Some days you just have to follow the sunshine, get off the beaten track and see where you land…read more Hopefully you find yourself here at The Daylesford Cidery's The Tavern. What started off as "we'll stop for 1 drink and then go climb a mountain' turned into a lazy 3hr Sunday session. Which only ended because we really had to get home. The staff here are amazingly friendly and helpful. They really know their cider and have a delicious range of locally sourced produce available. Start off with a tasting before you buy a bottle or two. With four distinct varieties it's best to try before you buy. The Tavern area itself is a quaint barn/church hall style building. Big comfy couches, warming rugs and a lot of blue stone. The outdoor area has half a dozen tables and a pizza oven. As well as two very friendly dogs. We'll be back again in winter to sit by the wood fire and drink our cares away.

Perfect spot for a chilled out cider by the fire. Met the new owners, British Claire and her Aussie…read moreboyfriend Macky who makes the cider. The surrounds remind me of many English pubs I've visited in the Cotswolds. Claire served us simple but fresh, tasty and local soups she made (spiced pumpkin and chicken&leek), coupled with handmade soughdough bread. Macky built us a fire and chatted about the 18 different varieties of apples used in the 4 different ciders they produce on site. Just brilliant - go!!!

This is one of those really charming country pubs. Okay, I wouldn't expect anything all that fancy…read morehere, just your standard Australian beers, so don't expect any of the craft beers you would find in the city. However, there is a charm about this place that I really liked. Sure, it is one of those pubs that has its residents, yet it was quiet enough that I could sit out the back in a really comfy chair and read a book. Well, okay, I was greeted by the dog, which I guess is why I really loved the pub, because a pub with an animal is simply awesome. And the dog is heaps friendly as well (which I suspect is because it is used to a lot of strangers wandering through).

I'm a huge fan of this pub. And I do not say that often…read more The food menu really had me at hello and pushed the Bridge to be my top choice pub in Castlemaine. The food was so good in fact, that we came nearly every week for the time we stayed in Castlemaine. There's options for vegetarians as well, it's not your traditional pub food fare. I really liked the feel of the place. It feels familiar and welcoming, vibrant and chill all at the same time. The staff here make you feel at home. It's bustling with locals, there's heaps of live music. And there's a vibin' beer garden back patio. The Bridge Hotel is located right across from the Castlemaine botanic gardens. Just a stone's throw away from the station but away enough from anything that it seems to stand alone. Can't wait to venture back for Mondays in Mexico!

Good food with live music and pleasant casual ambience. Frequented by local community which is…read morealways a good sign.

This is basically my favourite local pub, especially since the other local pubs really don't have…read moreany decent beers available, on tap or in the fridge. However, this one isn't just a craft beer bar, but it also brews their own beers as well, and their beers are honestly pretty awesome. They also have a decent beer garden, but unfortunately it isn't covered, meaning that you can't really sit in it when it is raining. However, I have to say that I certainly love this place.

It may be in the middle of nowhere, but it's a bloody good pub!…read more Radio Springs is the most fantastic and weird mix of a tiny little local, constantly buzzing with the inhabitants of Lyonville, and quite a fancy restaurant, offering some pretty delicious (though not super cheap) dinner options. I had the steak with garlic sauce which was pretty damn drool worthy. The chips & vegies on the side were great too. Radio Springs is a little bit like visiting someone's house- you can sit on the open verandah area and have a beer if the weather is nice, feast on dinner around the fireplace with a live band in the background if that's what suits, or head around to the red room at the back, where you'll feel transported to a different era in the rather elegant and dimly lit dining room. This one is worth a visit for the overall experience. Don't expect a regular restaurant as this place is in a world of it's own, but I'm not complaining!

Between Dalysford and Trentham in what can be called inner rural Victoria, or more to the point a…read moretown called Lyonville, places like the Radio Springs are a bit of an oasis. the place had a wonderful eclecticism going on, and when you walk into the rather small space we found the walls held up be several musicians playing very laid back tunes together. The music is ragtime and 1940s things and the bartender is nowhere to be seen. It's only when the song had finished and one of hem stands up and walks round the other side of the counter that it sinks in. This is pub full if the most intimate of locals, locals from all around. There are actual hotel facilities (unlike several places in Melbourne called a Hotel, which are in fact only a pub). From what I heard they're reasonable rooms and in nice surroundings when the sun's up.

This is an awesome pub located in the bushland surrounding Bendigo. Mind you, if you are reliant on…read morepublic transport, as I happen to be, then it really isn't the easiest of pubs to get to, but it still certainly does have a lot of charm. It fact it ws really worth the hike that I made to get here, namely because when I arrived I was literally blown away as to how awesome the pub was. It really does have a true bush feel about it, and in fact it has a real historical charm to it as well, namely because it is one of those old style wooden pubs. Oh, and the beer selection is amazing, though unfortunately they really don't have anything on tap. Still, it is definitely a pub worth checking out.

Excellent food, good table service, friendly but professional staff, lovely atmosphere and local…read morewines, this is also a great place to enjoy a drink in the bar.

Hands down the best pub in Castlemaine area (worth the short drive or gorgeous bush walk from…read moretown). Great ingredients, top noch chef, awesome front of house Scottish hospitality. The locals in Chewton are a tough bunch to please and they're happy! Front bar has classy grub and some hearty AF classics like the pub chips - with gravy & cheese! Treat yo self.

This place looks so inviting and quaint from the outside but inside it's totally different. The…read morelocals stopped and stared as soon as we walked in, mind you, we only live 5 minutes away from here. And it's as though the barman was going out of his way to NOT serve us, serving everyone around us. Oh no! Outsiders? A female? People with tattoos? I don't know, but it was strange. Finally he decided to take our orders but the whole process was confusing. Do we order food from the bar or from around the corner? And there were a couple of different menus for different sized meals. Once we made our order we decided to sit in the beer garden away from everyone glaring at us. We waited ages for our food to come while people who'd arrived after us received their meals - and it certainly wasn't busy. We overheard 2 different tables of people complaining that they'd received the wrong meals. When the food finally came out it was pretty average. I mean, you kind of expect them to step up their game if you're going to wait forever for it but it definitely wasn't worth the wait. After we had finished our meal a waitress actually brought out our meals AGAIN. Somebody in the kitchen was obviously very confused and unorganised. I wouldn't recommend stopping for this pub but if you're in Chewton for some reason maybe just stand out the front for a quick drink and move along.

If you're looking for a good pub meal and a beer, this is your place. We stopped here after…read morevisiting a few wineries and were a bit famished. Two pints and two pizzas ordered and we chose a table outside on the lawn. The bartender was funny and friendly. The hot and spicy pizza was delish, plenty of jalapeños. It's a nice casual stop for lunch or dinner.

Fantastic food, and very good prices considering the quality!!! Their service is more than…read morefantastic. The interior is very cozy and country like.

Best secret ever…read more Great place on cold winters night, awesome place to entertain. Atmosphere perfectly homely yet fancy yet totally relaxed. Oh also has great food to boot. Pull over and have a great meal..bettered only if you have excellent company