The Marlborough Hotel

The Marly has held the Newtown crossroads since 1860 and now operates as three different bars in the one building: Cuckoo on top, a retro German alpine room with schnitzel and oversized pretzels; Tokyo Sing Song in the basement pulling DJs and live bands till late; and the main-level pub between them, running dance floors Thursday through Saturday and themed trivia on quieter midweeks. The menu splits almost evenly between pub classics and vegan options, which is either a novelty or overdue, depending on how long you've lived in the Inner West.

Dogs are welcome in the covered beer garden and inside the bar — high tables only, not the low ones — and staff keep treats behind the bar for the regulars. The Marly also runs proper dog events: an annual Howl-O-Ween with a Scariest Dog Competition is the one worth pencilling in.