Melbourne bar and pub reviews

Before Nina’s took residence at the base of Brunswick’s Nightingale Studios, it was a lively Bangladeshi restaurant and prior to that, a café that changed hands a few times. It’s the first time a wine bar serving food has popped up in the space and judging by residents’ warm reception, it’s being appreciated as much as its forebears.  Simultaneously cosy and industrial, Nina’s has retained the exposed pipes of yesteryear venues but where it stylistically departs the most is in its almost Hellenic light blue colour scheme, from the leather seats to the bright planter boxes bordering the outdoor space. The big windows bordering the bike track that runs in parallel to the Upfield line lends the space plenty of natural light, a sense of space and constant movement.  Service is both personable and personal, with a menu that speaks of the intimate network co-owners Shae and Hayley have built within their surrounding community – from the honey, a gift from a Nightingale resident, that features in a dessert to the curry leaves that garnish the king prawns, bounty from Hayley’s mum’s garden. Exemplifying this community spirit is their $35 Monday pasta nights – a godsend when most hospitality outfits are taking a much-needed day off – and their happy hour specials from 4 to 6pm four days a week. The menu leans heavily on seasonal produce and mostly comprises vegetables and seafood – a treat for pescatarians. Excitingly, there’s a compact specials menu below the regular menu, ranging fr

Mar 2024 update: This review was written in 2019, so please be aware that some elements may have changed since. Check out the bar's 21st birthday update for our most recent reporting. 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 tall. The bar’s record for fostering talent is unmatched, with a litany of fresh faces turning into some

One daring duo, a subterranean space in the same building that houses regal Reine and La Rue, and an original vision to shake things up in Melbourne: these were Purple Pit’s trifecta of selling points when it quietly opened late last year. And they were the right ones to spark instant intrigue. The new cocktail bar is a joint project from none other than restaurateur Maurice Terzini (Sydney’s Icebergs) and drinks maverick Joe Jones (Romeo Lane). It’s their first shared venture, and as we come to find out one Thursday night, far too interesting to visit just once. There’s a whisper of Berlin about the bar’s design, better defined as a blend of brutalism and old-timey class. It’s been inspired by Europe’s great hotel bars of yore, and you can spot that influence in white tablecloths, uniformed bartenders and antique silver coasters, but everything else has been given the punk treatment. A friend and I drift downstairs to discover a lair so dark that objects appear in soft focus, loud tapestries of art strewn across the walls , and a soundtrack that grumbles, sighs and groans right across the eclectic post-punk gamut. It’s all just pretty damn cool, and in the truest sense of the word. A moody glow of reddish-purple lighting seals the deal. Our moment of reverie is short-lived, however, as we soon feel like we’re on an airstrip. The air is hot and muggy (strange, even for a Melbourne summer), and to mitigate that, a giant fan at each corner of the room blows air into the centre

Much fuss is made about Collingwood eatery Commis’ connections to Gerald’s Bar, but even if you didn’t know its trio of co-owners’ were alumni at the Carlton North perennial crowd favourite, you’d be able to distinguish its pedigree.  Stepping into Commis’ warm confines is like crossing the threshold of a friend’s house – service is effortlessly affable, laidback and jovial without being effusive or overbearing. Framed artwork depicting fresh produce pepper the walls, and seating is ample – you can choose between leather booths, standalone tables and a generously proportioned courtyard in the event of good weather.  The playful drinks menu and the seasonally changing food menu reflect the wine bar’s joie de vivre. Open your drinks menu one way and be met with a ‘traditionalist’ selection divided by type, but flip it around and open the ‘expressionist’ section and you’ll encounter headings like ‘a quick drink while I think about what I really want’, ‘something old’ (remind me of my last trip to Europe’) and ‘something new’ (my drink is a fashion accessory). Wines are similarly demarcated into emotively labelled sections like ‘we f%#king deserve it’ and ‘slap me in the face and make me feel something’.  I enquire after the cocktail ‘Jessica Hates Everything’ and am told it’s named after an aunty known for abhorring every drink made in her honour. It’s a cocktail specifically concocted for its end user – I’m told I look as though I’d like a sour beverage that’s not too sweet (th

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.    

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 Vene

Looking to shake up your next pint? The Local Taphouse on Carlisle St is a temple to enabling such exploration. This is, after all, the venue first established by Steve Jaffares and Guy Greenstone, and which would later spur the founding of Stomping Ground Brewing Co and the GABS Craft Beer & Cider Festival. So yes, craft beer is taken seriously and you’ll recognise some of the beers and be introduced for the first time to others. Helpfully, the beer list above the bar is denoted by strength - so afternoons and evenings can be planned accordingly. There's a strong old England-meets-Bavaria mood. Think dark timber panelling, in-laid mirrors, dim sconce lighting and a gallery of beer-dedicated frames, prints and portraits on the walls. Downstairs, there are high-top benches, round cabaret-esque tables flanking a small stage at the back, and a side room with larger tables (tip: groups of six to eight should make a left to snag the table in the cosy window nook for added privacy and a street outlook). The side room has the bonus of a dart board and worn brown Chesterfield sofas at the back. Upstairs is The Local Taphouse’s crowning glory: a rooftop beer garden that's a magnet for sesh and sun-seekers. Because this is Melbourne though, it's also fitted with a retractable roof, fireplace and heaters.  Service is casual and on an as-needed basis. We fend for ourselves when grabbing a table and are told all ordering can be done via QR code or up at the bars. For eats, the food menu h

Wesley Place precinct is a time portal back to ye olden days, with preserved heritage buildings and conservation efforts paying tribute to an important historical moment in time for Melbourne. Nestled humbly within this precinct, behind the Wesley Church and beside a resilient olive tree with origins dating back further than 1875, is the Caretaker’s Cottage. It's now a bustling, albeit pint-sized public bar where you can feel part of Melbourne’s history, and its future, all at the same time.  While the outside of the cottage may say "Gothic Revival architecture", the inside says "intimate house party at your parents’ cool friend’s house". Stepping across the threshold, the D’Angelo record blasting through imposing speakers (from Tasmanian company Pitt and Giblin), built-in turntables and mixer behind the bar, and an envy-inducing vinyl collection make it clear that while the drinks comes first, music is a close second here. Just like any good house party really.  The drinks menu is strictly curated. Just three classic and three contemporary cocktails; a rotating Martini and Milk Punch (the latter an ode to its English pub inspirations); six varieties of wine by the glass; and a slightly larger selection of beers, with the Guinness on tap being a house favourite. That we need not spend an hour poring over the drinks menu, we are relieved.  Waitstaff and bartenders, clad in white aprons, well-informed and just the right level of friendly and attentive, are themselves a drawcard

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. Portishead’s

This intimate, clubby space just off Russell Street glows with an amber hue as the low lighting bounces off the 500 or more whisky bottles that are stacked behind the bar, locked in the glass cabinet on the wall, or sitting on the tables of punters as they compare and chat over a glass of grain. Seating is mainly barstools and bar food is limited, so it’s perfect for pairs or small groups on the hunt for a pre- or post-dinner dram.  The bar is a member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, an international club that seeks out and bottles its own whiskies – strictly single malt, strictly single cask – and then shares it with its members. Whisky and Alement acts like your best mate with a club subscription he can’t keep on top of, and the bar offers the widest range of the Society’s limited-edition drops in the Southern Hemisphere that you can buy by the glass. But if this is all sounding a bit pretentious, it’s not. This is a bar borne out of passion and one that wants to share the love of grain far and wide, not just to the whisky converts. So, if you order the blind tasting you will get an enthusiastic bartender plonk themselves onto a seat next to you and run you through each selection with knowledge and genuine excitement about what you have coming to you, from a peat-heavy Scottish masterpiece to a plucky upstart from Yackandandah. A chalkboard on the wall shouts out to the newest bottles on offer. For the whisky-adjacent, they have a cocktail list with classics like a Whisk