Abbotsford's Carringbush Hotel Has Relaunched with an Entirely Meat-Free Menu

It has been 130 years since the site on the corner of Langridge Road and Raphael Street first started pouring beers; however the Abbotsford watering hole has just undergone a significant makeover. Visitors to The Carringbush Hotel will find a new team at the helm and a new menu tempting tastebuds. Plenty of brews remain, obviously, but the food lineup is now completely vegan and vegetarian.

Now owned and run by Joel Morrison, Liam Matthews and Singa Unlayiti — aka the folks behind Fitzroy's Old Bar — The Carringbush has ditched meat in favour haloumi and mushroom burgers, beer battered cauliflower pieces, sweet potato steaks and vegetable charcuterie plates, plus maple teriyaki tofu, forest cake and mango coconut tart. They're all on the menu cooked up by head chef Roxanne Olsen, a veteran of The Grand Hyatt, The Corner Hotel and Stomping Ground.

To keep with the sustainable focus, meals are served up on ethical plates and drinks come with eco-friendly reusable metal straws. The eco-friendly bent extends to the beverages themselves, with all wine on tap and no packaged beer on offer. Brew-wise, more than 21 beers pump through the taps, including tipples from the aforementioned Stomping Ground, plus Fixation, Mountain Goat and Moon Dog.

"We are working hard to be a pub that enjoys the benefit of delicious food and drink, without costing the earth," explains Matthews. "Our food and drink range has been carefully selected to meet a high-quality standard, that also works to support small and independent local business whilst minimising our global footprint."

An $8 pint happy hour from 4–6pm daily, plus a free pot with lunch special between 11am–2pm on weekdays, will each help entice patrons through the door — and once they're there, brick walls, natural lighting, clear windows looking onto Abbotsford's plant-filled streets and indoor greenery from Red Letter Landscapes all await.

And for those keen on a bit of history, The Carringbush's original name — The Friendly Societies Hotel — is still emblazoned on its facade. The spot has been known by its current moniker since 1984, with the title stemming from Frank Hardy novel Power Without Glory.

Find The Carringbush Hotel at 228 Langridge Street, Abbotsford — open Sunday–Thursday from 11am–11pm and Friday–Saturday from 11am–midnight.

Images: Emma-Jane Johnston / VFM Photos.