Good Measure

Good Measure is a warm, timber-clad cafe and bar that feels like the kind of versatile neighbourhood haunt you’d find in Japan. Look for the signage with a magpie, just a short walk from Argyle Square, and you’ll find a spout decked out like a quintessential northside living room, with house plants and comfy vintage furniture strewn about the space.

By day, it’s all about sarnies and coffee. Order the cold-cut filled Pastrami DLX or a smoked chicken number along with Good Measure’s Instagrammable signature: the Mont Blanc, a Code Black filter brew that’s lightly sweetened, topped with whipped cream and showered with fresh grated nutmeg and orange zest.

Once the sun sets, the vinyl starts spinning and the venue transforms into a cosy cocktail bar. Again, Japan is an influence here, with a range of sake supplied by Melbourne Sake Company. There is a tight but killer house cocktail list, Guinness on tap, and (mainly) Victorian wine and beers to go with night-time snacks like kimchi fries and a Japanese-style chicken sando.