Beresford Hotel

The Beresford dominates Bourke Street as Surry Hills' longest-standing pub institution—a sprawling multi-room Merivale property that manages to feel simultaneously grand and genuinely approachable. The real draw sits out back: a sprawling beer garden that captures the particular energy of a Surry Hills afternoon or evening, where the crowd skews towards people who know how to spend a few hours properly.

Dogs are welcome throughout the entire outdoor areas, making the Beresford one of the few Surry Hills venues where you can settle in for a proper session without the guilt of leaving your dog behind. The weekend energy here is impossible to replicate elsewhere in the suburb.