Why Edgars Has The Best Friday Meat Raffle In Canberra.
(And Why It Beats Going To A Club Every Time)
There are not many proper pubs left doing a genuine meat raffle. Somewhere along the way the tradition drifted off to the big clubs, the ones with pokie rooms, neon carpets, and that unmistakable air of “Well, I guess we’re here now”. Walking into a club on a Friday night for a raffle can feel a bit like accidentally attending a school assembly. Efficient, sure, but hardly the vibe you imagined when you said “let’s grab a drink after work”.
That is exactly why the Friday meat raffle at Edgars stands out. This is the classic pub version, the way it is meant to be. Loud, fun, slightly chaotic, and packed with locals who actually want to be there. If you have ever searched best meat raffle Canberra or Friday meat raffle near me, this is the place that makes you glad you did not settle for a club-style buzzkill.
The night starts warming up around four as happy hour kicks in. The after work crowd grabs the first round, people claim their usual spots, and the pub shifts into weekend mode. By six o clock the real heartbeat of the night begins. Tickets go on sale, and you can feel the room lean in. There is something genuinely thrilling about holding a strip of raffle tickets, knowing your fate could be sealed by the butcher gods.
And these trays are worth leaning in for. Edgars partners with the Ainslie IGA, home to some of the best butchers in the inner north. This is not mystery meat or freezer filler. These are proper, generous trays with quality cuts that make people grin when they win. Every Friday there are three big trays up for grabs, each one stacked with the kind of meat you actually want to cook on the weekend.
The draws happen twice. Once at seven and once at eight, keeping the energy rolling all night. You will see every type of raffle personality in the room. The confident optimist. The ticket hoarder. The mate who never wins but insists tonight is his night. The table that claims they “don’t even care” and then absolutely erupts when their number gets called. It is pub culture at its finest.
And then there are the special weeks. Those nights where Edgars decides to go completely overboard and put up six to eight trays. A few weeks back there was a premium Rangers Valley tray stacked on top of the regular IGA trays and the place absolutely lost it. Those are the nights people talk about for weeks.
What gives the Edgars meat raffle its charm is that it still feels like a real pub event. No sterile rooms. No machine buzz in the background. No club announcements that sound like you are being summoned to a dentist appointment. Just a packed pub, good beer, good meat, and the kind of laughter that only happens when strangers high five each other over a tray of sausages.
Happy hour from four to six makes rolling straight into the raffle a no brainer. Grab a pint, grab your tickets, and enjoy the shift from after work drinks to full blown Friday night energy. And if you want your own table locked in, you can book ahead so you are not left hovering in the hallway when the first tray gets announced.
If you want the best meat raffle in Canberra, it is right here. Not in a club. Not surrounded by pokies. Not under fluorescent lighting that makes everyone look like they forgot to live a little. A proper raffle, in a proper pub, with proper meat and proper fun.
Come for the trays. Stay for the chaos. Start your weekend the way it was meant to start.