Hopheads and food-lovers alike will be well-watered at these Mudgee pubs and breweries.

From craft beer bars that promise deliciously charred house-smoked barbecue to Irish pubs with vast, eclectically styled balconies and an array of cocktails on offer, the pub and brewery offering in Mudgee is wider than you might think. These country pubs are also top spots for a bountiful counter meal or courtyard session once you’ve made it through Mudgee’s top restaurants. Here’s our round-up of Mudgee’s best pubs and breweries.

1. Three Tails Brewery

Best for: Smoky meats and hoppy treats

Opening its doors in early 2021, this Mudgee brewery very quickly amassed a strong local following – and has become a firm favourite with city visitors – for its holy trinity of great beer, rustic ambience and deliciously robust food.

There’s a raft of great hoppy pales (mid- to full-strength) and IPAs on tap, and the 21-strong line-up includes both guest beers and those brewed in-house at Three Tails Brewery. Indecisive drinkers can sample four at once with the tasting paddle.

The brewery is big on celebrating independent producers, with all the guest beers sourced from small craft brewers across the globe. The focus on indies extends to the wine, snack and soft drink offering, too: all wines are exclusively sourced from Mudgee, cider and seltzers come from NZ’s Zeffer, and even the jerky comes from Canberra. Three Tails is also an inclusive space for sober and spirit drinkers with a number of tempting non-alcoholic options on offer, in addition to gin and whisky flights.

If you need to fortify your fermented tipples with some dinner, there’s the wildly moreish house-smoked barbecue from Smokin Bro & Co or a concise selection of tapas-style fare from Lewis Street Kitchen, both handily located onsite.

Address: 13 Lewis Street, Mudgee

2. Kelly’s Irish Pub

Best for: Taking the kids and the dog out

Once known as the Sydney Hotel, there’s been a pub at this site since the early 1870s, while the building’s foundations date back to the early 1860s. Kelly’s Irish Pub features a suntrap of a balcony bar festooned with string lights, and a dog-friendly beer garden with a kid’s playground – arguably its two major draws.

When it comes to food, Kelly’s Balcony Bar prides itself on the house burgers, from classic southern fried chicken burgers to pulled pork and southern fried chicken, perfect with a side of popcorn pork. And on the drinks front, expect classic cocktails with a little twist (hello butterscotch espresso martini and passionfruit mojito). There’s also live music every weekend.

Address: 49 Church Street, Mudgee

3. Oriental Hotel

Best for: Sipping on gin

Endearingly known as The Ori, this Mudgee pub is a great all-rounder. Light pours in through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the two-storey hotel, which houses a gin bar and a restaurant. There’s an array of classic pub grub dishes on offer (think schnitties and chips, burgers, nachos, steaks and more) and plenty of lunch and midweek specials too.

After a long day of sightseeing, quench your thirst with one of the pub’s more than a dozen gins, then pick from the wild array of mixers, and finally select your garnish to create the perfect custom drink.

Address: 6 Lewis Street, Mudgee

4. Mudgee Brewing Company

Best for: Entertainment any night of the week

Going strong since 2007, Mudgee Brewing Company bears all the hallmarks of a good time: live music on Fridays and Sundays, a beer garden, open fires to cosy up next to come winter, and, of course, some excellent beers. Chief among the offerings is the taproom’s signature Mudgee Mud, an imperial stout with notes of aniseed and liquorice, that was inspired by an eponymous brew from one of the town’s original breweries, The Federal, which was founded in 1883 but shut up shop in 1956.

The family-owned microbrewery-cum-restaurant dishes up bistro-style meals, with a strong focus on gluten-free options. Swing by for one of the Sunday sessions, open mic night on Thursdays, trivia on Wednesdays and to kick back under its corrugated roof and timber rafters. Buy a growler of one of the dozen brews on offer to savour back at home.

Address: 4 Church Street, Mudgee

5. Woolpack Hotel

Best for: Not your usual pub grub

Tearing away from tradition, Mudgee’s Woolpack Hotel is host to a Chinese fusion restaurant, Jumbucks, which dishes up everything from deep-fried duck in plum sauce to prawn dumplings and sweet and sour fish fritters. But those who only have eyes for Aussie classics don’t have to miss out, as there’s a smattering of more familiar dishes on the menu, such as T-bone steak and chicken parmi. This smart local, featuring modern interiors, is popular with the younger crowd, and features a beer garden. Should the night carry on longer than anticipated, you can even book a stay upstairs in one of the boutique-style rooms.

Address: 67 Market Street, Mudgee

6. The Prince of Wales Hotel, Gulgong

Best for: Country pub nostalgia

If you’re after a country pub with plenty of personality, then you’ve come to the right place. Although technically not ‘in’ Mudgee, this historic pub is just a 30-minute drive away and still part of the wider Mudgee region (we highly recommend you explore more of the region with our 7-day road trip itinerary).

You can expect cold beer and warm hospitality at The Prince of Wales Hotel, which has been in the same family since 1976. It’s awash with antique curios and memorabilia, plus two open fireplaces – one in the cosy, carpeted interior and one stone fireplace in the beer garden.

Address: 97 Mayne Street, Gulgong

7. Paragon Hotel

Best for: That beer garden

This corner pub was built back in 1857, just as the rush for gold turned from trickle to stampede, and has been pouring frosty pints ever since. Through a procession of publicans, one of whom rather unfortunately died from an insect bite in 1890, the good times have carried on for a century plus 64 years. History and heritage sprawl across two levels, out onto a sun-filled balcony and into a bright courtyard, where convivial cosiness keeps revellers both relaxed and entertained.

Food at the Bushman’s Table keeps things on an even keel without re-inventing the wheel. Tuck into the usual suspects, such as schnitzel, an Aussie burger, a steak sandwich and fish and chips or tuck into a pizza or a Bushman’s share board. There’s an array of spritzers and cocktails to keep the party going and, should it need to end, there are 13 well-styled rooms upstairs.

Address: 38 Perry Street, Mudgee

8. The Centennial Hotel

Best for: Living la vida local

No one can accuse the ‘Cenny’ for harbouring any pretension. This local pub, complete with bar barnacles that infuse the place with wonderful character, has been welcoming patrons for longer than any hotel in Gulgong. Built in 1872, the Cenny even featured on Australia’s first $10 note and has since kept its legendary reputation afloat with a raft of interesting characters spending time within its walls, from drifters to musicians and jockeys.

It’s rustic and welcoming with regular live entertainment, happy hour on Friday and Saturday nights, sports and meat raffles. The bistro plates up comforting, home-style fare with a rotation of rib-sticking specials on the board and basic rooms out back are on offer, should you feel like lingering longer than planned.

Address: 141–143 Mayne Street, Gulgong

Updates written by Lara Picone

For more travel tips and expert advice, read our Mudgee travel guide.