Coopers Arms Hotel
Editorial
Unlike some of the more ghastly pub renovations of late, the Cooper's Arms strikes a workable balance of a clean modern finish without losing the traditional pub atmosphere.
Avoid looking at the large plasma screens in the main bar as you walk in. Grab a drink and make your way upstairs to the new bistro or the large outside deck and bar overlooking King Street in Newtown. For those not au fait with the Emerald City, Newtown is about as Melbourne as Sydney gets - with a local shopping strip mash-up of high and low-end bars, cafes, galleries and shops along King Street (don't let its dual status as Princes Highway turn you off).
The drinks menu includes wines that really are at pub prices (putting most neo-retro pubs to shame), while the bistro menu features generous-sized meals from the traditional rump steak or grilled barramundi, through to enormous mezze plates and more unusual pub grub such as the seven-spiced soft shell grab on crispy noodle salad.
The upstairs deck is definitely the best spot to grab, with street views and cover for wet weather. The Cooper's Arms is a reliable family venue, where kids are welcome, and there is enough space to not feel you've been designed right out of your corner pub.
Din Heagney, March 2010
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