Bars we know and love
Collin’s Quarter
It’s a bit of a speakeasy, perfect for a post dinner drink, hot date or catch up with the girls. It’s a serious drinking spot with spirits I have never seen nor drank but also a damn fine wine list.
I had my first Chartreuse – a herbal liqueur recommended by the guys behind the bar, the green is softer and served on ice it is a fantastic digestif. With so many great bars around Melbourne, we are really spoilt and this is definitely a favourite at this end of town.
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Misty Bar
Always a lot of love for Misty bar, down the graffiti covered laneway near Movida is Misty bar, no pretention, just good times. There is a great cocktail list and always a bit of a dude manning the bar. My Misty Tonic, a play on gin and tonic with a hint of Elderflower and bitter touch with Campari and garnished with grapefruit – it is immense!! They also do a damn good Espresso Martini!
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Loop Rooftop Bar
Behold Loop Rooftop Bar, a hidden little secret looking down over Melbourne and offering a kooky little space to sit back and relax. There is a decent wine list and cocktails are a plenty. There is a little list of bar snacks and it’s just a great place to catch up with friends and chill out.
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Romeo Lane
Such a cool little space, and it just got even better, styled up like a little speakeasy with candles, crystal and some popping tunes. The wine list is fabulous with a damn good Gruner and there is a list of beautiful cocktails – they aren’t cheap but they look sensational. You can pick up a little snack with a Will Studd cheese on the list to die for. It’s cute, if you can grab a seat I don’t think you’ll want to leave.
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The Boilermaker House
The Boilermaker House, step into the entry room and then open a big heavy door into a seriously good bar. It’s dark, moody, broody and very, very serious about Boilermakers. The addition of whisky to a beer is just what the boys need!! They loved the theatre of it all and I loved my stunning bottle of Sangiovese. The service is usually great, we’ve been a few times where it got a little lost but when you are hiding in those booths you are sometimes missed! The food menu is all about meat and cheese, boards of beautiful produce including a top shelf Ploughmans for a fair few $’s. It’s easy going, you can easily run up a fair bar tab but you’ll have a great time doing it!
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Golden Monkey
A bar in the CBD that takes a booking on a Friday night? Unheard of! It probably wasn’t a good sign then! An after work shop and then off to meet the rest of our group, we tootled up to The Golden Monkey, it still looked fun and a bit quirky from the outside but when we headed down into the bar it all started to go wrong! We had a booking which meant we were taken to the furthest, darkest corner of a totally empty bar. This meant that no one came to see us very often so we waited a while for any food or drink. The cushions on the furniture were all ripped and the whole place had a tiredness about it. We ordered a couple of things off the limited menu. They took a long time and the gyoza were cold…. the service was terrible and we left as quickly as we could….
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Mjr Tom
Another great spot on Smith Street, Mjr Tom is a great fit out, so good you can’t remember what was there before but now there is a wooden facade and big wooden tables out front. A substantial back bar with big wooden booths and a great team bringing you a well earned glass of wine! Wine and beer list was a good selection and the bar menu looked like it was definitely worth a return visit.
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Prudence
Don’t you love it when you are in a part unexplored in Melbourne and you find a totally brilliant little bar to grab a drink in? Prudence was just that bar when I found myself in a part of North Melbourne never travelled. I was so glad to find this quirky little hole in the wall with little nooks and crannies, grab a booth, grab a drink from a decent selection and watch the guys work whilst they play their vinyl. It’s one of the first places I have seen the hipster and the old fella come together and happily share a beer!
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Sister Bella
The coolest sister in town! Totally Melbourne, head down the side street, past the piles of garbage and head up the rickety staircase to the easiest going bar in town! Nothing fancy, decoration is themed with broken skateboards handing overhead and some general grunge! But they will serve you a cold beer or glass of wine and play some damn good tunes.
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Hells Kitchen
Head down a dark alleyway and up the stairs to find the little drinking haven that is Hell’s Kitchen. Great little bar, funky decor, good wine list and a decent bar food menu with the kitchen open until 10pm. Grab a pizza or some of these fantastic anchovies with lavosh – my favourite. Glass of Grigio and we are all happy.
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Marquis of Lorne
A damn good local! No frills just serving the good people of Fitzroy a cold beer, glass of pinot and by all accounts some very decent pub grub.
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Hophaus
Even if you aren’t up for a schnitzel or sausage you can still enjoy a great big fluffy beer or Gruner on the open balcony looking over the river. It’s a lovely spot and you could do a lot worse than watch the world go by here.
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Madame Brussels
One of the fanciest roof tops in Melbourne, you can sit back on the ornamental garden furniture, with your astroturf and your pretty pink umbrellas and enjoy a jug of some of the best cocktails known on earth! Try the Ginge Minge – it will make you smile in many different ways!
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Misty Bar
Misty is a old favourite down the trendy Hosier Lane, Misty remains true to herself and always delivers a great night with no airs or frills. Cocktails are a must with one of the best Espresso Martini’s and the bartenders recommendation – the Rosé Tinted Glasses a lovely mix with rosé wine.
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Wolf’s Lair
A cheeky little spot hiding in Jimmy Watson’s the Wolf’s Lair oozes personality with kitsch paraphenalia adorning every surface, there is a friendly smile and not surprisingly, a very respectable by the glass wine list. Totally cute little discovery.
The Carlton
A brilliant spot in the CBD, the first floor bar has a lot of texture going on! Who knew velvet came in a can? Well it must because they have used it a lot including the many animals statues appearing around the bar! Decent wine list, pub snacks will fill a hole and all round a good spot after a hard days shop.
The Dutchess
Possibly the best espresso martini in town! It’s a big call but these were so good we had to have two! The Duke is a great spot downstairs and the more sophisticated sister is a lovely little spot for a cocktail and we already know the food is rockin’!
Panama Dining Room
Panama Dining Dining Room and Bar is an old fave, get your daily work out up those stairs and the reward at the top is a quirky, easy going, good old hang out to relax and enjoy. AND they are doing happy hour $1 oysters from 6-7 every night and they are damn good oysters – fine shucking!
Foresters Hall, Collingwood
Foresters Hall brings the boys to the bar, with 32 Craft Beers, taps the length of the bar, a kooky ft out and cheap pizzas served till the early hours it is a top spot and it always makes me smile when I walk in.
Cabinet Bar & Balcony
Still one of my favourite bars in town, now taking reservations – the word is out. Possibly the hottest spot on a Friday night with the comedy festival on. A great place, if you can grab a table, enjoy a glass from a very decent wine list and some pre-laughter snackage. Read more…
1000 Pound Bend
Rough and ready, this a perfect spot for a beer and a burger and there is a whole lot of them going on when we pop in for a glass of vino. You might worry that you can’t come in un less you have a laptop but I think this is just a comfy, wifi happy space with a bustling cafe, a massive gallery and events space and an air conditioned cinema space! Breakie is no ordinary affair with a drool worthy selection of dishes. Burgers kick off from midday with Black Angus patties, kangaroo burgers, crumbed fish, saganaki and a teriyaki tofu dish – covering all bases!
Ferdydurke
Such a great find! If you can grab a little seat there is a vert decent wine list and beers AND Dogs! Frankfurters are Polish Parowka made by ‘Rob’ thesausage king, cooked in craft beer and sauerkraut broth! Choose from the traditional Frank with ketchup and mustard, Royale with cheese and pickles or the Fred Savage with jalapenos and salsa!! And lots more and even better – from 12 -5pm there are just $3 Take me now!!!
Gloria Swanston’s Kitchen
Previously the old lounge, this is prime spot on Swanston with a ample balcony for enjoying the summer breeze or hanging with all the smokers! It’s a big space with a decent wine and beer selection and some good bar food including Mac and Cheese balls! How can you resist, plus $8 KickAssBurger Tuesdays, Sliders, salads and more!
Badger vs Hawk
A teeny tiny gem! Off busy La Trobe this is a coffee hotspot for the busy workers of Melbourne but then step out the back to a little garden haven! A perfect spot for a sunny afternoon for a beer and a burger or a lovely GnT! The menu is a selection of burgers and sangas, keep it simple and tasty! 🙂
Sister Bellas
Gotta love Melbourne and their ‘dare you to go down here for a good time laneways’ … when I say good time I mean a great bar and a few drinkies!! Sister Bellas is past the dumpsters and graffiti, up the stairs and tarrrr darrrrr we have a great bar! Good times, great drinks, cool staff and a skateboard ceiling theme that I love!
Le Joint
So Zoltar speaks greats you as you jump in from Lonsdale Street! All those that remember Tom Hanks in the movie Big will squeal with delight and those that don’t will be intrigued! Ultimately your fortune is to head in and grab a beer and enjoy the atmos! Le Joint is a dark, brooding, eclectic and fun! There is some decent bar food going on, great tunes and I dare you not to enjoy!!
Section 8 ‘Container Bar’
A Melbourne stalwart, Section 8 is the best use of a wasted space down a little city laneway. Joyously not a car park or apartment block, pull up a pallet and enjoy a spot of sunshine sneaking through the high rises. Good range of drinkies, a few sausages and a happy vibe!
The Palmz at The Carlton Hotel
There are never enough rooftops bars in Melbourne!! The Palmz on top of the Carlton Hotel is a sensational sun trap! Get your butt up those steps and the reward is a little oasis away from the bustling Bourke Street. A big fan of the Carlton and their rooftop is just as good. Fun fit out, nice staff and a great choice of beverages. After a hard days shopping this is a perfect spot to recover!
The Seafood & Grill Lounge – The SGC
If you can make it past the amazing Nitrogen Gelato you can tootle up the stairs past floor one – toilets and event space, floor 2 – seafood bar and up to floor 3 – the rooftop. We’ve been twice now and it’s an easy going space, enjoy a beer in the cool night air and see the city lights!
