Winter in Victoria may bring cooler days and misty mornings, but it’s no reason to stay indoors. From the cosy hotels of the city to the roaring fireplaces of country pubs, there’s plenty to enjoy no matter the weather. Just watch hotels embrace the season with hearty menus, warm hospitality, and inviting spaces designed for comfort – think mulled wine, slow-cooked meals, and live music by the fire. So rug up, grab your scarf, and head out – Victoria’s hospitality scene is alive and thriving all winter long.
Winter can bring short days, dark afternoons and a reluctance to venture outside. Here in Victoria, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to all sorts of winter festivals, designed to lighten up the darkest of winters.
East Gippsland Winter Festival
DATES: 20 June – 20 July 2025
Mansfield Lantern Festival
DATE: 21 June 2025
Queenscliff Film Festival
DATES: 27 – 29 June 2025
Winter Wonderlights at Sovereign Hill (Ballarat)
DATES: 0 July – 21 July 2025
Firelight Festival (Docklands, Melbourne)
DATES: Typically in July
But what’s happening in pubs and how can you as members embrace the season that’s full of open fires, mulled wine, winter soups, lamb shanks and Christmases in July; all staples of the winter pub.
Let’s start with the good stuff – wine and cocktails!
According to Kyle Petrie, Regional Sales Manager at Diageo Australia, winter is the perfect time to embrace both bold and comforting flavours. “When most people picture a classic winter cocktail,
they imagine something rich, stirred down and spirit forward – think a Ron Zacapa Rum Old Fashioned or a Johnnie Walker Black Label Rob Roy. These cocktails are timeless, and all about deep, complex flavours.”
When thinking about curating a wine list for winter the food style of your venue will help you dictate the selection of wines on your wine list.
Marcus Carrick, Key Account Manager at Treasury Premium Brands says “A third of consumers will consider their beverage option as how it complements foods.
Consider your winter food menu and ensure the by the glass offerings are complementary to this both stylistically and from a pricing perspective.”
Marcus adds “Red wine typically lends itself to heartier winter meals, so ensure that you have a good selection of by the glass red wine offerings, noting that 80% of all wine purchased in on premise is by the glass. At a minimum, focus on pouring a Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir from recognised regions. These 3 varietals are in the top 10 varietals sold in Australia and pair well with a number of winter dishes.”
Kate Halpin from the Victoria Hotel in Rutherglen embraces muscat “Here in Rutherglen, the muscat capital of the world—fortifieds take centre stage. We lean into it with creative formats like muscat flights and cocktails that showcase this unique local asset.”
Kate adds “Living in fortified wine heartland, our muscat sampler becomes a cold-weather staple. We also showcase exceptional local spirits from our nearby distilleries in seasonal cocktails designed to highlight their unique characteristics.
We’re developing tasting paddles that allow guests to explore the region’s best spirits without needing to travel— positioning ourselves as a launchpad for local discovery.
Alongside our seasonal beers and cocktails, we like to offer playful updates on our desserts, such as our ‘grown-up spider’ featuring local sparkling shiraz or our signature affogato with local coffee and local topaque.”
PFD Food Services Meat Manager, Brayden Smith tells us it’s all about hot, hearty and heavy meals in winter.
“With the cost of beef continuing to rise in the market, more and more venues are looking to utilise secondary cuts to maintain good margins and still deliver quality meals to customers. Beef Cheeks are having a resurgence in the market. A low and slow option that is set and forget for chefs, saving on labour and capturing immense flavour through an undervalued cut.”
Of course, lamb shanks are also traditional winter pub classic. Brayden adds “Having that low and slow option and being able to offer either a one or two piece per plate serving, at a relatively low cost, makes it a viable menu option for venues to run either as a special or as an ongoing menu item.”
“Poultry is seeing a spike in the market as the low cost per serve represents great value for venues. With most pubs through winter running a “Sunday Roast” offering, a chicken roast is often left behind, but with chicken Marylands (whole chicken legs) coming in at half the price per kilo of a red meat offering, it makes a great solo portion that not only looks large on the plate, but tastes just as good as it looks.”
Seasonal produce isn’t just about food but drinks as well. Kyle from Diageo adds “Winter also brings some of Australia’s best produce, so it’s a great time to be incorporating seasonal produce into your serves. Think a zesty Blood Orange Paloma with Don Julio Blanco Tequila – it’s a vibrant twist on a summer staple that makes the most of citrus season. Lemons are their best in June, so shaking up a Singleton 12-Year-Old Whisky Sour is also a great way to enjoy fresh produce.”
At the Victoria Hotel in Rutherglen two key flavour profiles dominate: chocolate and smokiness. “These show up across desserts, drinks, mains, and spirits. Our smoked barrel whiskeys and rich, complex fortifieds move well in the colder months, and we have a lot of fun with creative beverage pairings—like our ‘after dark’ Negroni, muscat spritz, and structured tasting flights.”
Now when I say “Ballarat”, I’m sure many of you are thinking about its reputation as one of the coldest cities in Victoria!
And you’d be right, with average winter temperatures of 10 or 11 degrees Celsius, Ballarat certainly earns that status.
Ballarat really comes to life in winter, especially during the July school holidays. It used to be seen as too cold to visit this time of year, but that’s changed—now the city leans into the chilly weather with fun events and great deals, especially for families.
As Dan Cronin, publican at The Western Hotel, Ballarat shares; “With Sovereign Hill leading the way a few years ago creating Winter Wonder lights, this has not only brought visitors to the city during a traditionally quiet period it has created overnight stays which spills out into the community for pubs, clubs and all things Hospitality. The Ballarat City Council every year creates a zone in the CBD for visitors to enjoy including lights, activations and Ice-Skating rink right in the heart of the CBD.”
And so, rather than just surviving the winter months, pubs can thrive by benefiting from wet, cold back yards and uninviting sheds and instead, social media and advertising can entice patrons to a warmer friendly environment.
For the first time, this winter, Ballarat’s Western Hotel will activate their carpark space to come alive with music, food, beverages and activations. “Think crackling fireplaces, live music and seasonal favourites from mulled wine and boozy hot chocolates to winter cocktails, delicious crepes, wood fired pizza and seafood chowder served in bread bowls. It’s the perfect spot for friends and family to gather and soak up those cosy winter vibes.” encourages Dan.
So, what makes a quintessential winter pub? According to Kate Halpin from the Victoria Hotel Rutherglen, “The notion that pubs become an extension of our guests’ living rooms really rings true during winter. Once cabin fever sets in after a few cold weeks bunkering down at home, people seek out a change of scenery—and a good local pub serves as that comforting third place.
Roaring fireplaces, the unmistakable hum of footy banter in the front bar, and the nostalgic sensory jolt of hearty winter dishes create that quintessential winter pub vibe. Add to that a glass of something warming in hand—especially a locally crafted fortified—and you’ve got an experience that’s hard to recreate at home.”
Christmas in July has become increasingly popular in the Southern Hemisphere, where July brings cold, wintry weather.
It’s a fun way to enjoy a traditional, cozy Christmas atmosphere—complete with roasts, mulled wine, and festive decorations—something that’s harder to pull off in the heat of December. It’s also a great excuse to attract customers to your pub for mid-year gatherings and celebrations with a festive twist.
Cassie Martin, General Manager at The Sphinx Hotel in Geelong, agrees “Christmas in July offers a way to enjoy a traditional “wintery” Christmas atmosphere, something that’s hard to do during the Australian Christmases in the middle of summer. It also provides an opportunity to catch up with family and friends without the stress that December brings.”
Here’s some extra tips and tricks for winter:
For those extra cold nights, adding a splash of Bailey’s to a Mr Black Espresso Martini is always a good idea – Diageo.
Sometimes the best winter wine trends are the proven performers – think of implementing a “Shiraz & Steak” pairing deal on a night early in the week to attract more consumers on quieter trading days. Pizza and Pinot Noir is also a tried-and-true performer and can be used as more of a meal sharing opportunity with friends and family or on weekends. Internationally mulled wine is commonly found in European venues and is a great addition as a feature wine during our winter too. – Treasury Premium Brands.
If you’re hosting a Christmas in July event, keep it simple: a traditional menu that offers all the favourites – roast turkey, roast pork, and ham off the bone, plum puddings and custard. And don’t forget something like an old-school prawn cocktail! – Cassie Martin
We revise our seating times and opening hours to match changing guest behaviours—adding more early sittings with slightly shorter durations to optimise turnover during peak times. We reorient our furniture to draw people closer to the fireplaces and create more intimate and warm spaces. – Kate Halpin