Lawrence of London

It's not just Harold Holt adding personality to Beach Street these days. Over at Station Pier, the Blackbird café has just reopened as Mr Hobson, and in between the latest incarnation of the London Hotel is now formally known as Mr. Lawrence (at) the london.

It's not entirely clear why The London closed its doors last time around. It's food was superbly executed, if lacking in originality, and it was a huge improvement on its forebear. Perhaps for this reason Mr Lawrence has made relatively few aesthetic changes; even retaining the art deco light cubes, albeit with glass now following the amber colour theme. Although the newly stripped external tiles add to a feeling of a not-quite-complete renovation.

Nevertheless it continues to be a stylish yet cosy place for a meal, in an almost unmatched location across from the beach. Where things have changed, they are exclusively for the better. The menu now fills an Arabian sized gap in the Port Melbourne dining scene. It now also offers fantastic (Lebanese) breakfast at the weekends. And its taps provide without question the best range of craft beer in town (sorry Prince Alfred your reign is officially over).

Beers on tap: Coopers, Collingwood Draught, Brunswick Bitter, Hargreaves Hill Pale, Mornington IPA, Harvesters Original Ale, Weihenstephaner Weissbier
Wine range: $8 - $13
Parma: No, they're not massively popular in the Lebanon!
Gastro: Yes
Tradie vs Yuppy: Not a perching at the bar sort of pub
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