With Australia Day right around the corner, it can be a bittersweet time for many Aussies abroad. To help ease the homesick blues we've searched the globe and rounded up some of the best Australian-themed bars where the beer is always ice-cold and the barbie always fired-up and rearing to go. Stubbies and thongs are optional, of course.
Walkabout, London
No list of great Aussie-themed pubs would be complete without the mentioning the infamous Walkabout chain in the United Kingdom. With more than 40 pubs from Bromley to Bristol and Wimbledon to Wigan, this one-time little Aussie battler has taken on the Brits and come out a winner.
With its ice-cold beers and great larrikin spirit (bogan bingo night, anyone?), the iconic pub has become a magnet for homesick Aussies, Kiwis and the odd wayward South African, who gather together to watch the footy, hang out with their mates and chug down a tinnie or two. There's no dress code, so absolutely anything goes — but that's what makes it so much fun.
For more information, visit www.walkabout.eu.com.
Eight Mile Creek, New York
If you're in New York this Australia Day, be sure to stop by Eight Mile Creek on the Lower East Side. While the upstairs restaurant flashes mod Oz with flare, the downstairs Creek Bar serves up a classic Aussie pub atmosphere complete with Coopers Ale on tap, meat pies on the menu, cheesy pop music and footy on the telly.
During the northern summer season, the pub also proudly hosts a good old traditional Australian barbecue on Sundays in the OuT-the-bAcK beer garden where "You bring the meat, we'll supply the barbie".
For more information, visit www.eightmilecreek.com.
The Woolshed Sports Baa & Grill, Dublin
Dublin-based antipodeans needing a dose of Aussie rock jukebox tunes this Australia Day best head to The Woolshed Baa & Grill on Parnell Street. Previously known as The Outback, in spite of its recent rebranding and a concerted effort to now offer the "best of the Southern Hemisphere", The Woolshed hasn't strayed too far from its Aussie roots.
Between the typical Oz decor and largely Australian staff, not to mention a menu featuring chook burgers and Vegemite on toast, it's obvious that this is one pub that still calls Australia home. (Mind you, we're not quite sure what's up with the Brazilian theme nights.)
For more information, visit www.woolshedbaa.com.
Never Never Land 'Outback', Berlin
It seems the black stump has upped and moved to Germany taking the outback with it. Located in a remote corner of Berlin's Schöneberg district, Never Never Land flies the Aussie flag proudly amid an admittedly fairly drab area.
While croc and 'roo pepper the lengthy menu and Australian beer and wine flows freely, even the most diehard fair-dinkum Aussie would take some convincing to be tempted by the horse steak or chocolate-covered grasshoppers. But few would have any problem with the live didgeridoo music and the familiar BYO nights.
For more information, visit www.never-never.de.
Café Oz, Paris
A pub in Paris where the locals speak English with a thick "ocker" accent and dance on the tables all night long?
Mon dieu! Yes, that's right; we Aussies have now invaded France. If you're a sports fan then Café Oz is the place to be with its two big screens playing most major football and rugby matches as well as all the best games from Oz including the AFL grand final.
Foster's is the only (so-called) Aussie beer available on tap with perennial favourites such as Tooheys, Coopers and Hahn available by the bottle but at €6.50 ($10.50) a pop you won't want to miss happy hour!
For more information, visit www.cafe-oz.com.
The Down Under Bar & Grill, Bangkok
The original Australian bar in Bangers is still the best spot for good old-fashioned Aussie cheer. Located opposite the British-run Boo-Sa-Bar (nothing like a little colonial rivalry to keep you on your toes), it's a chilled place with a great deck where you dwindle away the hours with an ice-cold brew in hand.
There's also plenty of good Aussie pub grub to tuck into if hunger strikes. The owner Rob is an ex-Aussie rules player so you can always be guaranteed of watching the latest games from home.
For more information, visit www.downunderbarbangkok.com.
Coco's Outback, Amsterdam
The only Australian-themed bar within cooee of Princess Mary's castle in Copenhagen this Australia Day, is the very cheeky Coco's Outback in Amsterdam. Unabashedly ocker through and through, this great Aussie pub is an odds-on bet for anyone looking for a fair-dinkum boozer.
VB, Tooheys, Carlton and Boags are among the star attractions along with bloody big bonzer breakfasts, hearty beef pies and barbecue steaks as thick as the bar staff's accents.
For more information, visit www.cocosoutback.com.
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