You won't find pokies or business suits here. This is an old fashioned pub, and all the better for it.
Standard by name but not by nature, this place doesn't subscribe to mediocrity when it comes to the duties behind precious, hallowed pub life. Far from being an average, run-of-the-mill Fitzroy local, the Standard raises the bar in terms of service, food and vibe.
Physically, it sports an unpretentious colonial feel and an enormous, renovated beer garden, punctuated with lush green foliage, a fish pond and a bubbling water feature. The beer garden wraps around the back of the pub, lit with coloured bulbs and is often filled to the brim with chatting clusters of 20, 30 and 40-somethings. This area also has a retractable roof, so drinkers can enjoy the sky setting or some coverage, depending on how the weather behaves.
Those with an appetite can call on the kitchen, which serve up staples such as classic steak sandwich or chicken parma and chips, as well as gourmet curiosities such as pepper-crusted kangaroo. The non-smoking dining area is typically filled with families and large jovial groups, and the bar itself is invariably lined with loyal, regular barflies perched on stools with their lips curled over the rims of pint glasses.
Brianna Summers
