This aptly-named Brunswick local is a step back in time — a time where pubs had character, live music was free, and every chair was vinyl. Still standing after 150 years, The Retreat is the first point of call for the Brunswick faithful, and a worthwhile trip for outsiders. The menu is a strange (but totally great) mixture of regular pub grub and mexican food, the drinks flow freely till 1am, and the beergarden, with its beautiful overhanging tree and constant buzz of laughter and conversation, might just be the best in Melbourne.