Best Places To Curl Up With Mulled Wine

Rich, warm and full of spice, a glass of mulled wine on a chilly winter’s day in Australia can really hit the spot.

Finding mulled wine in Australia can be a difficult process. While our European counterparts are well across the comforting winter beverage and brew batches in nearly every pub and bar, it’s a little more challenging to stumble upon Down Under.

However, if you know where to look, there are plenty of great places doling out the winter drink during the cooler months – sometimes complete with a fireplace to enjoy it in front of.

A blend of red wine, wintery spices like star anise and cardamom, sliced fruit and occasionally a spirit like brandy or rum, mulled wine can also be found on menus as ‘Glühwein’, which roughly translates from German to “smouldering wine".

Below is a guide to some of the best pubs and bars around Australia currently serving mulled wine.

1. The Doss House, Sydney NSW

If you want to be transported back to the 1840s while you enjoy your mulled wine, head to Sydney’s The Doss House . This historic venue in The Rocks features sandstone walls, dim lighting and deep lounges you can sink into.

a dimly lit interior at The Doss House, Sydney NSW — Nab a spot in the dimly lit lounge of The Doss House. (Image: Alana Dimou)

Beyond mulled wine, The Doss House is also known for its extensive whiskey offering, which is definitely worth checking out if you’re a connoisseur.

the bar counter at The Doss House, Sydney NSW — Get cosy at the bar. (Image: Alana Dimou)

Address: 77/79 George St, Sydney NSW

Phone: 0457 880 180

2. Arcadia, Redfern NSW

This popular neighbourhood bar in Redfern has all the cosiness you crave in a winter catch-up spot, with rustic interiors and a really welcoming energy. Arcadia also serves up a mean Glühwein, which you can enjoy until each day’s batch runs out.

Be sure to try one of their gourmet toasties if you’re a bit peckish, too – they’re pretty famous for them!

Address: 7 Cope St, Redfern NSW

Phone: (02) 8068 4470

3. Frisk Small Bar, Northbridge WA

If you love gin and are heading to Perth, you have to check out Frisk Small Bar . With over 200 types on offer, you’re bound to discover a new favourite.

Known for their creative cocktail specials, a recent addition was ‘mullscato’, a fun take on mulled wine featuring moscato, pineapple juice, and vanilla liqueur alongside the mysterious “secret herbs and spices".

a glass of mulled wine with a snack at Frisk Small Bar — Frisk Small Bar’s mulled wine is a unique take on the classic cocktail.

Address: 103 Francis St, Northbridge WA

4. Old Canberra Inn, Lyneham ACT

Built in 1857, the Old Canberra Inn has remained a popular drinking hole in Australia’s capital, thanks to a family-friendly atmosphere and great live music.

This is one of those rare Australian pubs where you can sip mulled wine while also curling up in front of a crackling fire, which is really how it should be done.

Address: 195 Mouat St, Lyneham ACT

Phone: (02) 6134 6000

5. Mjolner

If a Viking/Norse-inspired restaurant wasn’t serving up delicious warm alcoholic beverages, we’d be pretty concerned! Thankfully, Mjolner is definitely a spot in Melbourne (and Sydney) where you can access a type of take on mulled wine that we felt demanded inclusion simply because it’s so theatrical.

Order the ‘Blazing Glogg’ and prepare for a fiery scene as Martell VS cognac and spiced port are set alight before being poured into a goblet. Finished with cranberry, juniper and a chai teabag, this fun cocktail has all the same comforting flavours as mulled wine.

Address: 106 Hardware St, Melbourne Vic

6. Milk The Cow, Melbourne Vic

Like the sound of a late-night cheese bar? That’s what you’ll find at Melbourne’s Milk The Cow – and a delicious glass of Glühwein during winter. The quaintest of mulled wine presentations, Milk The Cow’s warming winter drink comes served in a teacup with a stick of cinnamon on the side.

cheese display at Milk The Cow, Melbourne Vic — Choose from over 180 different cheeses at Milk The Cow.

Address: 157 Fitzroy St, St Kilda Vic and 323 Lygon St, Carlton Vic

Phone: 03 9537 2228

7. ReWine, Melbourne Vic

Melbourne is the place to visit if you’re after mulled wine – we found it hard to choose which venues to include in this list! ReWine made the cut because they take their mulled wine really seriously – you can even find a recipe online if you’re interested in replicating their delicious drop at home.

Part wine bar, part wine shop, the low-impact, zero-waste-focused venue also allows you to pick up a bottle of vino straight from the barrel here – and then return with your empty vessel for a refill.

Person holding cup of mulled wine from ReWine — ReWine take their mulled wine really seriously.

Address: 43 Rose St Fitzroy, 522 Lygon St, Brunswick East and 460 Queen St, Melbourne Vic

Phone: 1300 727 186

8. The Carrington, Katoomba NSW

The opulent, historic Carrington Hotel in Katoomba is a jewel in the Blue Mountains’ crown – and it’s also one spot you’ll find mulled wine on the menu. Head down to Champagne Charlie’s Cocktail Bar, settle into a fireside couch and sip on a generous pour of spiced, warmed wine.

the mulled wine lounge at The Carrington, Katoomba NSW — Sip warmed wine on the couch at The Carrington.

Address: 15-47 Katoomba St, Katoomba NSW

Phone: (02) 4782 1111

9. The Howling Owl, Adelaide SA

You might not always find mulled wine on the menu at The Howling Owl , but what you will find during the chilly months is a selection of warming winter drinks.

Try the hot buttered rum, served in a teacup sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, or the delicious hot apple toddy, a blend of apple juice, spice syrup and gin – served hot, of course.

Address: 10 Vaughan Place, Adelaide SA

Phone: 0416 025 550

10. The Haus Hahndorf, SA

The historic German town of Hahndorf is naturally a great place to find Glühwein, and if you’re spending a weekend there, it’s worth heading to The Haus .

Firstly, because they’ll provide you with a steaming hot cup of the beverage, complete with fresh apple and orange garnishes, but also because the food is great – using local produce, you’ll find a mix of German dishes such as the trio of wurst, as well as lighter fare like the nourish bowl.

a hand holding a mug of mulled wine from The Haus Hahndorf — Get cosy this winter with a mug of traditional mulled wine from The Haus Hahndorf. (Image: Meaghan Coles)

Address: 38A Main St, Hahndorf SA

Phone: (08) 8388 7555

11. Welcome To Thornbury, Brisbane Qld

Welcome To Thornbury is the Brisbane bar with the party to end all parties every June – a ‘mulled wine and hot cheese’ party. Think dripping, melted cheese toasties and warming spiced wine, all day long.

Aside from the annual party, the venue also boasts a huge beer garden, ever-changing food trucks and plenty of other fun events like a chicken nugget festival and garlic bread festival.

Address: 520 High St, Northcote Qld

Phone: (03) 9020 7940

12. The End, Brisbane Qld

Established in 2011 inside an old video store, The End is where everyone in Brisbane should go for warming winter drinks.

Alongside their carefully brewed mulled wine, you’ll find other chilly-night cocktails such as the spiked hot chocolate (chilli chocolate, Blanco tequila, cacao liqueur and coconut cream) and the boozy Biscoff, a take on the famous biscuit featuring dark coconut rum and wattleseed liqueur.

Address: 73 Vulture St, West End Qld

The charm of Mildura is hidden in plain sight along the Sturt Highway. The capital of Tropical North Victoria is in a league of its own.

From the moment you arrive in Mildura , the warm air and palm trees invite you to slow down. While most Australians might drive right past it, Mildura is full of surprises. Here you’ll spend one day witnessing over 50,000 years of First Nations history in a UNESCO-listed National Park, and the next dining in a hatted restaurant after wandering through 12,500 fireflies as the outback sunset bursts to life above. From roadside fruit stalls and family-run wineries to houseboats and galleries, it’s time to explore Mildura.

Feast Street, at the heart of Langtree Avenue in Mildura. — Taste, wander and be surprised in Mildura.

Taste Mildura’s produce

It makes sense to start your trip by addressing the most important question: where to eat. In the beating heart of Australia’s food bowl, sample the local produce directly from the source. And then, of course, experience it through the menu of a hatted chef. Or sandwiched between pillowy slices of Nonna’s ciabatta.

Rows of orchards and olive groves invite you to spend the day traipsing from farm to farm. Taste olives propagated from Calabrian trees brought over in the 40s, oranges picked right from the tree and squeezed into juice and spoons full of honey . Bring the holiday back to your kitchen by stocking your pantry at roadside produce stalls, or calling into the ‘silver shed ’ (Sunraysia’s gourmand Mecca).

Thanks to the warm, balmy air and fertile soils, the wineries dotted along these hills produce award-winning local wines. Like Chalmers , a family-run, innovative winery dedicated to making their wines as sustainable as possible. And picturesque Trentham Estate offers views of the snaking Murray River as you sample their vintages.

Venture beyond the gnarled shadows of olive groves and fragrant rows of blossoming fruit trees and you’ll find an otherworldly side to Mildura. With Discover Mildura as your guide, visit Murray River Salt’s Mars-like stacks. The naturally pink salt is formed from an ancient inland sea and evaporated entirely by the sun to create one of the region’s most iconic exports.

Start your day with just-squeezed sunshine.

Hatted dining & Italian history

Mildura is home to a proud community of Calabrians and Sicilians. This, paired with the exceptional local produce, means that you can find paninos on par with those in Italy. The Italian is a Paninoteca serving up made-to-order, hefty, authentic Sicilian paninos. Nonna Rosa’s pork meatballs, slowly cooked in tomato ragu and served in a crusty, fluffy roll topped with gratings of Grana Padano cheese and salsa verde, will call you back to Mildura for the rest of your days.

To find hatted dining in Mildura, simply follow the staircase down into the basement of the historic Mildura Grand Hotel to find Stefano’s . Following the muscle memory and instinct of his Italian roots, he delivers on the principle of ‘cucina povera’. That is, the Italian cooking ideology that turns simple, local ingredients into magic.

Things to do in Mildura include dining at the acclaimed Stefano’s, where simple local ingredients are transformed into Italian culinary magic beneath the historic Grand Hotel. — Bite into Mildura’s Italian heritage.

Discover a thriving culture scene

The city is alive with culture. Whether it’s painted on the town’s walls, told in ancient yarns, or waiting for you in a gallery.

The Mildura Arts Centre was Australia’s first regional art gallery. Behind the walls of Rio Vista Historic House, you’ll find a lineup of ever-changing exhibitions. The gallery’s wall space pays tribute to the art and songlines of local First Nations People, the region’s awe-inspiring landscapes and more. Outside, on the gallery’s lawn, find 12 contemporary sculptures in the Sculpture Park.

Mildura’s streetscapes are a punch of colour. Swirling strokes of paint blend the winding artery of the Murray River, red dirt and local characters into a story you can see with your own eyes, thanks to the Mildura City Heart’s Mural Art Project . Pick up a copy of the Murals of Mildura guide from the Visitor Information Centre.

Follow the border of NSW and Victoria on a map and you’ll see it hugs the curves of a tiny island on the Murray. That’s Lock Island, where, as the sun and moon trade places, the island comes alive as darkness falls. The island is dotted with 12,500 firefly lights that lead you on a meandering path through the outback sunset. The installation is known as Trail of Lights and was created by the same visionary who dreamt up Field of Light at Uluṟu, Bruce Munro.

Things to do in Mildura include exploring its rich cultural scene. From vibrant street art and ancient stories to exhibitions at the Mildura Arts Centre, Australia’s first regional gallery. — Find culture around every corner.

Wonder at ancient landscapes

The landscapes of Mildura feel almost transcendental. The skyline bursts to life with reds, pinks, and deep, sparkly night skies.

The nature will leave you in awe. See hues of pink water changing with the weather at Pink Lakes inside Victoria’s largest national park, Murray Sunset National Oark. Cast a line into Ouyen Lake. Watch the sunset against 70-metre tall red cliffs that reflect the setting sun. Or get the heart racing and sandboard down the Perry Sandhills dunes, formed 40,000 years ago at the end of an ice age.

Just don’t leave without following the twists and turns of the Murray. Stroll or ride along the Shared River Front Path, or jump onboard a boat for a scenic ride.

Your itinerary will be incomplete without a visit to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park . Head out with an Indigenous ranger to witness ancient campsites and footprints, before standing in awe of ancient civilisation near the discovery site of Mungo Man—Australia’s oldest human skeleton at 42,000 years old.

Mungo National Park at night is a vast, silent landscape where ancient dunes glow under moonlight and stars blanket the sky in breathtaking clarity. — Walk in the footsteps of ancient civilisation.

Meet your home away from home

On equal par with planning your meals and adventures, is finding the perfect place to relax at the end of each day.

Sleep inside a Palm Springs postcard at Kar-Rama . A sleek boutique hotel complete with a butterfly shaped, sun-soaked pool. Here you’re staying right in the heart of Mildura but you’ll feel worlds away. Or if you really wish to connect with nature, a night glamping under the stars at Outback Almonds will have you spellbound.

When in Mildura it’s only right to stay on one of the Murray River’s iconic houseboats . Wake up each day to the calm waters of the Murray lapping outside your window. Enjoy days full of river swims, fishing and exploring. All boats are solar-powered and can be self-skippered or moored along the river.

A solar-powered houseboat on the Murray River in Mildura. — Stay and play on the Murray in a solar houseboat.

Start planning the perfect getaway at mildura.com .

Australia’s 12 best places to curl up with mulled wine this winter