Prahran Hotel

Overview

The Prahran Hotel has been around for a while. It's one of those places where a pot of Carlton and a chicken parma is the order of the day. Recently the boys over at Sand Hill Road have made a few changes — dramatic to say the least — and turned the interior into something quite special. At the end of the day, it's still a public bar with a pub food menu, but your surroundings are a little different than before.

Sand Hill Road, the team behind the renovations at The Bridge Hotel and The Richmond Club Hotel are known for taking something good and making it great. With the Prahran Hotel, they took some of the original design elements and ran with them. Circular motifs and the porthole were behind the inspiration for the wall of concrete pipes, which now act as booths for people to sit and drink in. Indoor plants, green and white tables and natural light make for an interesting indoor setting and the public bar — where AFL matches are played on the big screen and Carlton Draught is on everyone's lips — is still going strong.

Once you've experienced the makeover, you'll find that the food and drink offering stay true to a good pub. You might share a few nibbles with friends like the duo of dips with warm Turkish pide ($12), the spicy lamb fetta meatballs with grilled bread ($15) or the tempura soft shell crab with nam jim ($18).  For something on the larger side, pub classics see the beef burger with egg, bacon, tomato, onion, cheese, lettuce and tomato relish served with beer battered chips ($19), the steak sandwich with bacon, cheese and caramelised onion ($20) and the chicken parmagiana with beer battered chips ($21). There are fish and chips ($26) and linguini with prawns, scallops, olives, basil and chilli ($26) for the seafood lovers amongst us, and an eggplant parma with roasted capsicum, beer battered chips and salad ($19) for the vegetarians.

When it comes to a good pub, the beer is important. On tap, Carlton Draught, Bohemian Pilsner and Stone & Wood Pacific Ale are pouring, as well as Bulmers for cider drinkers. Bottled beers include Peroni ($8.50), Brooklyn Lager ($9.50) and Mountain Goat IPA ($8.50). Those drinking wine can sip a Louis Perdrier Brut ($9), a Pizzini Pinot Grigio from King Valley ($8.50) or, for something red, try the Paringa Estate''PE' Pinot Noir from the Mornington Peninsula ($65 a bottle).

Go for the renovations, stay for the food and drink and make sure you come back for Karma Kegs — a Friday tradition that sees punters pay what they want for a donated keg of Carlton Draught. All proceeds go towards a charity of the Sand Hill boy's choice. Cheers to that.