The majority of the wine list, except for a literal handful of wines, are low-intervention wines that have either received extended skin contact, have been aged in amphora, have little to no sulfur added to the bottle, or are several of these things all at once. Melburnians never needed the succession of big international awards to know that the Black Pearl is where you go for a bloody good cocktail – though undoubtedly those accolades benefited the travellers who now flock to the bar as a checklist destination. This massive outdoor eatery and beer garden sandwiched between two Melbourne icons (the Yarra River and Flinders Street Station) stretches for 120 metres along the river bank and is officially Melbourne’s longest bar. The city’s oldest pub has a secret. These are the best places for groups seeking bars & clubs in Melbourne: Which places provide the best bars & clubs in Melbourne for travellers on a budget? Looking for a bit of kitsch, tongue-in-cheek fun? Melbourne’s reigning bar barons Michael and Zara Madrusan are pros at recreating these tiny universes, first giving us golden age classiness at the, , then rowdy breakouts of song at rock’n’roll dive. Take your time perusing Simon Denman’s 20-page wine list, peppered with natural beauties, impressive imports and little-known locals. The Wall Street, for example, brings together surprisingly delicious sandalwood-infused bourbon with Martini Rubero and maple syrup. Occupying an old bank vault in the CBD, this bar has a Harry Potter feeling that’s rare in Melbourne. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Bars & Pubs in Melbourne, Victoria: Find Tripadvisor traveller reviews of Melbourne Bars & Pubs and search by price, location, and more. We’ve never been to a pub that serves over 300 low-intervention and biodynamic wines alongside 12 tap beers and a super-slick menu cooked over coals with a South African inflection before, but we like it. They're nailing the cosy neighbourhood style in an area heavy on options. But if that doesn’t grab you, leave your drink in the hands of the supremely capable bar staff, who'll ask you what you're craving and pour something appropriate, be that an Americano or a craft beer. We’re burrowing underground at their Paris-via-New York brasserie Bar Margaux, a place where oysters are shucked, Champagne popped and steaks sizzled until the tiniest of hours. Pull up a stool at the long bar and get stuck into the tight but super engaging list of wines by the glass. This debate has divided Melbourne’s locals since Federation square was opened in 2002. 2. The tongue-in-cheek drinks list doesn't skimp on the double entendre, with plenty of mention of jugs, balls and oral pleasure. As expected, the Dark and Stormy is a crowd-pleaser, much like this dependable bar itself. Unless you have the metabolism of a nine-year-old, and the finances of a Kardashian, you never stand a chance against Melbourne's ferocious dining machine. Cocktails are also given reverential treatment, peppered with yuzu citrus, umeshu (plum wine) and shochu (grain spirit), carefully prepared with science-lab beakers, stirrers and fine Riedel glassware. Techniques commonly associated with kitchens are front and centre – fermenting, smoking, clarifying – and the results are often thrilling. more. Wear your best socks if you plan on staying a while at Hihou. There's no drink... Meyers Place. A grande dame of the Melbourne bar scene, this louche, basement-level cocktail lounge has been keeping people loose and liquored for just shy of 20 years. ‘Fed’ Square is a paradox- Melbourne’s 2nd most popular tourist attraction with 9 million visitors in 2011, and a complex often voted one of the world’s ugliest buildings or attractions. Cherry is pretty much the best rock n’ roll bar in the world. Except us, that is. Confused? The only rule about each drop here is that it must be a superlative example of its style. We already have this email. Anyone wanting to humour their assertion could simply point to a wine list that changes like a chameleon and where low-interventionism is the north star. The beautiful people of Collingwood gather to chat in the moody recesses of the black-painted space, lit by a giant, glowing picture of the eponymous heavenly orb. If devilled eggs and kick-ass Prosecco aren’t enough to chill you out, the calm, casual and ultra-knowledgeable service will help. Owners Almay Jordaan and Simon Denman are describing their East Brunswick wine bar spinoff, Old Palm Liquor, as a pub. A city cannot have too many places like Arlechin. We're fortunate here in Melbourne to have everything from world-beating cocktail lounges to down-and-divey saloons to quench our neverending thirst. If the purpose of a local bar is to reflect its neighbourhood, then Tetto di Carolina obviously got the memo. Bar Open Bar Open is on 317 Brunswick St. Melbourne loves playing hard to get, particularly when it comes to its bar scene. . 20 Best Rooftop Bars in Melbourne Top 50 Bars in Melbourne. Above all, these bars have one thing in common: they are the very best this fine drink-swilling city has to offer. With a few drinks under your belt, the swathes of velvet, tapestry and animal print take on a bordello-chic vibe, and the admittedly wallet-stinging prices don’t hurt nearly as much. Sure, a chat with Lambert will help you determine if you’re after a classic or a signature cocktail (all $21), but you’re also getting a little bit of his life story with every drink he dispenses from the bar that is the heart and control centre of this tiny bar. But Seb Costello, owner of Bad Frankie’s – a cocktail bar stocking only Australian spirits – had been on the native train years. Their real showstopper is the out-of-this-world whisky and cheese flights that match 2016’s favourite spirit with cave-aged English Cheddar and 1,000-day-old Gouda. Kieran Hoop is the man in charge of the kitchen, and dishes change almost daily according to produce that is in season. O.My Bar seats 16, split between a high communal table and a handful of window seats in a simple, black-painted room with walnut furniture in the old Beaconsfield post office, where the feature is a Tom Samek artwork of a man sniffing wine inherited by Chayse Bertoncello (owner and sommelier) from Ramblr (RIP) due to his loyal patronage. 1. Others take pride of place in some of our most popular guides, like Melbourne's best cocktail bars, wine bars and rooftop bars. Named after the North-Eastern region of China, Manchuria is located in the heart of Melbourne’s historic Chinatown. Minimal-intervention, biodynamic and organic wines form the backbone of this commendable selection, and staff are only too happy to help you dip your toes into unfiltered territory. 1. Music is front and centre, with a collection of records pumping out of Funktion One speakers specifically installed to fill the room with one of the most enjoyable soundtracks we’ve come across in a bar. Designed by Walks 101 founder “American” John, the laneway bars tour takes you on a three hour journey of drinks discovery around central Melbourne. Sure, the wine list is a massive 200 bottles long, with a few bin ends, but the staff are helpful enough to decipher it for you. Beaconsfield isn’t exactly a destination suburb. No matter how long Melburnians have resided here, they will never know of every bar. To keep things interesting there's live jazz every Tuesday from 7:30pm with Opium Jazz, live R&B every Thursday from 9pm with Shaolin Funk, and DJs spinning lounge, R&B, pop, and disco every Saturday from 9pm with Shanghai’d. It seems more like some kind of lab where you get to play guinea pig to their scientist. Now, it’s one of the worst kept secrets in Melbourne. It’s reported that Nick Cave once frequented Prudence, but the bar-staff insist he actually drank at the grungy local across the road. A constant across lists of be best rooftop bars in Melbourne, the aptly named Rooftop Bar is located in 7th floor digs right in the heart of the CBD on Swanston Street. Best Bars In Melbourne. It’s no secret that the hospitality industry is a huge producer of waste. Think about those plastic straws, empty bottles, plastic-wrapped napkins, cardboard coasters, paper menus and food waste. The Everleigh opened its doors on July 4th 2011. The Madame seems intent on making you blush, but chances are that rosy glow will be thanks to the sunshine and booze-sloshed cocktails. You’d be forgiven for thinking the big, leather bound list at Cumulus Up is full of untouchable museum bottles that you’d never crack for casual drinks. Siglo Bar – upstairs, 2/161 Spring Street . Mezcal is a dangerous thing. It’s a misnomer to label Hats and Tatts just a frat bar. The drinks, made and served by a fleet of staff swaddled in crushed linen, are highly original and highly delicious in equal parts. This tiny bar lives in Melbourne’s old red-light district. Flipping through, you’ll find a long but impressively engaging and easy to use guide to wine varietals, and most sit nicely in the $50-$100 range, well worth it if you’re after more than a glass or two. Hide Map. Don’t be. If every neighborhood had a Gerald’s, no one would ever again venture far from home. The list of wines by the glass is a good balance of approachable and more out-there natural stuff, with a slant towards Alsatian styles. Techniques commonly associated with kitchens are front and centre – fermenting, smoking, clarifying – and the results are often thrilling. Cherry is the only business located in world famous AC/DC Lane Melbourne (off Flinders Lane and between Russell and Exhibition Streets) right in the heart of the Melbourne business district. Whisky and Alement. A place that can make you strong coffee and a croque madame in the morning, send you away with a fresh baguette for lunch, and welcome you back for wine as the sun shimmies under the horizon. The rooftop bar component of the Carolina complex on Toorak Road that includes Bar Carolina and Cantina Carolina is smooth, suave, expensively dressed and comfortably luxurious. This disruptive, all-standing, ten-person cocktail bar is modelled after the stand-up Italian cafés where you have a lean, an espresso, a pastry, and quickly leave. Served on the rocks, it’s a drink that teeters on the edge of overkill but rescues itself with its clean sense of purpose. The long bar has eight of the comfiest stools around; two-person booths run the length of the wall, while the next room holds private six-person booths looking out over the busy street. We’re burrowing underground at their Paris-via-New York brasserie Bar Margaux, a place where oysters are shucked, Champagne popped and steaks sizzled until the tiniest of hours. Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! The majority of the wine list, except for a literal handful of wines, are low-intervention wines that have either received extended skin contact, have been aged in amphora, have little to no sulfur added to the bottle, or are several of these things all at once. Raw beef is diced and mixed with capers and Dijon for a velvety texture, ready to be scooped mouthward by crisps of dehydrated polenta and sweet caramelised onion. And we haven’t even got to the impeccable drinks list yet. 7 of the Best Bars in Melbourne 1. You can also find out more about how Time Out makes recommendations and reviews bars here. The drinks riff on classics and lean towards the infused and the herbal. Tetto’s conservative in its choices, but in a way that’s dependable, not old fashioned. Whether it’s wine, cider, cocktails, whisky, vermouth or even housemade soda, every item on the long menu is carefully curated, the variety and quality on offer hard to overstate. This kitsch, cutesy rooftop promises a raucous garden party in the heart of the city. For the uninitiated, walking into a tiny sandwich shop and yanking open their refrigerator door seems rude, but that’s how you get to the rum cocktail bar out the back. Beneath the sexily arched cork-lined ceiling lurks a place that feels like a subterranean clubhouse. You’ll recognise Bodega Underground from the ominous red neon glow on the corner of Crossley and Little Bourke streets. It’s all tucked-away laneway locations and a maddening lack of signage. Is Embla first and foremost a wine bar? We've chosen Melbourne's best bars, whether you're after a killer craft beer or a textbook cocktail. Try another? At Denton Wine Bar, he's offering a bottle shop service and an unfussy but precisely cooked menu of just six items (seven, if you include the special) that he describes as “food you’d get if your friend invited you over for dinner and isn’t a shit cook”. 30 April 2020. The staff make them with expert precision; Americano has produced some of the city’s best bartending talents. On the western side of the city, more known for its office blocks, State of Grace is popular with the work crowd. Hats and Tatts doesn’t fit the mould of being a steak-driven South Melbourne pub. In a roomy Preston warehouse, Jamsheed’s urban winery and cellar door – the Victorian label’s first permanent home – presents more like a divey brewery (in the best sense). There are naked concrete floors, sparse industrial-chic furnishings, stacks of barrels strewn about the place, a … A party-starting bar, with a rooftop, smack in Chinatown – what business does Union Electric have being really, really, good? One of Melbourne's first laneway bars, Meyers Place Bar is a simple space with an intelligent aspect. From the 1930s gentlemen’s clubs of Philadelphia to the classy small bars of Florence and the beaches of Brazil, the cocktails seduce you with curious backstories, but it’s the skill of the staff here that seals the deal. Déjà vu! To drink at Liberty is to revel in the best of all booze. The Imperial. Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDrinkList. There’s no better place than Madame Brussels ’... Eau de Vie. Behind the long bar there's a huge wall of 26 rotating taps to keep your attention piqued. But it isn’t just the jazzy soundtrack, private booths and staff clad in waistcoats that are the drawcard. Bad Frankie is a true-blue Aussie bar that puts jaffles, community sporting trophies and smart spirits utilising native ingredients next to each other. 02 March 2021. Orange tassel-covered lampshades, blue painted brick, disco balls and cabaret curtains are a refreshing change from the minimalist blond wood and prohibition-style bars littered around Fitzroy. Believe it or not, it is a hit. Yep. Many of them are Time Out Bar Awards winners. If you’re a true Melburnian, you’ve got the bar you go to play pool at, the bar with a solid wine list, the bar that can mix you a good drink, and the bar you go to just to smash a decent beer. Previously you had to shell out north of $200 for a bottle, but at Whisky and Alement suddenly you could buy it by the nip and get a taste of the high life for fewer dollars than your weekly rent. No one is greasing the wheels with pints of Carlton or tangy Yellowglen – they’re using organic, small producer and minimal intervention wines from across our wide brown land. You should eat here, too. Whisky and Alement has been paving Melbourne nights with precious amber distills since 2010. Enjoying that wine? This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Australia. Paradise Alley is all these things and more. In one corner, you have Con Christopoulos, the powerhouse restaurateur with City Wine Shop, The European, Syracuse, Neapoli, Spring Street Grocer, Kirk’s, Kirk’s Wine Bar, French Saloon and Butchers Diner under his belt. Not content to sit pretty on tried-and-tested masterpieces, the list is always on the move, keeping step with moods and seasons. Royal Standard Hotel. Romeo Lane. BY Eliza Sholly. It’s more refined than raucous, and Melbourne is all the better for it. A glance at the back bar will make your jaw drop with one of Melbourne’s biggest and best collection of luxury and novel spirits. It is known as an intimate bar serving classic... 2. But persevere, and your reward is a crew where friendliness and passion ripple throughout, from the young guns on the taps to the folks in the wine shop. This northern star delights with its vintage-chic décor, prime footpath tables, and service that is at once switched on and supremely relaxed. It’s a handsome space of rich timbers, mounted deer heads and a broad deck lined with salvaged coffee tables, a beaten peacock-blue sofa and deep wooden banquettes. Cookie. All this sustainability doesn’t compromise the cocktails on offer. Last updated . Had a drink at somewhere on this list and loved it? These are the best places for groups seeking bars & clubs in Melbourne: Kingpin Crown. There should be another word for what Byrdi is doing. Best Bars in Melbourne Black Pearl. Galah’s point of entry might be a bottle-o, but a cursory squiz at the shelves neatly stacked with Si Vintners and cloudy pet-nats is your first indication that this bar is more bougie than bogan. In one corner, you have Con Christopoulos, the powerhouse restaurateur with. That’s a quintessentially Melbourne question of existential proportions, up there with “Will the Demons win the flag this year?”. The tables and stools are more cantina than bar, and the prime place to be is perched up at the counter. Not so. These guys were also the first to have access to the limited-edition and crazy expensive Scotch Malt Whisky Society single cask bottlings – look for the dark green bottles with white labels and number codes in place of distilleries. Bar doesn’t quite cut it, despite the fact that dispensing booze is at the core of what it does. When Kirk’s opened in 2015 it immediately felt like a substantive thread in our city’s fabric, with its familiar, lived-in feel, confident service and mature wine list. Manchuria. In the other, you have Georgina O’Connor, one of Melbourne’s best-dressed, Gen-Y artist types, who is the ultimate cool girl. But that’s being humble. Years have passed, but it feels as essential as ever, proving that a classic wine bar, done well, never goes out of fashion. That’s what they’d like you to think they are. The Melbourne bar scene is full of hidden gems. Now when you exit the lift onto level four of the building at 264 Swanston Street you’re funnelled down a hallway panelled in frosted glass. It's a timeless venue that is still very much one of the nicest drinking experiences in Melbourne. On paper, it is an odd pairing, but together, they’ve brought the sometimes low-key, always pumping Angel Music Bar to the CBD where the old Korova Milk Bar used to be. Scratch the surface and you’ll find a whisky collection more than 100 deep, some of the best cocktail making in Melbourne, and taps that pour a lot more than just beer. The Croft Institute is one of the best secret bars Melbourne has to offer. The Everleigh. The Wall Street, for example, brings together surprisingly delicious sandalwood-infused bourbon with Martini Rubero and maple syrup. Angel Music Bar is the meeting of two very different minds. Tetto’s conservative in its choices, but in a way that’s dependable, not old fashioned. Like all good hosts, these guys have a catalogue of recipes squirrelled away from former menus and the canon of classics, so all you need do is list off some keywords and they’ll magic up something delicious. Melbourne Central Lion Hotel Best CBD Bars Melbourne CBD. It’s not easy, but it means something to owners Marc Frew and Josh Hunt. This will prove particularly helpful as service is all at the bar, keeping in line with those casual vibes. The tongue-in-cheek drinks list doesn't skimp on the double entendre, with plenty of mention of jugs, balls and oral pleasure. The wine list is intelligent and balanced, sitting proudly next to a large collection of aperitifs, sherries and ports that are forcing Gen Y to change the way they drink. Which experiences are best for bars & clubs in Melbourne? Bartronica. Sure, it’s a dive bar, but it isn’t a hovel. If the purpose of a local bar is to reflect its neighbourhood, then Tetto di Carolina obviously got the memo. The space has been completely redesigned from its somewhat awkward, fairy tale-themed predecessor. Popping into Jungle Boy (out back of Boston Sub) for a tiki drink is not unlike stepping through a portal that takes you from bustling Windsor to a little pocket of the tropics. Ends and Means opened with a vision of being a low-waste and sustainable cocktail bar, and true to its word, it produces less than one bag of landfill a day. Above Board. Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDrinkList. They’ve got Espresso Martinis and Aperol Spritz on tap for quick-fire service so you can spend more time kicking back and less queueing, otherwise the juicy tang and fresh kick in the Tommy’s Watermelon Margarita is a just reward for your patience. Gerald’s is and always has been bursting with personality: convivial, boisterous, eccentric, but at the same time, utterly approachable with a flawless soundtrack and a poster of a young Michael Caine watching over you. Eau de Vie was once one of those hidden bars that would take you a good chunk of time to find. Behind an unmarked door, hidden away on Melbourne’s Malthouse alley, is the … But O.My Bar is here catering to the dozens of people who travel south-east to eat at O.My’s restaurant and the locals who have been dying to try something they can’t purchase from their local Dan’s. There are only a hand full of seats, and all of them face the drinks action where Lambert is putting the art back in artisanal. The cocktail bar downstairs from the Goldilocks rooftop is just plain-and-simple good. 15 Best Bars in Melbourne Gerald's Bar Arrow. Specialising in cocktails, Romeo Lane has taken out a spate of awards, including Timeout's 'Bar of the Year' Award. C ontact: 00 61 3 9416 2229; theeverleigh.com Opening times: … Melbourne’s summer hotspot is brought to you by the team behind Fancy Hank's, and the vibe at this rooftop bar is a little bit Palm Springs, with pink signage and pastel blue paintwork. It seems more like some kind of lab where you get to play guinea pig to their scientist. Everyone loves gossip and his tunes are belted out alongside Tom Waits’ anyway. Peppered with quotes from booze-loving literary figures, the leather-bound menu reads like a love letter to sugar-cane spirit. Bar doesn’t quite cut it, despite the fact that dispensing booze is at the core of what it does. Given the divey, cobbled-together feel of the place, with its mélange of disco lights, wooden venetians, floppy pot plants and bolted spinny stools (from a previous life in front of the pokies at Brunswick RSL), you’d be forgiven for low expectations for the pizzas. Leonard’s House of Love. Craft beer, good wine, better spirits and great cocktails are the big draws here. This suave cocktail bar is consistently recognised in global polls, and for good reason. Below is a list of the top and leading Bars in Melbourne. Decked out with AstroTurf, parasols and pastel-pretty timber furniture, this sky-high hub has long been a favourite for summer sessions that kick off in the afternoon and end after midnight. Their drinks list is more 'book' than 'list' – half an inch thick, bound and so sought-after (and regularly stolen) they've started selling them for $15 a pop. Arlechin is open 5pm until late Tuesdays to Saturdays and the sort of place where you always have a great (and often late) night. Romeo Lane is an intimate laneway bar promising a fun night out without the sexual proclivity. Tucked away in one of Footscray’s dilapidated strips and surrounded by internet cafés and discount clothing shops, it’s easy to miss. The best table is at the bar, where genuine conversation and a few mixology tips are always bound to arise. Loch and Key is hidden up a rickety staircase, behind a bookcase in the Captain Melville bar. 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Yep. Here you can perch up at the bar with a Hemingway Spritz, the long, cool, love child of a grapefruit and maraschino Daiquiri and Italy’s beloved afternoon refresher. Bottoms up! The Imperial boasts being one of the oldest and best sports bars in Melbourne CBD. EDV backs it up with some serious drinks and also a bit of flair. Bar Tini is inspired by the Spanish bodegas you stumble upon by accident: where sherry and vermouth flow freely, cured legs of Iberico pigs are an acceptable meal, and premium seafood comes out of a can. Served on the rocks, it’s a drink that teeters on the edge of overkill but rescues itself with its clean sense of purpose. If there’s one word that could describe Cumulus Up, it’s balance: refinement without haughtiness; variety without intimidation; and quality without extravagance. A white from Georgia, served in big, delicate glassware, is salty, chalky and tastes pleasantly like underripe cantaloupe.