Hump Day 1 - Fellowship of the Hump

Savoring the last warm rays of sunshine, YoYo, Hughie and Jess enjoyed the alfresco dining of the Royal Derby Hotel (446 Brunswick Street Fitzroy). The major drawcard was the $5 gourmet pizzas, better quality than Bimbo's and much, much shorter queues! To be fair, there is a catch to the cheap pizzas; you have to buy a beer as well. Ha!

The pizzas were generously sized, though some had more toppings than others. The Capricciossa had enough mushrooms for an army, while the four shrimp on the Seafood option were decidedly lonely. The beers on tap were well suited to the temperature and cuisine, James Squire Amber Ale matched the summer sun and relaxed feel of the venue.

The open plan and dining areas facing onto the open street provide for good ambience; watching all those indy people pass by on their way home from work in their tight jeans, vintage skirts and wayfarers is far more entertaining than anything on Go! or Foxtel at the same time!

The service was exceptionally quick, and the music well chosen for the time of evening. Definitely worth a return visit. If ever you can't be bothered cooking, head to the Derby!

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The Fellowship burned up some calories by doing some window shopping along Brunswick Street before stepping into the Lambs Go Barr (135 Greeves Street Fitzroy). Despite the Dad-pun name, the bar is the real deal, offering an impressive range of beers from around the world. Prices are not cheap, and there is no real cheap option with the tap beers at the same price as bottles, but you can't beat the novelty value and exotica of the menu. The staff are knowledgeable without being patronising, so ask for their recommendations if you can't decide on a beverage.

For those beer aficionados out there, there's sure to be several beers you haven't tried. Hughie prides himself on having sampled lot of beer but he hadn't seen a range this big outside of Dan Murphy's or King and Godfree's. You'll be hard pressed to go 'round the world' in a night at the Lambs Go Barr!

The layout of the bar makes it feel more like a houseparty than a bar, lots of small rooms with awkward furniture layout, and the pool room is small and tacky, but if you prefer a more intimate feel this is the place to be. It could be an easy place to become a regular, and it is nice to see that people can actually sit at the bar and engage with the bar tenders.

Verdict: Not the best place to get hammered, but if you have the time, discipline and cash to savour and appreciate your beers, a good Hump Day hangout. A good choice for when you want a place where you can talk and feel at home, while enjoying the best beers the world has to offer.