Williamsburg at The Press

Williamsburg at The Press runs out of a basement on Marius Street in central Tamworth, a cocktail-and-whiskey bar with a 1930s speakeasy streak and a serious burger kitchen attached. The underground bar itself is human territory; the outdoor beer garden out front is where dogs are welcome, which makes this one of the few evening venues in town where a burger-and-cocktail night can include the dog.

The dog setup

Dogs are permitted in the outdoor beer garden, where staff are used to having them around and water bowls sometimes appear, though packing your own is the safe play at busy sessions. The basement bar is for human guests only. Sessions run from late afternoon into the night; the weekly schedule has shifted between seasons and the bar runs special events, so check the current days online before you plan the visit.

The food and the vibe

The kitchen has a strong local reputation for loaded gourmet burgers, with the Williamsburg Works, Kicken Chicken and The Outlaw the named heavyweights, backed by pizzas, cob loaves, craft beer and an award-winning cocktail list. Regular live music gives the garden its energy, which cuts both ways for dogs: early evening is calm and easy, while band nights get loud. Judge it against your dog's temperament and aim for the earlier sitting if yours is noise-shy.

Getting there and parking

Find it at 179 Marius Street on the edge of the Tamworth CBD. Street parking runs along Marius and the cross streets, with public car parks within an easy walk, so the walk from car to garden is short even on a weekend night.

Nearby with the dogs

The Peel River walk is minutes away for an on-leash leg-stretch before you settle in, and George Street Dog Park in West Tamworth is the council's dual-fenced off-leash option a few minutes' drive off. For a daytime alternative, The Pig & Tinder Box keeps the dog-friendly table going through the afternoon.

Max: Early doors in the garden, a burger each, and home before the band plugs in.