Overview
Good news, North Melbourne locals, the old Courthouse Hotel is back, and it's been lovingly restored by four hospo pros who actually know what they're doing.
You'd be forgiven for forgetting about The Courthouse. It was a popular pub in the early 2000s, with celebrated chefs like Zoe Birch and Stephen Burke running the restaurant pass. But popularity kind of waned over the years, and COVID put the final nail in the venue's coffin.
But now, the Courthouse is officially back, having quietly reopened earlier in May. The new team are the same minds behind Parkville's Naughtons Hotel: Ryan Moses and Rusty Sturrock, along with Ryan and Laura Berry. And we have to say, these guys have really nailed the refurbishment. The Courthouse hasn't been gutted, just lovingly restored, bringing the venue up to modern gastro pub standards.
Architect Alana Cooke and Blueprint Commercial handled the refurb, and they've managed to keep the old wooden panelling — stripped and sanded by hand — the floorboards, and the classic art deco features. The result is North Melbourne's hottest new pub, and it's fair to say locals are stoked.
"Some of us remember eating at The Courthouse in the mid-noughties when it was serving some of the best gastropub fare in Melbourne," says Moses, who just signed a whopping 30-year lease.
"We hope to recapture some of the essence of what made it special. Apart from the fond memories, we have fallen in love with the character and charm of the place, and Alana has gone to great lengths to preserve this in the refurbishment."
So what about the food? Well, Rusty Sturrock has designed the menu, and he cut his teeth in some of London's finest gastro pubs, so expect UK classics with a Euro-Australian twist: Lancashire hotpot with lamb shoulder and Brussels sprouts, whole-roasted leatherjacket, Coq au Vin, kangaroo carpaccio and an excellent crowd-pleasing wiener schnitzel with chips.
The guys have even installed an old-school hand pump behind the bar, which will be pouring English-style ale from Two Metre Tall and Love Shack. Aussie beer fans, don't worry, they've also got Hop Nation and CBCo brews on tap.
The cherry on top? The crusty old rooms upstairs have been transformed into two boutique hotel rooms, so you can now stay overnight at The Courthouse. Prices start at $325 per night.
You can find The Courthouse at 86-90 Errol St in North Melbourne, open seven days a week from 12pm. If in doubt, just follow the crowd of hungry punters.
Images: Supplied