We’ve here quite a few times over the last few years when it was the Belgian Beer Cafe, however with their more recent rebrand to The Village, it was time to head back on a beautiful sunny Melbourne night for a few drinks and quick snack.
ATMOSPHERE & SERVICE
The space is split into 5 different sections all with their own little purpose. The famous beer garden is probably the most popular with large oversized wooden tables and an abundance of umbrellas to shade yourself will enjoying a few too many steins. During the warmer months, be prepared to wait for a drink. There is an outdoor bar serving up all your favourites, however with such a big space, the wait does sometimes get quite long.
The newest space is the Arbor, which is a beautiful covered outdoor space with high top wire black and white tables and chairs, checkered flooring and comfy couches. For those who are like me and aren’t the biggest fan of beer gardens, this is a great alternative and a bit more chic.
The two inside spaces consist of the iconic Ormond Hall and the Bistro area. This is your typical beer hall with high ceilings, rows and rows of tables, funky lighting and a large feature bar area.
The space is housed by a beautiful old historic building that creates a beautiful setting for both the inside and outside spaces. Although there is construction happening next door, they have done a fantastic job to seclude the bar and garden area to make it as comfortable as possible.
The service was your typical beer garden service where you have to order your food and drinks at the bar and take a number back to your table. There isn’t much interaction with the staff because of this.
FOOD
The food is that of a pub with parmas, chips and the like. Since we were only looking for a quick snack to hold us over until dinner, we decided to order the ‘Chicken Wings’ served with a side of hot sauce. They were a bit on the small side, however were quite tasty and crunchy.
Overall, The Village is a great place for after work drinks or spending the afternoon in the sun. The space fills quickly on nice nights so prepare to wait for drinks. We definitely recommend heading here on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and sit back with good company and enjoy the atmosphere around you.
