Is there anything better than a Sunday session in a great beer garden? Beer, sun, a few mates and a relaxed atmosphere - sounds pretty good to me.
And if you're hunting for a good beer garden, the
Courthouse Hotel in Newtown has a popular and usually packed outdoor area. There's certainly plenty of pubs to choose from in the Newtown area, but the Courty is without doubt one of the best.
The beer garden can can pretty packed on sunny weekends, so be prepared to battle hordes of hipsters to find your own little spot in the garden - but the battle for a seat is well worth it.
Inside, the decor is proudly old-school and nothing flash - even the Courthouse's
website says the decor can best be described as "affectionately lived in". The assorted pieces of AFL artwork that line the walls give lie to the fact that this is a good place to watch any Aussie Rules games during the footy season.
The menu boasts plenty of pub grub favourites, including a decent chicken parmigiana and the famous Courty burger. The nachos are also worth trying - the serving size is huge and you could probably share the plate between two people.
There's a decent range of beers on tap, jugs of cider seem to sell pretty quickly, and $3 local schooners from 5pm-7:30pm on Tight-arse Tuesdays are always a drawcard.
There's a range of other activities held on other weeknights (anyone for crab racing?), or you can simply crank up the jukebox or maybe enjoy a few games of pool.
But the beer garden is where it's at, and it's where you'll spend most of your time at the Courthouse. For more information, visit the Courthouse Hotel's
website.