The Hof Downtown

The Hof Downtown has injected Docklands with a dose of European vitality with its much anticipated reopening on Bourke Street. Now freshly renovated, the team at Hof Downtown are excited to serve up their wonderful selection of beers, cocktails and contemporary Australian cuisine with a hearty German flair.

In its newly modern iteration The Hof has added tapas style dishes for casual grazing to its menu.

We loved the slow-braised ox cheek on soft parmesan polenta. An excellent homely dish, the braised ox cheek fell away easily with the weight of our forks. Coated with an earthy braising sauce, it was most enjoyable when eaten with the decadent and well-seasoned polenta. The fresh grilled prawns served with parsnip puree, apple cider and shallot vinaigrette was another stunner – wonderfully fresh and full of flavour.

No diner will go hungry taking on The Hof’s famous crispy pork knuckle served with sauerkraut, mash, pork jus and mustard - an absolute stand out (and must-have!). The Hof has truly mastered the art of pork roasting. The pork knuckle was succulently roasted to retain a porky juiciness, achieving a healthy layer of melt-in-the-mouth fat in the process - combining flawless texture with equally superlative flavours. Each moreish morsel was tender with the crackling, possessing the ultimate crunch.

Vegetarians are also be catered for  with the moreish cheese spätzle (egg pasta) with roasted pumpkin, fresh pear and rocket leaves and polenta with wild mushroom ragout and parsnip chips. The sharp blue cheese takes this dish to the next level. It truly is comfort food at its best.

On the drinks front, the offering of ten imported Bavarian boutique beers on tap and seven by the bottle will have beer lovers flocking, and cider drinkers will be quenched with Hof’s apple cider on tap. For cocktail enthusiasts, The Hof offers a delicious range of cocktails including a cucumber martini, a Negroni with Austrian blue gin and classics such as the Old Fashioned and espresso martinis.

Location: 737 Bourke St, Docklands
Phone: (03) 9642 3350
Link: thehof.com