Punters Club
Millennials and Gen Zs might lament the loss of Kewpie, but Gen X music lovers will rejoice in seeing this old boozer return to Brunswick Street.
Overview
Kewpie (formerly Bimbo) officially closed its doors for good in 2024, with locals sadly bidding farewell to the site's legendary cheap pizzas and late-night parties.
Fortunately, the site wasn't empty for long, as a new group of owners moved in to quickly gut the space and transform it back into the Punters Club — a pub and live music venue that previously occupied the building throughout the 90s.
The new Punters Club isn't an exact replica, but more of an homage. Local musicians will once again take centre stage here, with a stacked lineup of DJs and bands always on the cards.
Food, on the other hand, is a significantly more elevated and playful affair. Head Chef Dylan Marshall is running the kitchen here, plating up classic pub fare with an Aussie twist.
Get your tuna tartare served with a bag of Smith's Salt & Vinegar Chips, kangaroo schnittys with mashed potatoes and pepper sauce and a fillet of fish with brown butter and capers. South Melbourne market dim sims even make an appearance on the menu alongside a Lune croissant bread and butter pudding served with Pidapipo pistachio gelato. It doesn't get more local than that.
Pair this all with tap wines (sold by the glass or in half-litre carafes), the venue's own draught beer, a selection of local and international brews, and classic cocktails.
The team behind the bar says the renovation was a "labour of love," sourcing artwork, a pool table, vintage lighting, dart boards, an old-school jukebox and memorabilia from all over Melbourne to start a new era for the legendary venue.
Let's just wait and see if it lives up to its former glory.
Information
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