If ever you want to see an example of a pub-gone-bad turned good again, look no further than the Baden Powell. When the new owners took possession of this classic Collingwood corner hotel, it was best described as gloomy, a place that had seen better days a long time ago. So they gutted it, got rid of the nightclub and bar upstairs, knocked down the odd wall and started afresh. Today, it’s all polished wooden floorboards, huge murals, high benches – and a load of cricket memorabilia, donated by one of the pub’s appreciative regulars.

On the beer front, you’ll find 12 taps and more than 30 bottles – with plenty of Aussie crafties on the lineup. Two of the taps are rotated, often featuring limited run specials from Victorian breweries, like Mountain Goat and 3 Ravens.

The grub’s worth stopping in for too: the owners' Italian heritage shines through with fresh pizzas made from scratch and a range of quality pasta and arrancini dishes from a kitchen run by the former chef from Lladro and Seamstress. And for those who fancy something other than beer, Australians and Italians rub shoulders on the wine list.

There’s a beer garden with BBQ at the rear and a couple more outdoor areas at the front and side, plus a private cocktail bar, Zac’s, that’s available for hire. Upstairs, with the creaking dancefloor removed, there are now 11 bedrooms, making it a quality one-stop shop for craft beer lovers stopping over in Melbourne.