.
Benzina Cantina — High Street
Best for: Mexican-inspired pub vibes with tacos and margaritas
Not a pub in the traditional sense, but serves the same community function. Neon-lit space with cactus-lined interiors, a spacious dining hall, and a rooftop bar. The tacos are loaded with pork belly, spiced chicken, or mixed veg. The margaritas are properly made. The rooftop on a warm evening is one of the best outdoor drinking spots in Preston.
Hardout Bar — Plenty Road
Best for: Vinyl DJs, local brews, and a “mate’s living room” atmosphere
The drink selections lean Victorian: local craft beers, regional wines, and pet-nats. Vinyl DJs spin on weekends covering everything from soul to hip-hop. A bar that functions as a pub — a neighbourhood gathering spot where regulars hold court and newcomers are welcomed.
Getting Home Safe
Preston’s pubs are well-connected by public transport. The 86 tram runs along Plenty Road, and the Mernda line stops at Preston station, Bell station, and Regent station. Rideshare availability is good along High Street, Plenty Road, and Bell Street.
FAQ
What’s the best pub for a parma in Preston? The Olympic Hotel on Bell Street. Classic bistro, $18-22 for a chicken parma, cold schooners.
Is there a brewery in Preston? Tallboy & Moose at 270 Raglan Street is a proper microbrewery where you can watch the beer being made.
Which Preston pub is best for groups? The Keys on Murray Road — 45 beer taps, bowling lanes, arcade games, and a massive beer garden.
The Verdict
Preston’s pub scene covers genuine range — from the Olympic Hotel’s old-school bistro tradition to Tallboy & Moose’s craft brewery innovation to the Raccoon Club’s grungy charm. Eight solid pubs within walking distance of each other across High Street, Plenty Road, Murray Road, and Bell Street. You could spend a month of weekends here without repeating a venue.
More Preston drinking guides:
- Best Bars in Preston — the cocktail and wine bar scene
- Pubs in Thornbury — 10 min walk south
- Pubs in Northcote — 20 min walk
Explore More of Preston
- Preston History
- Preston Things To Do This Weekend
- Preston Cheap Eats
- Preston Rent Guide
- Preston Date Night Guide
- Preston New Openings
- Preston Things To Do
- Preston Cost of Living
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