Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
For a city that boasts the largest Greek population outside of Greece and Cyprus, Melbourne’s Hellenic dining scene has long felt like it was coasting. Until recently, it was defined by the legacy of first-generation operators – dependable, nostalgic, but not exactly dynamic. That tide has shifted. A new wave of young Greek-Australian restaurateurs is breathing fresh life into the genre. And among the earliest and most quietly influential is Capers.
Run by the second generation of the family behind GRK Greek Kitchen and Bar next door, Capers channels the charm of yiayia’s house with the energy of a dive bar. An impressive line-up of DJs and community-driven events – many spotlighting Greek artists – help bridge the old world with a new generation. Out back, a bamboo-covered courtyard (a holdover from the venue’s previous incarnation) has become one of the best spots northside for a dance and a drink without the commitment of a full-blown night out.
Inside, the mood shifts. The dimly lit front bar offers cosy nooks for dates and low-key dinners, with a walk-up bar model that keeps things relaxed. While reservations are available, turning up early often secures you a seat.
The menu celebrates home-style Greek dishes with a contemporary, often plant-based, twist. Mains hover around the $25 mark, each one a...
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June 2025 update: Lights, camera, action! Bianchetto’s super-popular series of movie nights series is back for winter and the first half of the program's screenings have been recently announced. After selecting the night and film you'd like to attend at the website, get excited to rug up, grab a friend and enjoy a classy night out of food, drink and quality cinema. Your $45.50 ticket includes a glass of Prosecco on arrival, Mister Bianco’s classic lasagne and house-made pizza shape favoured Italian popcorn, with optional extras available (think beer, wine, cocktails, more bar bites and larger dishes). Find out more here and make a booking.
- Lauren Dinse
The below review was originally written by David Allegretti in August 2024.
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
Kew, long known for its leafy streets and (let's just say it) well-to-do residents, has been crying out for a proper cocktail bar. Chef Joseph Vargetto, the mastermind behind Mister Bianco, has finally answered that call with Bianchetto. It's moody, it’s intimate and it feels like it was plucked from a Fellini film.
Stepping through the gold curtain that separates Bianchetto from its older sibling is like entering a different world. The room is dark. Very dark. So dark, in fact, that you might begin to ever so slightly panic that...
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May 2025 update: Phwoar, talk about a hot winter pub deal! The North Fitzroy Arms Hotel's legendary rendition of South Australia's famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) pie floaterr is now available every Tuesday for just $25. This ain't no servo sludge, but rather a delicious O'Connor's beef cheek and Guinness pie, served with pea soup, mash and the pub's yummo housemade tomato sauce.
Fun fact: did you know the original pie floater originated in Adelaide in the 1800s? It was sold from street carts as a beef or lamb pie in a pool of pea soup. Now in 2025, this pub is serving 500 of these bad boys a week! The recipe is a traditional one taken straight out of a Country Women's Association cookbook from the '30’s.
Pie Floater Tuesdays starts this winter, available weekly from 5pm.
- Lauren Dinse
Read on for my original review in November 2024.
*****
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
It’s almost as if a bunch of jaded publicans recently got together at a committee meeting and unanimously agreed: the old-school Aussie pub experience needs to come back. Such is the revival of the vintage pub (pubcore?) experience in Melbourne right now, one can’t help but muse at the irony of something built on reversing trends… well, becoming somewhat of a trend.
But hey, we’re not complaining. It’s about time you could once again get a proper VB or...
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
Melbourne's pub landscape is now awash with elevated offerings, harking back to the kitsch of old-school iterations – with cleaner plating and higher price tags. While there's certainly a time and place for ironic white tablecloths and fancy parmas, the Rochey is your spot if you're after a solid, no-frills pub experience.
Since opening in the '70s, the venue has undergone several transformations – it’s now operated by Castle Group, the team behind Arcadia, Green Man’s Arms, Añada, and Brewsmith – yet it’s always stayed true to its roots as a reliable spot for drinks and live music. Not much has changed, and that’s the point.
You’ll still find music upstairs, trivia on Wednesdays and a daily selection of specials. The $22 steaks and $25 Sunday roasts were tempting, but I went for the Monday night parma deal – $25 for a parma and a pot of house beer – because a) it’s great value and b) who else is open on a Monday?
“Had one parma, had ‘em all,” I usually think, but this one stood out with its thick, buttermilk-brined, panko-crusted chicken; high-quality ham; and the unexpected salty bits of what I think was pancetta mixed into the sauce.
The new owners pride themselves on their meat-free options, so the veggie burger was another natural choice. The smoky grilled mock meat patty won’t fool you for beef, but...
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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
Gigi’s Frenchy fare is playfully kitsch and glamorously cute. Gigi is fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s dressed to impress and targets a crowd who are keen to frock up, pay up and take plenty of pics. Pop in before heading across the road to sister restaurant Entrecôte, or make an afternoon out of it – we hear High Tea à la Gigi is now being served every Sunday from noon (expect free-flowing French bubbles and wines, and the likes of ribbon sandwiches, vol au vents, lemonade scones with creme chantilly and profiteroles).
Sitting pretty perched above Greville Street, Gigi talks a big game. The menu invites you to “indulge in a little mischief and escape into a sultry Parisian dream”. It promises thrills and secret-keeping, of being pulled into the shadows and losing track of time. Perhaps it happens to be a particularly tame evening on the Thursday night we visit, but the atmosphere in the quiet parlour doesn’t seem to quite match the description of being “a portal to a world where the night feels endless, and anything – everything – feels possible”. Nevertheless, whether in this world or elsewhere, Gigi is a perfectly pleasant place to yap over drinks and slices of warm baguette spread thick with French butter.
And we’ve got to give it to...
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
There's a reason that Albert’s Wine Bar has earned its reputation with locals as the spot to hang out. Just as the ideal neighbourhood wine bar should, it serves as the perfect place for a plethora of purposes: a leisurely lunch on a Saturday afternoon; an afterwork drink; a midweek catch-up over a quick but excellent meal. Bring your mates or your mum, bring a colleague or a first date, bring your pup to potter around the patio or even just a good book. Albert’s is achieving everything you expect from your local wine bar, plus a little more.
There's a warm and cosy feeling of subtle sentimentality that accompanies the moreish snacks and stylish drinks at Albert’s. Perhaps it's due to the light pattering of rain outside on the evening we visit, contrasted with the glowy warmth and convivial conversation inside. Or it might be owing to the feeling of palpable history pervading the place. That history itself is memorialised in this winner-of-a-wine-bar’s name: Albert’s Wine Bar is named for the famed Australian artist Albert Tucker, who presided nearby, and chose this wine bar’s home, a 19th century building tucked behind a heritage listed arcade, as the subject for one of his 1937 landscape paintings.
Spanning a tight but welcoming intimate bar space,...
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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
At my core, I’m a simple woman. I enjoy a fancy cocktail and love sharing small plates, but when it comes down to it, it’s the no-muss, no-fuss experience that really speaks to me. And beloved Abbotsford watering hole Lulie Tavern delivers exactly that: effortless dining and drinking, with zero fuss.
I'd be lying if I said I hadn't spent a few Saturdays here in my younger years — holed up in the always-buzzing front smokers' area or tucked in a corner, cradling a beer and some wings. But weekends at Lulie are a different ball game from the quiet Monday night I've turned up for dinner. The first thing I notice is how curated the space is. To be clear, I don't mean that in a contrived way, but rather, a curation of sensibility — every detail feels like a love letter to rock and roll, the '70s, music, food and good drinks. Tom Petty croons over the speakers, memorabilia covers the walls, and patrons chat to staff from the stools that line the bar while a disco ball spins slowly, casting flickers of light from the ceiling.
It’s a common refrain that most bars don’t hold up in the cold light of day. What feels sexy and cool at 3am becomes a horror show of sticky floors and mystery stains once the last drinks are called. But co-owners Jon-Lee Farrell and Brendan...
April 2025 update: Much-loved Lygon Street eatery and bar Heartattack and Vine turned 10 this year. They've been sharing some nostalgic throwback content on their Insta as of late, so take a walk down memory lane here. Congrats, guys!
- Lauren Dinse
Read on for our original review of Heartattack and Vine by Fred Siggins from 2016
*****
No offence, Lygon Street, but you needed some help. Heartattack and Vine is just the ticket - by Fred Siggins, November 2016
There’s a lot to like about Heartattack & Vine. Even if you’ve never set foot inside, you can appreciate a venue named after a Tom Waits album. And it feels like this is the place that Lygon St, needed. It's inspired by Italy, the country who’s immigrants gave Melbourne hospitality its heart, but unlike the old-school Italian cafes that define this strip of Carlton, Heartattack looks forward to a bright future of casual eating and drinking, not back to a nostalgic past.
The tiny shotgun venue manages to feel bright and open, with antique glass lights hanging from old metal window frames lending warmth and depth to the room. During the day it operates as a café, serving simple breakfasts, coffee, sandwiches and interesting options like a Spanish iced chocolate with hints of chili and orange for a spicy jaffa effect. But we’re here for a drink, and after dark they deliver in spades. Service is a bit cold and patchy at first, but as they ease into nighttime service, the crew relaxes and gets chatty about the trickle of...
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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
It’s hard to imagine a Melbourne where Apollo Inn doesn’t exist, such is the impact this handsome and swanky spot has had on the city’s bar scene in its short lifespan so far. Andrew McConnell’s first standalone cocktail bar – which swung open its leatherbound doors in June 2023 – has seamlessly settled into its location at McDonald House on Flinders Lane, maintaining a strong and steady stream of visitors nightly, all hoping to squeeze into one of just 30 highly coveted seats.
I’m reminded of its magic when I pop in on a Thursday evening with a friend from Sydney in tow. I’ve walked through the enormous doors, into the cosy waiting corridor and through the plush velvet curtains to the main bar a few times now, but there is still something special about sauntering in for the very first time – as evidenced by my pal’s “oohs” and “ahhs” as she films our grand entrance.
We snag the last two perches at the bar – in my opinion, there’s no better spot to sit at Apollo Inn than here – and let the cosy cocoon of warmth, chatter and the occasional clinking of glasses wash over us. The space is intimate and dimly lit, with gorgeous Art Deco details, teeny tabletop lamps and a splash of graffiti from Hosier Lane peeking in through the sheer curtains. “It’s just so...
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
It normally takes a lot for me to cross the river (yep, typical northsider I can hear you all saying), but if there’s one thing I can’t resist it’s the siren song of a slick and sexy wine bar. So it’s on a near 40-degree day that my partner and I find ourselves on High Street in Armadale, in desperate need of a cold drink and something to eat.
Auterra provides our sweet escape from the heat, and we slip into a table backed against the two-tone exposed brick wall. Located on a shopping strip chock-full of fancy designer boutiques, this unassuming (from the outside, at least) and unpretentious spot is the brainchild of chef-owner Clinton McIver, making it the little sibling of his highly regarded fine diner Amaru.
But while Amaru encourages you to go on an extravagant dining odyssey across multiple courses, Auterra is the chilled-out and charming companion – ideal for arvo wines, a cute date or long, lazy Sunday lunches.
Speaking of arvo wines, in the midst of umming and ahhing over a Tassie riesling or rosé from the Barossa, our waiter points to a note on the wine list about off-menu bottles on pour and suggests the day’s chosen tipple: Blind Corner’s ‘Orange *in Colour’ – a natty wine that can only be described as pure sunshine in a glass. Vibrant in...
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
On a Wednesday night, the Wesley Place precinct is anything but quiet. After dark, what should be a corporate ghost town transforms into one of the city's most coveted spots for a world-class cocktail.
Caretaker's Cottage, "probably" Victoria's smallest bar, has built a reputation that looms large. Being crowned the 21st best bar in the world on the 2024 World's 50 Best Bars list is just the tip of the Highball iceberg when it comes to accolades under its belt.
Once home to the caretaker of the nearby Wesley Church (it's in the name, people), the bar is the brainchild of cocktail heavyweights Rob Libecans, Ryan Noreiks, and Matt Stirling – the trio behind the beloved pop-up Fancy Free.
Whether it's a school night or not, customers spill out of the petite bluestone onto the concrete steps and nearby grassy patches. Inside, the vibe shifts. Step through the doorway, and it's like stepping into a house party, complete with a DJ spinning vinyl, warm lighting and long sheer curtains.
The space seats just 25, and that's part of the magic. If you're among those lucky 25, you're treated to an intimate cocktail theatre. The bar runs like a chef's pass, with bartenders churning out drinks at a pace that's impressive to watch but never rushed in experience.
As I'm...
Part of Andrew McConnell’s Trader House group, the Builders Arms is one of the more low-key venues in the Melbourne-only collection. You might head further up Gertrude Street to Cutler and Co for a finer-dine date night, or to Marion for a wine-focused long lunch; the Cumulus twins in the CBD are otherwise perfect for a business bite.
But the front bar of the Builders Arms still feels like the neighbourhood boozer it has been since 1853. It retains the historic shoulder-height yellow tiles now teamed with a simple dark wood floor and Art Deco-inspired hanging globes. There may be less of the titular tradies propping up the bar these days but it’s a mixed crowd and the welcoming bar staff continue to pump out pots and schooners faster than a six o’clock swill. There is a strong craft beer bent now, so expect Sydney’s Young Henrys, local brew Hawkers and Pirate Life on the ample taps.
You can order counter meals to eat at the high bar tables, but the real action is in the attached bistro that has been through a few changes of its own over the years. Under McConnell it began as Moon Under Water, then came Ricky & Pinky’s modern Chinese. Now, its European-leaning menu exists in a simply dressed room with banquettes along one wall and minimalist old pub touches like mounted stag antlers on cream-coloured walls.
The bistro menu is ‘just’ pub food in the same way that truffles are ‘just’ fungus. These are pub classics by name but delivered with balance and finesse by McConnell’s...
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When you first step into the stylish airlock entrance at Stokehouse, the transportation to another world is immediate. Suspended in the liminal space, the door behind you closes and the noisy buzz of St Kilda’s busy streets fades to a calming hum. A journey begins.
Up the stairs, we head to the first floor where the magic awaits. The host is attentive and charming from the outset, offering to take our coats and guiding us to our seats before introducing the other service staff who’ll be taking care of us for the night. But while impressed, we’re not really surprised.
This is Stokehouse, after all, a bastion of traditional hospitality and serene comfort since the early 1990s. But I want to know – after all this time, does the food and drink still stack up to the restaurant’s lofty reputation? Let’s find out.
During the day, Stokehouse’s broad, floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the glistening beach, flooding the dining space with rays of sun. At night, however, it’s a moodier setting, with warm lamps and designer chandeliers elevating the interior decor – a theatre for food and sea under the moonlight.
On this chilly evening, the beach is roaring as loudly as the wind is howling, and my partner and I are feeling cosy and romantic by the window. The only word for it is cinematic. After placing our orders, we’re paid a visit by the sommelier. He’s got drink suggestions to pair with our menu choices if we’re interested – of course, we are. A dry Tasmanian brut and a bright...
Update October 2024: This review was written in 2019, so please be aware that some elements may have changed since.
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
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. Tash Conte’s family-run bar has been a beacon of excellence for decades, and they’re the place many of us learnt how to appreciate a fine drink.
Not content to sit pretty on tried-and-tested masterpieces, their list is always on the move, keeping step with moods and seasons. All summer they’ve been leaning into a tropical, fun-loving theme, taking the tacky cocktails you’d get at an all-inclusive resort and reimagining them into serious contenders. You won’t find many world-renowned cocktail bars serving up a frozen Cosmopolitan, but here they do, made with proper, locally crafted curaçao to give depth and fragrance to the good-times drink. It’s the same kind of pluck that sees them doing an inspired bourbon-and-banana number in the Lady Finger, with citrus, Earl Grey and falernum lifting then tempering their burly flavours for a refreshing tipple that defies logic.
A true legend is a magnanimous one, and in this regard the Black Pearl stands...
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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
For a city that boasts the largest Greek population outside of Greece and Cyprus, Melbourne’s Hellenic dining scene has long felt like it was coasting. Until recently, it was defined by the legacy of first-generation operators – dependable, nostalgic, but not exactly dynamic. That tide has shifted. A new wave of young Greek-Australian restaurateurs is breathing fresh life into the genre. And among the earliest and most quietly influential is Capers.
Run by the second generation of the family behind GRK Greek Kitchen and Bar next door, Capers channels the charm of yiayia’s house with the energy of a dive bar. An impressive line-up of DJs and community-driven events – many spotlighting Greek artists – help bridge the old world with a new generation. Out back, a bamboo-covered courtyard (a holdover from the venue’s previous incarnation) has become one of the best spots northside for a dance and a drink without the commitment of a full-blown night out.
Inside, the mood shifts. The dimly lit front bar offers cosy nooks for dates and low-key dinners, with a walk-up bar model that keeps things relaxed. While reservations are available, turning up early often secures you a seat.
The menu celebrates home-style Greek dishes with a contemporary, often plant-based, twist. Mains hover around the $25 mark, each one a...
In Melbourne’s fast-paced hospo scene, it’s easy to take for granted the local haunts we frequent over the years and have come to know and love. Bright, shiny openings dominate our feeds, and, especially in the food space, there’s always somewhere new and compelling to visit. But some places seem to maintain an indistinguishable allure, bolstered by their persistence to keep things fresh and their loyal patrons happy – and judging by Marquis of Lorne’s consistently packed-out capacity since its 2014 refurbishment, it’s one of them.
In fact, we’re lucky to have even scored a spot on the Sunday arvo we visit – it’s the last dining table, fortuitously made available on the back of a cancelled booking. While it’s been a while since our last lunch here, we know the drill: hearty gastropub fare in a somewhat shabby-chic yet charming space, with a diverse drinks list that’s bound to get us feeling thirsty fast.
We start with a round of Stomping Ground pale ales on the small sunny rooftop. Up here, there’s a separate bar with a dedicated beer geek who gives us the scoop on a new exciting craft brewhouse opening in Richmond: Tasmania’s Fox Friday. We try a tipple (it’s great), before strolling down the creaky stairs to take our lucky place in the ground-floor dining room. The atmosphere is warm and buzzing, with large groups of families, friends and a smattering of cool kids sporting the latest haircuts (fluffy mullets must be trending right now) sharing meals over pints....
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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
An ol’ disco classic once preached to us that “young hearts run free”, and at this eclectic Windsor establishment, it seems they certainly do. So it’s quite fitting that the bar’s moniker quotes a lyric from soul singer Candi Staton’s 1976 record.
But is that what it takes to make a great bar? A feeling of letting your hair down? Freedom from the nine-to-five grind? If escapism into the glory days is central to the average Southside watering hole’s recipe for success, then yes, Young Hearts – a boozy enclave hidden upstairs from High Street – gets it right.
We’ve chosen a Saturday night to experience the bar in peak pre-drinks mode, and we’re not disappointed. Upon ascending the staircase, we’re warmly enveloped by its moody warehouse-like interiors. Hello, NYC apartment. Colourful wall-to-wall artworks showcase the latest exhibitor and a loft-style mezzanine floor looks cosy and chic upstairs. I almost feel like I could be in an episode of Sex and the City’s earlier seasons. Time to channel my inner Carrie.
My Mr Big? Well, I’ve brought along the boyfriend and luckily, he’s no flake when it comes to these sorts of missions. We’re here on business – to eat, drink and kick back. The centrepiece of the entire operation is a circular stage-in-the-round DJ...
You hear Manzé (Creole for 'eat') before you see it. Its cheerful Mauritian music floats out onto Errol Street in North Melbourne, setting the wine bar oceans apart from other venues on the strip, such as the grungy Town Hall Hotel or the British-inspired Courthouse Hotel. Chef Nagesh Seethiah opened Manzé’s doors in November 2021 to strong interest, with tables booking out completely in its debut month and often since then. It’s arguably Australia’s highest profile culinary representation of Mauritian cuisine, but as we come to find on our visit, that’s only the beginning of its appeal.
The service is calm and relaxed, a somewhat humorous contrast to the restaurant’s jaunty soundtrack – but perhaps our giggles are simply a symptom of giddy excitement at the night to come. By choice, we’re seated out in the street to soak up the tail-end glow of a sunny spring day. There’s an elegant arrangement of al fresco tables and chairs that make us feel like we’re on vacation, and it inspires my first choice of drink: a Grapefruit Spritz.
In a flash, it arrives the colour of a sunset in a tall wine glass with giant blocks of ice. I find it a little too syrupy from the housemade grapefruit cordial, but it’s fun and fruity with a gentle fizz from the sparkling wine. Just a dash more balance would set it right. My partner opts for a glass of Bandicoot Run’s 2022 chardonnay, a juicy Gippsland wine that’s been fermented in ceramic eggs. Slightly acidic with subtle notes of citrus rind,...
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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
How often is it in Melbourne that you walk into a bar on a Monday night and it’s almost completely full? No matter which ‘burb you happen to frequent, the answer is not very – as good an indication as any that Bar Bellamy is an exceptionally well-loved local. We’ve slipped in at around 7pm on the first day of the week, ready to immerse ourselves in the kind and charming spirit of this neighbourhood bar, which is named after an anglicised amalgamation of the French words ‘bel’ (beautiful) and ‘ami’ (friend).
Softly buzzing on leafy Rathdowne Street, Bar Bellamy immediately gets the ‘cool’ tick of approval; lighting is golden-warm and moody, the small space is cosy yet not at all squishy and tasteful custom artworks give the impression of a thoughtfully curated offering to come. The bar is run by married couple Danielle and Oska Whitehart, who together bring experience from a variety of popular Melbourne venues – Archie’s All Day, the Everleigh and Gimlet, to name just a few.
Martinis are known to be a specialty here, so we ask for one first off the bat.
We’re twiddling our thumbs for a little while but the wait is well worth it. The bang-on perfect Martini is far more interesting than your average stock standard, a creatively mixed blend of Never Never...
Whatever iteration Marion’s menu is in, one can never go past the flatbread with fromage blanc, a staple so universally adored it’s never left. Salt-speckled, garlicky wedges of dough give way to the most pillowy interiors, which go a treat when dipped in fresh cheese so smooth and spreadable it’s akin to a yoghurt.
Housemade seed-studded rye crisps are the standout accompaniment to the smoked trout rillette, a rich and creamy mixture that’s more textured than a pâté but just as indulgent. Be rewarded with chunks of fresh smoked trout layered within the rillette and fresh pops of roe atop, with the radishes doing a great job of cutting through everything with its mild pepperiness.
Every wine bar in Melbourne has a crudo, carpaccio or tartare on its menu and though Marion’s raw tuna goes by a simple name, it evokes the same feeling. Light, summery and zingy, the tuna is enlivened by a light soy dressing and the crunch of coriander seeds.
A smokiness assails our senses as soon as the baked pipe rigate is placed in front of us. Lightly charred snail shells soaked in a spicy vodka sauce so lustrous there’s cheese pull is what’s on offer, and it’s a worthy addition to Marion’s menu. A Father’s Day special when we visit is the immaculately crumbed veal cotoletta in a crispy sage butter with zucchini pickles. The veal within is tender and medium-rare pink. For a green side to your mains, the Ramarro Farm leaves sweetened by bursts of pickled wild figs is a highlight.
It’s...
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
On a Wednesday night, the Wesley Place precinct is anything but quiet. After dark, what should be a corporate ghost town transforms into one of the city's most coveted spots for a world-class cocktail.
Caretaker's Cottage, "probably" Victoria's smallest bar, has built a reputation that looms large. Being crowned the 21st best bar in the world on the 2024 World's 50 Best Bars list is just the tip of the Highball iceberg when it comes to accolades under its belt.
Once home to the caretaker of the nearby Wesley Church (it's in the name, people), the bar is the brainchild of cocktail heavyweights Rob Libecans, Ryan Noreiks, and Matt Stirling – the trio behind the beloved pop-up Fancy Free.
Whether it's a school night or not, customers spill out of the petite bluestone onto the concrete steps and nearby grassy patches. Inside, the vibe shifts. Step through the doorway, and it's like stepping into a house party, complete with a DJ spinning vinyl, warm lighting and long sheer curtains.
The space seats just 25, and that's part of the magic. If you're among those lucky 25, you're treated to an intimate cocktail theatre. The bar runs like a chef's pass, with bartenders churning out drinks at a pace that's impressive to watch but never rushed in experience.
As I'm...
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
In ancient Greece, Olympia was considered the valley of the gods. While Melbourne’s version – a wine and cocktail bar perched above the suburban bustle of Oakleigh’s main street – might not reach such divine heights, there’s something undeniably celestial about it that makes the name feel apt.
The venue is split between an indoor wine bar on the first level and a rooftop space that’s the real showstopper. Set atop a section of the carpark above Oakleigh Market, the open-air bar leans heavily into the area’s Greek heritage and the owners’ roots. Whitewashed walls, olive trees, and rustic accents evoke a classic Santorini taverna – though instead of ocean views and whitewashed cliffside homes, the outlook of power lines and palm trees are decidedly Melbourne.
We arrive outside of peak hours, but Olympia’s flexible setup lends itself to all occasions: casual lunches, afternoon drinks, or aperitivo, which began in Greece despite being popularised by Italy. As is common in Greek cuisine, dishes are designed to share, though Olympia opts for a small-plate format rather than the supersized portions typical of Oakleigh’s other Greek eateries. Don’t expect towering platters of grilled meats or hefty slices of moussaka. With the exception of the lobster and prawn rolls, most offerings fall squarely into the snack...
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Update October 2024: This review was written in 2019, so please be aware that some elements may have changed since.
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
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. Tash Conte’s family-run bar has been a beacon of excellence for decades, and they’re the place many of us learnt how to appreciate a fine drink.
Not content to sit pretty on tried-and-tested masterpieces, their list is always on the move, keeping step with moods and seasons. All summer they’ve been leaning into a tropical, fun-loving theme, taking the tacky cocktails you’d get at an all-inclusive resort and reimagining them into serious contenders. You won’t find many world-renowned cocktail bars serving up a frozen Cosmopolitan, but here they do, made with proper, locally crafted curaçao to give depth and fragrance to the good-times drink. It’s the same kind of pluck that sees them doing an inspired bourbon-and-banana number in the Lady Finger, with citrus, Earl Grey and falernum lifting then tempering their burly flavours for a refreshing tipple that defies logic.
A true legend is a magnanimous one, and in this regard the Black Pearl stands...
When you first step into the stylish airlock entrance at Stokehouse, the transportation to another world is immediate. Suspended in the liminal space, the door behind you closes and the noisy buzz of St Kilda’s busy streets fades to a calming hum. A journey begins.
Up the stairs, we head to the first floor where the magic awaits. The host is attentive and charming from the outset, offering to take our coats and guiding us to our seats before introducing the other service staff who’ll be taking care of us for the night. But while impressed, we’re not really surprised.
This is Stokehouse, after all, a bastion of traditional hospitality and serene comfort since the early 1990s. But I want to know – after all this time, does the food and drink still stack up to the restaurant’s lofty reputation? Let’s find out.
During the day, Stokehouse’s broad, floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the glistening beach, flooding the dining space with rays of sun. At night, however, it’s a moodier setting, with warm lamps and designer chandeliers elevating the interior decor – a theatre for food and sea under the moonlight.
On this chilly evening, the beach is roaring as loudly as the wind is howling, and my partner and I are feeling cosy and romantic by the window. The only word for it is cinematic. After placing our orders, we’re paid a visit by the sommelier. He’s got drink suggestions to pair with our menu choices if we’re interested – of course, we are. A dry Tasmanian brut and a bright...
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Angel Music Bar is the meeting of two very different minds. 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. In the other, you have Georgina O’Connor, one of Melbourne’s best-dressed, Gen-Y artist types, who is the ultimate cool girl. 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.
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. We visit on a Tuesday, where it is unofficially Jazz Night, and Angel Music Bar’s definition of jazz is pretty loose. The speakers drip with John Coltrane, Susan Wong, Esther Phillips and Ute Lemper with scatterings of David Bowie and the newly released Tarantino playlist while the laid-back, midriff-baring bartender, who is the very embodiment of contradictory cool, is mixing a Martini while admitting that she is a teetotaller. Gotcha. So how does a Martini by a non-drinker taste? Not wet as requested and a little over diluted, but it does the trick. At $20 a cocktail, it isn’t the worst version of a Martini we have received, so colour us stunned.
Wines and fortifieds get a bit more consideration, as...
Part of Andrew McConnell’s Trader House group, the Builders Arms is one of the more low-key venues in the Melbourne-only collection. You might head further up Gertrude Street to Cutler and Co for a finer-dine date night, or to Marion for a wine-focused long lunch; the Cumulus twins in the CBD are otherwise perfect for a business bite.
But the front bar of the Builders Arms still feels like the neighbourhood boozer it has been since 1853. It retains the historic shoulder-height yellow tiles now teamed with a simple dark wood floor and Art Deco-inspired hanging globes. There may be less of the titular tradies propping up the bar these days but it’s a mixed crowd and the welcoming bar staff continue to pump out pots and schooners faster than a six o’clock swill. There is a strong craft beer bent now, so expect Sydney’s Young Henrys, local brew Hawkers and Pirate Life on the ample taps.
You can order counter meals to eat at the high bar tables, but the real action is in the attached bistro that has been through a few changes of its own over the years. Under McConnell it began as Moon Under Water, then came Ricky & Pinky’s modern Chinese. Now, its European-leaning menu exists in a simply dressed room with banquettes along one wall and minimalist old pub touches like mounted stag antlers on cream-coloured walls.
The bistro menu is ‘just’ pub food in the same way that truffles are ‘just’ fungus. These are pub classics by name but delivered with balance and finesse by McConnell’s...
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Brunswick Street may be ground zero for cocktails in Fitzroy, but lurking in the back streets is one of Melbourne’s finest establishments for getting in your cups on sunny days, freezing nights and boring Mondays. Head here early in the week for a counter meal, a pint or two, a cosy seat by the wood stove and trivia on Tuesday nights.
Pretension is an anathema to the Standard, so much so that they even went through a period in the early ’90s when they refused to serve anyone in a suit – score one for the underdogs! Outside, the white-and-green paintwork is chipped and faded, while inside bare bricks peek out from between the movie posters, sports memorabilia and novelty-sized records that are crammed onto the walls. The taps boast more craft beers than mega-brews and the wines are from the school of easy drinking. As a bonus, the undercover part of the beer garden is equipped with overhead heaters, making al fresco boozing a distinct possibility. There are Standard fans who would wager a limb that the chicken parma is the best crumbed bird you can get in this town, which says as much about the loyalty that this joint engenders as it does about its culinary prowess. Just make sure you get started early because this old boozer likes its beauty sleep – expect to be moving on or heading home by 11pm.
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In Melbourne’s fast-paced hospo scene, it’s easy to take for granted the local haunts we frequent over the years and have come to know and love. Bright, shiny openings dominate our feeds, and, especially in the food space, there’s always somewhere new and compelling to visit. But some places seem to maintain an indistinguishable allure, bolstered by their persistence to keep things fresh and their loyal patrons happy – and judging by Marquis of Lorne’s consistently packed-out capacity since its 2014 refurbishment, it’s one of them.
In fact, we’re lucky to have even scored a spot on the Sunday arvo we visit – it’s the last dining table, fortuitously made available on the back of a cancelled booking. While it’s been a while since our last lunch here, we know the drill: hearty gastropub fare in a somewhat shabby-chic yet charming space, with a diverse drinks list that’s bound to get us feeling thirsty fast.
We start with a round of Stomping Ground pale ales on the small sunny rooftop. Up here, there’s a separate bar with a dedicated beer geek who gives us the scoop on a new exciting craft brewhouse opening in Richmond: Tasmania’s Fox Friday. We try a tipple (it’s great), before strolling down the creaky stairs to take our lucky place in the ground-floor dining room. The atmosphere is warm and buzzing, with large groups of families, friends and a smattering of cool kids sporting the latest haircuts (fluffy mullets must be trending right now) sharing meals over pints....
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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
It’s hard to imagine a Melbourne where Apollo Inn doesn’t exist, such is the impact this handsome and swanky spot has had on the city’s bar scene in its short lifespan so far. Andrew McConnell’s first standalone cocktail bar – which swung open its leatherbound doors in June 2023 – has seamlessly settled into its location at McDonald House on Flinders Lane, maintaining a strong and steady stream of visitors nightly, all hoping to squeeze into one of just 30 highly coveted seats.
I’m reminded of its magic when I pop in on a Thursday evening with a friend from Sydney in tow. I’ve walked through the enormous doors, into the cosy waiting corridor and through the plush velvet curtains to the main bar a few times now, but there is still something special about sauntering in for the very first time – as evidenced by my pal’s “oohs” and “ahhs” as she films our grand entrance.
We snag the last two perches at the bar – in my opinion, there’s no better spot to sit at Apollo Inn than here – and let the cosy cocoon of warmth, chatter and the occasional clinking of glasses wash over us. The space is intimate and dimly lit, with gorgeous Art Deco details, teeny tabletop lamps and a splash of graffiti from Hosier Lane peeking in through the sheer curtains. “It’s just so...
Despite Lygon Street’s popularity with tourists and locals alike, there are probably only four venues on the famous Carlton end of the strip that regularly garner a long queue outside: ice cream shop Pidapipo, rooftop bar Johnny’s Green Room, Universal Restaurant (probably for its monster cheap parmas) and finally, Good Measure.
The latter is an all-day coffee shop that transforms into a lively cocktail bar in the evenings, and it’s home to arguably the city’s most famous signature coffee order right now: the Mont Blanc. After going viral on social media roughly a year ago, the drink appears conspicuously at almost every table inside – a beautiful glass tumbler of filter coffee and black-sugar syrup, wearing a thick lid of fresh cream flecked with nutmeg and orange zest.
Is it worth the hype? 100 per cent. It was once reported that co-owner Max Allison goes through multiple 18-litre kegs of his filter coffee a week to keep up with the demand. So of course, it’s the first thing I order from the menu when I arrive on a chilly Sunday arvo, along with a cinnamon babka from the pastry counter. Having skipped brekky on account of a late-night party sesh on Chapel Street the night before – I think I took researching this piece a bit too seriously – I’m pining for a sanga, but the waiter informs me there are close to none left.
Out of the four fillings normally on offer, including the ramen egg salad which I really wanted to try, only the sweet potato is still available. Sadly,...
Update October 2024: This review was originally written in 2022, so please be aware that some elements may have changed since.
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
The austere design of Above Board – with a simple wooden benchtop and all the alcohol hidden away in drawers in unmarked decanters – has bartender Hayden Lambert standing at the 12-seater bar like a blackjack dealer doling out drinks instead of cards. The difference here is that whatever you bet on from the short, thoughtful menu will be a winner. The precision with which Lambert designs the menu around the limited drawer space means that no drink is a gamble; all killer, no filler, if you will.
The backlit, mirrored cupboards give the place a futuristic atmosphere but there are some retro rippers on Hayden’s cocktail list. Celebrate the criminally underrated liqueur Midori in a Japanese Slipper with curaçao and just the right amount of lemon juice to balance the sweet melon flavour, or a Martini with just the added hint of orange bitters. The other half of the menu is dealer’s choice with Lambert’s own creations such as the Gentlemen Caller with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and gran classico, a rich and smoky number that is like a weathered leather briefcase in drink form. The Hot Minute riffs on a Margarita with tequila, lemon juice and bitters.
The end result of climbing the stairs...
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
There's a reason that Albert’s Wine Bar has earned its reputation with locals as the spot to hang out. Just as the ideal neighbourhood wine bar should, it serves as the perfect place for a plethora of purposes: a leisurely lunch on a Saturday afternoon; an afterwork drink; a midweek catch-up over a quick but excellent meal. Bring your mates or your mum, bring a colleague or a first date, bring your pup to potter around the patio or even just a good book. Albert’s is achieving everything you expect from your local wine bar, plus a little more.
There's a warm and cosy feeling of subtle sentimentality that accompanies the moreish snacks and stylish drinks at Albert’s. Perhaps it's due to the light pattering of rain outside on the evening we visit, contrasted with the glowy warmth and convivial conversation inside. Or it might be owing to the feeling of palpable history pervading the place. That history itself is memorialised in this winner-of-a-wine-bar’s name: Albert’s Wine Bar is named for the famed Australian artist Albert Tucker, who presided nearby, and chose this wine bar’s home, a 19th century building tucked behind a heritage listed arcade, as the subject for one of his 1937 landscape paintings.
Spanning a tight but welcoming intimate bar space,...
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You are in danger of feeling too comfortable at Amarillo, the low-lit, mid-century-styled wine bar and café on Brunswick Street. Once you sink into those rump-cupping swivel chairs in the front window you might start thinking about taking off your shoes while you sip that Minius Godello, a Spanish white that tastes like ripe melon and lemon drops and is one of their best sellers.
We certainly aren’t the only ones treating this bar like a second home. On a Sunday night someone has booked a birthday dinner for ten, only to have 24 people to show up. The staff just tacked more chairs onto the snaking group table and went out the back to break it to the chef.
Imagine if someone took a little European café and Marie Kondo’ed the hell out of it, paring it right back to tall white walls, blond timbers, flatteringly low lighting, a few choice art works and a shining Simonelli coffee machine on the bar. That’s the vibe here.
The wine list reads like an 18 year-old’s gap year hit list with most of central and western Europe getting a look in, plus a whole lot of Victorian drops leading the local charge. But we can’t help but live a summer holiday fantasy through a smashable Sicilian (Ciello Bianco Catarratto) with just a hint of soapy grip to it.
The menu definitely has Spanish sensibilities to it, with plump mussels served on the half shell and doused in a tomato sauce punctuated with rich, porky sobrasada pieces. It’s less surf-and-turf than paddock-and-estuary, with a whole lot...
Brunswick’s finally got a real cocktail bar. You may not know about it yet – it’s brand new. But chances are you’ve been here before. Amelia Shaw occupies the upper floor of Brunswick pub legend the Retreat, and this high-falutin' lady is just as elegant and sophisticated as her nether regions are beer stained and rowdy. Like a bonnet, on a bogan.
Powerhouse can shakers Lou Dare (New Gold Mountain, the Alchemist) and American muso Elizabeth Barker, are dividing their time here between making cocktails and vigorously stoking the three fires that grace Amelia’s art deco rooms.
The fitout is incredible, masterminded by designer Danielle Brustman who’s pulled together an artist's trove of treasures. Check out the cubic chandelier of pearlescent glass boxes from a Japanese casino, and the lush, red, round pool table. Make sure you cop an eyeful of the goodies inside Gonzalo Varela’s circus-style peep show too. These centrepieces, along with wicker chairs, and bushels of peacock feathers are all posed against the elegant bones of the Victorian rooms. Painted in reds, or large geometric murals it’s Bauhaus meets parlour party, and it’s all glam as hell.
The drinks, meanwhile, are all Australian. On the rail is Tromba tequila, West Winds gin, Tassie vodka 666, and as many Australian infused liqueurs as they could get their mitts on. The result is a cocktail list of classics with a Dame Edna accent. Settle by the hearth with a Qantas, (their Aviation) with a violet liqueur from...
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Añada is Spanish for ‘year’s harvest’, an apt choice of name for a restaurant with a commitment to seasonal ingredients and a constantly shifting menu.
Established by a pair of Australian Hispanophiles, previously of London’s River Café and Melbourne’s much-loved Movida, this diminutive, warmly lit venue serves Spanish-style tapas and raciones without slavishly imitating ‘traditional’ Spanish cuisine.
Añada hold two dinner sittings per evening, at 6 and 8pm, and boasts a row of comfortable leather barstools for those only looking for a quick bite or a drink. Parties of eight or more are confined to a set menu, at $50 for a generous nine courses or $65 for an extravagant 12.
The kitchen has no difficulty catering to special diets – ours was a particularly awkward party of two omnivores, two vegetarians, two pescatarians and one vegan, and all of us dined like obnoxious Saudi princelings.
Highlights include natural oysters with lemon; fried eggplant with sour cream and slivers of very hot chilli; green tomato gazpacho with cucumber and green onion; whole mackerel wrapped in vine leaves; and sweet, tender mushrooms fried in ghee.
The very large sherry list is exclusively Spanish, while almost every wine, beer and liqueur offering is either Spanish or Australian.
The service is excellent: waitstaff are both observant and knowledgeable and the restaurant abounds in thoughtful, un-showy little touches, from the tiny pots of black salt on the tables to the fresh flowers in the...
Angel Music Bar is the meeting of two very different minds. 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. In the other, you have Georgina O’Connor, one of Melbourne’s best-dressed, Gen-Y artist types, who is the ultimate cool girl. 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.
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. We visit on a Tuesday, where it is unofficially Jazz Night, and Angel Music Bar’s definition of jazz is pretty loose. The speakers drip with John Coltrane, Susan Wong, Esther Phillips and Ute Lemper with scatterings of David Bowie and the newly released Tarantino playlist while the laid-back, midriff-baring bartender, who is the very embodiment of contradictory cool, is mixing a Martini while admitting that she is a teetotaller. Gotcha. So how does a Martini by a non-drinker taste? Not wet as requested and a little over diluted, but it does the trick. At $20 a cocktail, it isn’t the worst version of a Martini we have received, so colour us stunned.
Wines and fortifieds get a bit more consideration, as...
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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
It’s hard to imagine a Melbourne where Apollo Inn doesn’t exist, such is the impact this handsome and swanky spot has had on the city’s bar scene in its short lifespan so far. Andrew McConnell’s first standalone cocktail bar – which swung open its leatherbound doors in June 2023 – has seamlessly settled into its location at McDonald House on Flinders Lane, maintaining a strong and steady stream of visitors nightly, all hoping to squeeze into one of just 30 highly coveted seats.
I’m reminded of its magic when I pop in on a Thursday evening with a friend from Sydney in tow. I’ve walked through the enormous doors, into the cosy waiting corridor and through the plush velvet curtains to the main bar a few times now, but there is still something special about sauntering in for the very first time – as evidenced by my pal’s “oohs” and “ahhs” as she films our grand entrance.
We snag the last two perches at the bar – in my opinion, there’s no better spot to sit at Apollo Inn than here – and let the cosy cocoon of warmth, chatter and the occasional clinking of glasses wash over us. The space is intimate and dimly lit, with gorgeous Art Deco details, teeny tabletop lamps and a splash of graffiti from Hosier Lane peeking in through the sheer curtains. “It’s just so...
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. 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. Swap your rosé tinted glasses for the orange variety, specifically a bottle of the 2011 Pheasant Tears Katheti from the Georgian Republic if it's still available. Some of Melbourne's best DJs rotate weekly on the decks, so grab a date or a group of friends and settle in for the night. You can make a booking here.
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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
There's an art to inheriting a beloved space. When Ferdydurke closed its doors in April 2024 after 12 years of deliberate grit and good times, the question wasn't just what would replace it, but how. Aster, the latest venture from Office of Public Works (the crew behind Section 8), answers with quiet confidence.
The balcony alone is worth the visit. In fact, it's a bit of an enigma – it's seemingly never packed and yet there's always a spot, which is perplexing as it overlooks such a beautiful slice of Melbourne's inner city. The electricity and vibe of Section 8 below, the ever-changing passerby circus of Tattersalls Lane, the sheer magic of having a front row seat to pure Melbourne. It's truly a wonderful spot to perch up and have your drink of choice and a cigarette or cigar if you're so inclined. Seriously, how this balcony isn't constantly packed to the brim is a mystery to me. It might be Melbourne's best-kept secret.
But this isn't a balcony review blog (though if I had my way, it would be), so let us continue further up the stairs, where the magic carries inside; where the heritage building has been thoughtfully refreshed while preserving its character. The ghost of Ferdydurke would be proud of what stands today.
The lighting here is exceptional,...
Beat a path through the hungry taco fans at Fonda (Windsor edition) to the staircase at the back. At the top you’ll find Atico: a bright, breezy bar that puts the chilli on this crazily busy eatery’s enchilada. A lot of punters wind up getting corralled in here for pre-dinner Pacifico beers, but it works as a stand-alone bar. You’re looking down the barrel of a whole lot of fruit-driven drinks in jars that wouldn’t look out of place on a beach. A Spanked Basil Gin Smash is a tall glass of citrusy freshness. Go for a Mexicano of tequila, red vermouth and Campari served straight if you’re after something a little more red blooded. They also do a roaring trade in grapefruit, tequila and Aperol slushies if you really want to channel Cancun. The space is set up for leaning and lounging. There’s a scattering of low, candlelit tables and the room is bordered by benches stacked with bright cushions. If it gets busy, drag some down and make a nest on the floor. Hit the deck if you like late afternoon sun or smoking. The menu is just meant as a warm-up for downstairs, but you could always order up some guacamole, rock ling croquettes and dishes of fried potatoes with spicy aioli and build yourself a little Mexi-tapas meal.
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Melbourne's bar scene continues to be the envy of the nation, and our late-night credentials only get stronger with every new opening. Here is Melbourne viewed through the bottom of a glass: from its world-beating cocktail lounges to its down-and-divey saloons.
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