There's something to be said for a pub that's just a pub. Yes, gastro can be great, but there will always be a place in my heart and stomach for a simple, honest pub where you can just eat, drink and be.
On the corner of Lygon and Elgin streets in Carlton sits what would have to be Melbourne's most unpretentious watering hole - Percy's. Owned by former Carlton Football Club player and coach, Peter 'Percy' Jones, the bar is decked out with nothing more than a sprinkling of memorabilia and dust. The stools play host to an eclectic bunch of locals - students sit beside dentally-challenged old men, and the bar staff can often be seen hanging around on their night off, watching the footy or playing trivia.
Although most patrons opt for a Carlton Draft with their basic, affordable counter-meal, the wine list is what lures me back again and again. While no physical 'list' exists, above the bar you'll see a decent selection of reliable wines, each with the price hand written on a sticker affixed to the front. And yes, you read that price correctly. The mark-ups are so minimal it seems unreasonable not to stay and enjoy a second bottle with a third basket of chips.
It's not the kind of place that you go to be seen, but that's the appeal. Percy's is one of the inner-north's last genuine 'old man' bars offering food and drink with no pretension whatsoever. I, for one, think that's the kind of establishment worth supporting. read more