South of H

The Palace was one of a glut of local pubs that changed hands recently including The London (and, having won its pokie license, the Bay & Bridge is hoping to follow suit). Ironically, since it was once called the Port Melbourne Hotel, it has now been reborn as the South Melbourne Hotel or, if you really must, the SoHo.

The Buddha on the bar gives a clear insight into the new direction of the establishment. The menu has gone mod-Asian under the helm of head chef Kim Moore (formerly of MoVida and Seamstress). Whether or not it is up to the standards of the CBD big names remains to be seen.

As a pub, this is a Lion Nathan outfit as far as the taps go, although the bottled beer selection reflects the menu. The bar is largely unchanged, but there is now a little more seating that helps make it feel less like a waiting room for the restaurant.

Beers on tap: Boags Draught, XXXX Gold, Kosciuszko Pale, Kirin, Stella Artois, Hoegarden
Wine range: $9.50 - $11
Parma: No
Gastro: Yes
Tradie vs Yuppy: Taking itself pretty seriously