Bars & Pubs
Navigating Melbourne's best bars, pubs, breweries and drinking holes
Time Out Bar Awards 2019: Winners
Melbourne's expectations on how good a bar snack can be just keep getting raised and met, and we're pushing the clock back further and further in this proudly 24-hour city. Our appetite for firewater has meant that no bar is complete without the inviting amber glow of a whisky collection front and centre. And our enthusiasm for a stiff drink has led us to challenge the weather gods with even more rooftop bars. Let's raise a glass to this incredible city, the ace bartenders who make us feel welcome and the drinks that keep us coming back time again. It's what makes Melbourne the nation's most fun place to be after dark. And now, it gives us great pleasure to present the 2019 Bar Award winners...Time Out thanks Urban Alley, Malibu, Perrier, Winterhalter and Waterford for making these awards possible. Brought to you by Powered by Eventbrite
The 50 best pubs in Melbourne
Pubs are as integral to Melbourne as trams and coffee – a supporting beam in the architecture of our great city, and one from which to hang other fundamentals of our character like music, food and footy. The pubs below are the ones that stand out as supporters of that culture. Some of them have been named among Melbourne's best live music pubs or best pubs to watch the AFL, too. We hope you have as much fun exploring Melbourne's pub scene as we do. Bottoms up!
The best bottomless brunches in Melbourne
Going out for breakfast is a prized cultural tradition in Melbourne, and adding a drink to the mix is a sure-fire way to make the most of your weekend hours. Make those drinks free flowing and you’ve got a party on your hands. But not all bottomless brunches are made equal, so we put our stomachs and livers on the line to road test Melbourne’s best. Just want the food? Here are Melbourne's top cafés for your morning pit stop. Just want the booze? Try these 50 ace bars. Recommended: The 50 things to do in Melbourne before you die.
Where to drink right now
The best late-night bars in Melbourne
Just because it's the small hours and you're up for a drink, it doesn't mean you want to be yelling over the music in a nightclub. Thankfully, there's plenty of places in Melbourne to enjoy a quiet(ish) beverage until sunrise – and with the 24-hour public transport network operating on weekends, it's easier than ever to get home. For more nocturnal fun, check out our guide to late-night bottle shops and late-night dining.
The best bars for drinking alone in Melbourne
Look, we're not here to judge. Maybe you just want to treat yourself to a little alone time and a good bottle of wine, or maybe you've clocked off early and need to kill some time before meeting up with friends. Maybe you're freelancing and coffee just isn't going to cut it any longer (oh yeah, we've been there). Whatever the reason, here's where to get a cheeky bevvy on your own in Melbourne. For more ideas, check out our guides to Melbourne's best wine bars, cocktail bars and hidden bars.
The best-late-night eats in Melbourne
Our fair city wears the mantle of ‘Late Night Champion’ with pride. Nowhere else in the country can you party at all hours, and then go out for a civilised meal into the bargain. These are the best late-night eats to keep the pep in your party step for nights when you need to soak up some of those high spirits, or maybe you’re just not ready for the night to be over. For more late-night antics, peruse our guides to Melbourne's best late night bars, nightclubs and bars for dancing.
The best bars in Melbourne
The best whisky bars in Melbourne
Whisky (or whiskey, if you prefer the American varietals) isn't just for hardcore drinkers with stomachs of steel. There are so many types of whiskies – from dark smokey drams to smoother malts – that all a drinker needs to do is find one that suits their individual palate. One of the fastest ways to do this is to find a bar with staff who know how to make a great recommendation. Still thirsty? Here are Melbourne's 50 best bars and the best places to drink a decent cocktail.
The best laneway bars in Melbourne
It's pretty safe to say that the more difficult a Melbourne bar is to locate, the better it is (once you're finally in there). Knowing where to find drinking institutions like EDV and Lily Blacks is pretty much a prerequisite for all cocktail-loving locals. For an even closer look into the city's bar culture, browse our guides to Melbourne's best wine bars, whisky bars and cocktail bars.
Choose your favourite drink
Melbourne's drinking hotspots
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Win the ultimate trip to Dark Mofo with Spirit of Tasmania
Every year, Hobart comes alive with Dark Mofo, the weird and wonderful festival by the city's Museum of Old and New Art (Mona). Whether you consider yourself a first-timer or veteran of the winter celebration, this is one trip you won't want to sleep on. Spirit of Tasmania, the official travel partner of Dark Mofo, is giving away the ultimate weekend getaway in Hobart and one lucky winner will get to bring three mates along with them. Dark Mofo has become the modern equivalent to winter solstice rituals, with its annual programming of gigs, feasts, exhibitions and free installations accompanied by popular events like the fiery eight-night Winter Feast, late-night parties and of course the Nude Solstice Swim. What better way to start the experience than by travelling to Tassie via the Spirit of Tasmania? All you have to do for a chance to win is to tell us why you'd like to party at Dark Mofo and why Spirit of Tasmania is the best way to get there. The winner will receive a return trip on Spirit of Tasmania for four adults, departing Melbourne on Friday June 14 and returning from Devonport on Monday June 17. You'll get to share a four-bed porthole cabin, a car spot on the ship, and eight dinner vouchers for the Tasmanian Market Kitchen onboard the ship. Don't worry about finding somewhere to stay in Hobart, because you'll also receive two nights' accommodation in Hobart for June 15-16. Been kicking yourself over missing those sold-out events at Dark Mofo? If you win this
Creative State Summit
How can artists and the creative sectors step up and make an impact on the most challenging issues of our time? How can creativity influence public debate and discourse? And how can the arts be the kind of gamechanger it always sets out to be? If you’re working in arts and culture (or hoping to forge a creative career), then get ready to grapple with these questions (and a whole lot more) at Creative Victoria’s third Creative State Summit. Held over two days at Melbourne Museum, the summit is an opportunity to hear from and meet some of the most innovative minds in the city and beyond, working across arts, culture, screen and design. Your ticket gets you access to the entirety of the two-day program, the theme of which is 'What's Next'. That question is more important now for creative professionals than ever, as technological and geopolitical changes shape the world at breakneck speed. Speakers at this year's event include Maxine Doyle, associate director of the UK's Punchdrunk and co-creator of Sleep No More; Nancy Bennett, creative director of Two Bit Circus in the US; Tara Mckenty, creative director of Google APAC; and Tamasein Holyman co-founder of Immersive Cinema, Mistress of Make-Believe, Underground Cinema and Secret Squirrel Productions. And that’s just scratching the surface; visit the website for full details. This Creative State Summit is produced by REMIX Summits and is part of Creative Victoria’s Creative State program – a $115 million strategy launched in A
Alexander Calder: Radical Inventor
It’s not an exaggeration to say Alexander Calder changed the face of modern art. Known as “the man who made sculpture move”, his gravity-defying mobiles are instantly recognisable. Now, in conjunction with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the National Gallery of Victoria presents the first retrospective of Calder’s work at an Australian public institution. Bringing together more than 100 of the artist’s works, from childhood pieces to three-dimensional wire portraits and the mobiles and “stabiles” (grounded sculptures) with which he made his name, at the heart of the exhibition will be an immersive canopy display of Calder’s hanging mobiles, including 'Jacaranda' (1949), and the landmark 'Black Mobile with Hole' (1954).
12 amazing holidays that will earn you Qantas Points to use towards your next one
It’s right about now, towards the middle of working year, that you’re probably craving a getaway. But before you rush to book accommodation on your usual go-to booking platform, stop to consider this: you could be earning Qantas Points for every dollar you spend^ on hotels. And you can use those points to book your next getaway. Qantas Hotels has more than 200,000 hotels to book internationally. They also have a Price Match Guarantee* so you never need to worry about paying more for your stay. So whether you’re taking the family on that dream trip, seeking a romantic retreat for you and your squeeze, celebrating with a group of your besties or living the high life at a hotel that everyone has heard of, book it through Qantas Hotels – and your Qantas Points balance will have the same healthy post-vacation glow as you do.