Victoria On Hyde

With a fabulous new facelift, and a new chef on board, I was super keen to check out the new look Victoria Hotel in Yarraville. Whilst it doesn't look much from the outside, this fabulous pub is testament to the old adage 'don't judge a book by its cover '. It's surpringly really spacious inside, with several different zones, all designed around a central bar. The huge dining room is beautifully decorated, and has an elegant but relaxed vibe, with comfortable furniture. Adjacent to this is a fabulous kid's play area, with everything necessary to keep the kids happy so that Mum and Dad can have some down time. They even have children's entertainment on the weekend, and a good menu aimed at the little ones. Two large reception rooms are available for hire, whether it be parties, weddings or seminars. These two are decorated beautifully, and the floor lenth mirrors and ceiling details are gorgeous. The front area is a more relaxed area, with a lounge area to one side, and rows of tall tables with stools on the other. Several tvs are set up to view major sporting events, so in essence, The Victoria Hotel has something for everyone.

We decided to test out the bar, and we sampled some lovely wines, beer, an Aperol Spritz and Espresso Martini. All the drinks were fabulous, and the bar is well stocked with a good cocktail list.

By this stage, our entrees arrived and we were pleased with the efficiency of the kitchen. We tried the divine arancini, calamari and mini bread loaf. The arancini were really good. Nice and crispy and perfectly seasoned, with a really delicious sauce served with them. The calamari was really tender, and the aioli was also excellent. The coating was nice and thin, so you didn't lose the flavour of the squid. The bread loaf was amazing. Served warm, this fabulous loaf was perfect for dipping in the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and I could have eaten the lot if I wasn't trying to avoid carbs.

The standard of food at this hotel really is top notch. It has the usual suspects, but they are cooked impeccably, as we were about to discover with the mains. The steak was still juicy and pink, with that delicious charred edge. It came with the most delicious jus and a fabulous mushroom sauce, and an ample serving of chips and salad. Not your standard pub steak, this really is up there with some of the best restaurants in town.

The salmon was so full of flavour and the crispy, salty skin was amazing. Mashed potato was creamy, the greens were still tender and the sauce was divine.

Although we were edging towards full, we had to sample the desserts. A panacotta served in a glass was topped with berries and coulis, and was creamy and delicious. The chocolate brownie came served warm with ice-cream, chocolate soil and berries. This was heaven on a plate, with just the right amount of fudginess. The rich, chocolate flavour wasn't too sweet, and the berries were lovely and sharp.

Throughout our whole dinner, the staff were attentive and delightful. It's clear that they are passionate about the new look hotel, and hospitality is their number one goal. With it's recent overhaul, the Victoria Hotel has really stepped up it's game. The relaxed and friendly vibe makes it a great venue for families, couples, large groups and everyone in between. The staff have worked really hard to make it a welcoming place to visit, and we will return again soon.

Absolutely love this place. The staff are very helpful and friendly. Food is amazing. If you are looking for a great family restaurant in Melbourne, this place is unbeatable. The head chef, Felipe even came to our table to check if everything was okay. Definitely a 5 star rating.

You might know this place as the Vic on Hyde or the Hyde Street Hotel - around since the 1800s it's now under new management and has reopened as the refurbished Victorian Hotel, with a fresh modern fit out and an updated menu.
The hotel has 3 distinct areas plus a dedicated function space – although smaller functions are welcomed in all of the other areas.

The open and airy Bistro seats up to 140 guests with a blonde wood fit out, intimate booths, tables for groups and a semi partitioned area for more private dining. Adjacent is a fantastic kids area with it’s own bar, dining tables for families, play equipment and a screen for entertainment. They’re expecting a delivery of new furniture in the near future which will make this an even more enticing for guests with kiddies.

The new menu really has something for everyone – with wine on tap, craft beers, cocktails, mocktails and and full selection of spirits, plus coffee, tea and softies. 

The food menu is comprehensive with a good list of pizzas (in two sizes, starting at $13), steaks (all served with chips & salad), & pub classics (parmas, burgers, fish and chips and bangers and mash to name a few). Plus a list of mains such as goats cheese soufflés with seasonal veg and Couscous, crispy salmon with asparagus & broad beans, or seafood paella. They’ve helpfully suggested wine pairing with many of these dishes. There’s also a kids menu (kids eat free on Monday!), a seniors menu (from $8), and a couple of basic desserts.

What we had...
#Herb crusted Hervey Bay Scallops, aioli, cauliflower puree and lemon |  delicate and tender scallops in a lovely creamy sauce with a delightful golden crunchy crust on the top.
#Camarones Al Ajillo – prawns, chilli and garlic served with Turkish bread. | A generous serving of perfectly cooked, tender prawns surrounded by a delicious garlicy broth. We loved the slices of garlic which gave it a real kick of garlic, and the fluffy fresh turkish bread was just perfect to soak up all that sauce. Garlic and prawns – what could be better than that?! 
#Chicken Parma – house made chicken parma, beer battered chips & garden salad | the huge parma was really tender and juicy with a delicate ham and even though it was completely covered in golden cheese it wasn’t too rich to eat. We enjoy the thick cut beer battered chips, well cooked with a great crunchy texture. 
#Eye Fillet Surf and Turf  – this obviously isn’t a cheap dish but it features a 250g grass fed eye fillet cooked how you like it, plus prawns in a white wine bisque and your choice of sauce. It comes with crunchy thick cut chips and a garden
#Sticky Date Pudding – light, moist spongy pudding with a good date flavour – served hot with vanilla ice cream. Pro tip – it’s lovely and absorbent, order extra sauce!

Final Thoughts….

Located in an accessible spot on the main strip of Hyde Street with parking out the back, the Victorian has a welcoming feel, loads of space and a well executed, modern menu. They feature specials & happy hour on week nights, locals night on Monday, trivia on Thursdays and a Sunday roast every week. The staff are friendly and welcoming and the chef is happy to cater for all dietaries. If you’re Northside it’s definitely worth popping in.

Well deserved rating! My first time trying the charcoal burger bun and it was beautiful. Soft bun with crunchy falafel and kale and creamy hummus. What’s not to like! Husband had the chicken and mushroom alfredo and he liked that as well! The service was at par too. Overall a great experience.

I have eaten here many many times since it opened and it is always amazing food, drinks and staff. Steak night is fantastic and is always good quality food served wonderfully everytime. The staff are so attentive and always there to help. There is a great kids space with activities and video games. Patrick and Kevin are always very attentive to our needs.

This was our first time back since it has changed owners and we were very impressed! Good changes made to the kids area to make it more entertaining, nice steak on $20 steak night and the kids sliders were very popular. Lovely staff who were very attentive and the food came quickly. We will be back!