If you’ve moved to Melbourne from London, Manchester, Edinburgh or Bristol, Richmond is one of the suburbs you’ll likely end up drinking in — partly because the bar density is high, partly because the room style suits the way British drinkers tend to drink: long, conversational, with screens for the football. Richmond is AFL pub culture, working-and-professional, sport-on-TV-by-default, and the Melbourne suburb that most resembles an English football pub strip on a match day.
This is the practical guide to which Richmond bars to start with as a British expat or visitor.
What Richmond Bars Are Like
Bars in Richmond cluster around MCG on the western edge, Bridge Road, Swan Street and Church Street, and the room types vary more than people expect. You’ll find:
- Proper pubs — long bar, beer-led, sport on the screens, mains under $30. The closest analogue to a UK boozer.
- Wine bars and small bars — counter-led, food-led, wine list of 6–12 by the glass. Less obviously British but the closest equivalent to a London neighbourhood wine bar.
- Music venues with a bar — gig-pubs and dive bars where the live music is the main reason to be there.
- Cocktail bars — fewer in Richmond than the CBD or South Yarra; more about whisky and spirit-led menus than mixology theatre.
For a British drinker, the proper pubs and the wine bars usually do the trick — the rooms are familiar and the spend is predictable.
What Brits Get Right Quickly
Three things UK expats adapt to within their first month:
- Australian beer is excellent and more interesting than people think. Per the Independent Brewers Association, Australia has 700+ independent breweries; many of the best are concentrated in Melbourne. A pint of Stomping Ground, Two Birds or Moon Dog rivals anything in Camden.
- Tipping isn’t expected. Australia’s minimum wage is much higher than the US — the bar staff are paid properly. A round-up tip is appreciated, never required.
- Standard pours and prices are different. A “schooner” is 425 ml (about 75% of a UK pint); a “pint” is 570 ml. Most Melbourne bars run pints in 570 ml glasses now, but check.
What’s Easy to Miss
What surprises Brits more than the rest:
- Cricket and AFL share screens during winter. Most pubs run AFL on the main screen and cricket on the secondary screen. Premier League is on the screens in the corner; the EPL match times are 5am or 11pm Melbourne time, so the bigger games are watched late or recorded.
- Pub kitchens close earlier. Many Richmond kitchens close at 9pm, even on Fridays. Eat first, drink second, or you’ll be doing 10pm dumplings instead.
- Smoking is fully outdoor. No covered smoking patios; the genuine outdoor footpath is where smokers go.
Cricket and AFL on TV
If you want to watch sport on a Saturday afternoon — Premier League, Six Nations, England Test cricket — the right move in Richmond is the bigger pubs along MCG on the western edge. Most carry a Foxtel sport package; ask the staff what’s on which screen before you order.
According to the 2021 Census, around 10% of Victorians were born in the UK or Ireland, so the British expat community is large enough that most bigger pubs in inner Melbourne have a sense of what the UK crowd wants to watch.
Walking the Strip
Most of Richmond’s bars cluster along MCG on the western edge, and you can usually walk between three or four venues in 10 minutes. The Melbourne move is to start at one for a beer, walk to a second for dinner, finish at a third for a wine or a whisky.
Public transport in: tram 78 along Church Street, tram 70 along Bridge Road, tram 12 along Victoria Street. The trams generally run until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
What This Means for You
For a British expat or visitor in Richmond: start with the proper pubs along MCG on the western edge, add a wine bar to the rotation for nights when you want food and conversation, and use the music venues for live gigs. Afl pub culture, working-and-professional, sport-on-tv-by-default is the character, and the Melbourne suburb that most resembles an English football pub strip on a match day is the closest mental shortcut.
For more, see the British expat guide to UK vs Australian work culture and the British supermarkets in Melbourne guide.
Jack Carver writes about Melbourne’s inner suburbs for MELBZ.
Data-Backed Richmond Drinking Map
Richmond works well for Brits because it is dense, walkable, and transport-heavy. The ABS 2021 Census recorded 28,587 residents in Richmond, with a median age of 34, making it younger than many established Melbourne suburbs. It also recorded 1,067 England-born residents, or 3.7% of the suburb, compared with 2.7% across Greater Melbourne. That means Richmond has a noticeably stronger English-born presence than the metro average, before counting Scots, Welsh, Irish and returning Australians with UK ties. Source: ABS 2021 Richmond QuickStats.
For bar choice, the important comparison is geography. Richmond is about 3 km east of Melbourne CBD, much closer than expat-heavy bayside areas such as St Kilda or Brighton. Swan Street, Bridge Road and Church Street give you three separate drinking corridors in one suburb. Compared with Fitzroy or Collingwood, Richmond is less cocktail-led and more pub-and-sport focused; compared with South Yarra, it is less polished and usually better for a casual pint after work.
The best fit for Brits is not one single “British pub” formula. Richmond’s appeal is that you can start with a normal pub, catch AFL or Premier League, eat properly, then move to a sharper wine bar or late-night spot without getting an Uber.
How To Choose A Bar In Richmond
Start with the occasion. For football, rugby, cricket or a group of homesick mates, prioritise pubs around Swan Street because they are closer to Richmond Station and Melbourne Cricket Ground foot traffic.
Check the screen situation before committing. Not every good Richmond pub is a good sports pub. If the match is on late UK time, confirm opening hours and whether they will actually show it with sound.
Use transport as the filter. Richmond Station, East Richmond Station and tram routes along Swan Street and Bridge Road make the suburb easy, but the wrong end of Richmond can add a 20-minute walk.
Book for Friday and Saturday. Richmond gets busy after work, after MCG events and during footy season. For more than four people, book instead of assuming walk-ins will work.
Match the drink to the venue. Choose pubs for pints, parmas and sport; Swan Street bars for late drinks; Bridge Road for a calmer meal-and-drink plan; Church Street for a smarter night.
Plan the exit. If you are new to Melbourne, avoid relying on a random late tram. Richmond is close to the CBD, but surge pricing after MCG games can be brutal.
Practical Picks For Brits
For a familiar night, look for venues with tap beer, proper seating, screens, and pub food rather than venues built mainly around cocktails. Richmond is especially useful when you want a British-style rhythm: early pint, food, sport, then one more place nearby.
If you are meeting Australians, Richmond is also a good compromise. It feels local rather than expat-only, but still has enough UK-friendly cues: football crowds, after-work pub culture, old corner hotels, and reliable public transport.
FAQ
What part of Richmond is best for British expats?
Swan Street is usually the easiest starting point because it is close to Richmond Station, the MCG and multiple pubs. Bridge Road is better for a quieter catch-up.
Is Richmond good for watching UK sport?
Yes, but check ahead. Time zones mean Premier League, Six Nations and Ashes sessions may fall outside normal trading patterns, so confirm screens, sound and closing times.
Is Richmond better than Fitzroy for Brits?
For sport, pubs and transport, often yes. Fitzroy has stronger late-night and craft bar energy, while Richmond is more practical for group pints, pub meals and MCG-linked nights.
