The best laneway bars in Melbourne

If you like cocktails, whisky, blues, good service and eating Reuben sandwiches at 2am, Beneath Driver Lane is your heaven. Occupying an old bank vault in the CBD, this bar has a Harry Potter feeling that’s rare in a city whose subterranean spaces are sorely underused. The fit-out, the soundtrack and the sharp service give this place a feeling that’s equal parts Melbourne, Chicago and Diagon Alley. The folks behind the bar are all practised professionals; personable, knowledgeable and looking sharp in black chef coats.

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 end result of climbing the stairs to Above Board from the graffitied Chopper Lane is you feel like you have dropped over to your mate’s place, if he was a cocktail prodigy with a penchant for Scandinavian design. 

This jazz-infused shrine to the cocktail on Malthouse Lane stands for inevitable moral destruction – and one hell of a good time. It boasts science lab gadgetry, casual good-time vibes and one helluva whisky collection, all rolled into one dark-hued leather-bedecked den of fine drinks.

Don't come for us - surely the fact that you have to enter this four-concept mega-venue from the laneway classifies it as a worthy contender for this list? The street-level space sells itself as a daytime cocktail bar, although it slings French 75s and Dirty Gin Martinis until 3am. (If you’re an early bird, the doors swing open at 7am for pastries, lobster omelettes and Market Lane coffee.) It’s a snug spot with a seductive salon vibe – think honey-toned walls, a rattan ceiling and a commanding zinc bar with fluted glass and timber liquor cabinets.

Laneway bars are synonymous with Melbourne, and Union Electric has effortlessly woven itself into the fabric of the city. Owners Huw Griffiths and Shane Whiteley have been part of institutions like Madame Brussels and the Royal Saxon, so when they struck out on their own, it’s no surprise they captured the hearts of city drinkers. Fresh produce is serious stuff at Union Electric. While many bars may avoid using too many raw ingredients, Union Electric uses daily pressings of fruits, micro herbs and housemade vinegars and syrups to bring its menu to life. 

Take a seat at the three-sided bar or settle into a dark leather booth amongst the art deco lamps and potted palms and do your best to work through the drinks list at Lily Blacks. It's all custom cocktails and personal service here: you’ll be served by a wisecracking crew who know a thing or two about a good drink, make their own bitters and hand-cut ice to order.

If you can get past the occasional mosquito bite, Section 8 is a brilliant place to spend an evening. The drinks selection is solid and ranges from top-shelf spirits to longnecks for the student boozer, and you can even get your dance on once the evening wears on a little.

Gently lit by lamps and candles, this easily missed little bar offers a cosy hideaway from the fuss and noise of the big, mean city. Part of Murmur’s attraction has to do with the friendly, skilful staff, but the bar itself embodies old-fashioned charm and the drinks menu is thicker than War and Peace.