melbourne CBD bars

Arbory Afloat

Bar

Melbourne’s favourite floating bar has returned for its ninth season in spring, drawing inspiration from the Italian island of Capri.

Dessous

Bar

Lively cocktails and refined snacks are on the cards at this dark and daring basement bar. But it’s really the wine list you come here for – it’s an adventure in unfamiliar regions and varietals, and focuses on biodynamic and sustainable drops.

Section 8

Bar

Not only is this outdoor shipping-container bar one of Melbourne's most iconic and enduring drinking destinations – it's also been one of the city's most reliable places for a boogie since 2006. Veteran DJs spin here regularly, favouring hip-hop, funk, soul, reggae and more.

Arlechin

Bar

Whether it’s bolognaise jaffles, midnight spaghetti, or tiramisu, the Grossi family’s revived bar will keep you eating (and drinking) in style, post midnight. Don’t miss the cocktail that puts puttanesca in a glass.

The Carlton Club

Bar

An eccentric bar, eatery and rooftop that attracts all sorts.

Purple Pit

Bar

Head to this subterranean basement bar for cocktails by one of Melbourne’s best bartenders, and snacks that let the drinks shine. We’re fans of the Big Mac-inspired calzone served with pickles, lettuce and onions.

Music Room

Bar

Her's first-floor bar is dedicated to vinyl, premium spirits and sparkling wines. Inspired by Japanese and European record bars, it's where you'll hear DJ-curated soundtracks nightly, from the 3000-strong vinyl collection.

Pearl Diver Oyster Bar and Bistro

Bar

The name says it all. Come to this swish, nautical-themed cocktail bar for oysters served at least eight ways, and Martinis with spherified olives in tiny oyster shells, among other creative cocktails.

New Gold Mountain

Bar

One of Melbourne's laneway secrets.

St Ali & the Queen

Bar

A cafe by day and cocktail bar by night, from one of Melbourne’s top coffee roasters. Come early for brunch or later for coffee-spiked cocktails, Victorian wines and snacky plates (think roasted bone marrow on toast).

Embla

Bar

Nominally it’s a wine bar, but Embla’s charms are far more profound than those two words suggest. Come here for some of the city’s best food, paired with an idiosyncratic wine list poured by staff who give a damn.

Bijou Bottle Store and Bar

Bar

One of the city’s most prolific bar owners is behind this pint-sized bar and bottle-o. Like a mini wine library, Bijou invites you to grab a table, peruse its floor-to-ceiling wine shelves and settle in to watch the world go by.

Rooftop Bar

Bar

Meet Melbourne’s quintessential CBD rooftop bar. It’s appeared in films, has great views, and serves damn fine burgers. And in summers past, it’s morphed into an open-air cinema showing cult films and blockbusters.

Bar Carlo

Bar

Bar Carlo sits below The Waiters Restaurant, one of Melbourne’s oldest Italian institutions. It’s a little more refined, plus it’s open in the morning for Italian-style breakfasts. Later, it’s grappa, spritzes and an all-Italian wine menu to go with cicchetti – little Italian snacks to go with your drink.

Heroes

Bar

It's hard to describe this place. Is it a karaoke bar? Is it a dumpling joint? Is it a great rooftop bar? Yes, to all of the above. Either way, odds are you'll find yourself with a barbeque pork bao in one hand and a mic in the other at some point during an evening here.

Bar

Cookie combines rowdy European beer hall with standout Thai food that beckons to be shared. It’s fun, versatile and subtly influential, preceding similar restaurants like Chin Chin. Bring a crew, order the banquet and plan to drink.

Gin Palace

Bar

There are few surprises in a place called Gin Palace. This specialist basement bar has been shaking since ’97, with a page of its extensive menu devoted to Martinis. Its combo of velvet, dim lights and plush seating hasn’t aged a day.

La Rue

Bar

The dark, moody bar highlights American wines alongside greats from Australia and France. Stop by for a glass and bar snacks, and experience part of the historical CBD space.

Apollo Inn

Bar

In a timber-panelled room that feels of another time, get ready for four types of Martini, a daily menu of shellfish on ice, and a stand-out crème caramel dessert.

Curious

Bar

Descend a dark spiral staircase into this theatrical basement cocktail bar. Wrapped in a cocoon of timber, it’s the recipient of some major international design awards. But don’t let the incredible space distract you from the drinks – expect smoke, bubbles and plenty of flair.

Siglo

Bar

This rooftop bar above the Melbourne Supper Club has unrivalled views over Spring Street. It’s also one of the few CBD spots with a cigar menu (and humidor with hard-to-find Cubans). If smoking’s not your style, the cocktails will be.

Goldilocks Bar

Bar

At this long-running rooftop bar, there's an emphasis on cocktails and comfort. The team lets the cocktails, snacks and view do the talking. And the retractable rooftop makes it a great all-weather option.

Byrdi

Bar

Two world-class drinks innovators are behind Byrdi, who work with native Australian ingredients in an on-site lab to create their peerless, Australian-inspired cocktails. The food here is no less inventive – come for small plates with a big focus on seasonality. Either way, you’ll never have the same experience twice.

The Q Rooftop Bar

Bar

The rooftop bar at the Quincy Hotel on Flinders Street offers 360-degree views of Melbourne CBD, all the way to the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay. Come for cocktails and small plates inspired by the punchy flavours of Southeast Asia.

Black Kite Commune

Bar

This dark and moody spot celebrates a bygone era of late-night drinking and dining. Come for an inventive cocktail menu inspired by Beethoven’s fifth symphony, rare spirits and wild boar croquettes.

Bar Lourinha

Bar

Spanish food served with genuine flair.

Hell’s Kitchen

Bar

A late night watering hole in the middle of the city with a good laneway view and a lunchtime menu too.

Caretaker’s Cottage

Bar

Squeeze into this tiny, 100-year-old caretaker’s quarters for what may be Victoria’s smallest pub. Behind Tassie oak bar you’ll find Guinness on tap, a short cocktail list and British pub snacks to keep you mint.

Lui Bar at Vue de Monde

Bar

The cocktails and snacks at Vue de Monde’s adjoining bar are served with all the creative flair you’d expect from one of the country’s finest diners. Walk-ins are always welcome here, which means you don’t have to pay high-end degustation prices to experience the sparkling city view. It’s the best in Melbourne, hands down.

Whitehart

Bar

No other city in the country would slap a shipping container, some massive steel girders and a collection of ferns together and call it a beer garden. But Melbourne would, and there’s a solid rotation of drinks to go with the breezy, open-air vibe.

Bar Ampere

Bar

From the force behind Madame Brussels and Gin Palace.

Parcs

Bar

Parcs walks the talk on sustainability. The wine bar and diner uses leftover produce from its sibling venues. And an ex-Brae chef transforms it into inventive dishes (like mandarin-and-watermelon kimchi) for 12 menus per year.

One or Two

Bar

This tranquil bolthole amid the bustle of Chinatown is built on the motto “drink less, drink better”. It’s pouring small-batch whiskies and a tight list of cocktails. Why not stay for just one – or two?

City Wine Shop

Bar

Melbourne’s answer to the old-school Italian wine bar. Choose a bottle to take home, or crack it open at the restaurant (with a corkage fee) and enjoy with pastas and small plates, alongside the rest of the post-theatre crowd.

1806

Bar

A bar experience that’s part-theatre, part-history lesson and all class. Its menu begins in 1806 (when "cocktail" first appeared in print), and there's a classic libation to represent each decade since.

Berlin Bar

Bar

Opulence meets wartime misery at this hidden cocktail bar. It’s split into East and West Berlin; fancy on one side and grungy on the other. No matter where you sit, the drinks are world-class – just ring the doorbell to get in.

Whisky and Alement

Bar

With an enormous whisky list and knowledgeable bartenders to guide you, this mood-lit den has the goods to rival some of the world’s best whisky bars. Real enthusiasts can book in for a tasting session led by top distillers.

Heartbreaker

Bar

The cherry-red neon sign at Heartbreaker is a beacon for late-night punters chasing a good time. With pre-batched cocktails and classic rock on the jukebox – there’s only one result here. Wear your dancing shoes in case.

Angel Music Bar

Bar

This audiophile spot serves bar snacks with a side of sub-bass. Things are fun and loud downstairs, with great drinks and a few bar stools to enjoy them on. But it's on the upstairs dancefloor where the volume really turns up.

Longsong

Bar

Scott Pickett’s atmospheric bar above Longrain will transport you someplace else. Enjoy sharp cocktails alongside sharp snacks like prawn toast, smoked duck breast and freshly shucked oysters.

Good Heavens

Bar

This Palm Springs-inspired rooftop has room for 400 punters. If you’re chasing a very good Martini or Whiskey Sour in the CBD, this place has you covered. It also serves a tight selection of low-and-slow American barbeque, courtesy of Fancy Hank’s downstairs.

Ototo

Bar

Inside Japanese fine diner Akaiito, follow the luminous red thread downstairs to find this subterranean bar serving pan-Asian snacks and low-waste cocktails.

Jayda

Bar

Shane Delia’s cocktail bar, right next to his flagship Maha restaurant. Enter for classic cocktails turned on their head by a world-class bartender and a cracking bar menu of beefy borek buns, taramasalata tarts and a saucy lamb sanga.

Juliet Melbourne

Bar

Located in the basement of the Punch Lane building, sleek small bar Juliet champions female winemakers, distillers and cheese makers from Australia, New Zealand and Europe. To eat, it’s snacks featuring sustainable produce and native Australian flavours.

Loop Roof

Bar

Loop has been a pillar of the Melbourne arts community since 2003. While the original downstairs events and exhibition space is no more, the rooftop bar is very much alive and kicking.

Arbory Bar & Eatery

Bar

An incredibly long, alfresco-style cafe and bar.

Gracie

Bar

This sake bar wants to make the Japanese fermented rice drink more accessible. Soak up sparkling, fruit-driven and more savoury sakes over ice, on a tasting flight or in a sharp cocktail. You’ll also find fried-fish sandos and gingery dumplings.

Little Lon Distilling Co

Bar

this 20-seat gin distillery, in a 19th-century cottage, squeezes in a lot. Sample Little Lon’s small-batch gins at the bar, before checking out the gin still in one room and fermentation tanks in the other. Try its fun cocktails, take a bottle home or book in for a weekend gin masterclass.

Riverland

Bar

Follow a dark plunging staircase opposite Flinders Street Station to find an alfresco beer hall right on the Yarra. It’s dotted with umbrellas and leafy trees. Its straightforward menu of bar snacks (think charcuterie and gourmet hotdogs) and accessible drinks list make it one of Melbourne’s more popular watering holes.

Pilgrim

Bar

A waterfront bar serving all Australian wine, beer and spirits.

The Toff in Town

Bar

Curtin House’s dark, glamorous second-floor bar.

The LuWow

Bar

Check your everyday life at the door – it’s pure fantasy at Melbourne’s favourite tiki bar. There’s bamboo, leopard print and tiki statues everywhere. If you can’t get a good Painkiller, Zombie or Mai Tai here, you can’t get it anywhere.

Beneath Driver Lane

Bar

Moody blues and dark spirits rule at this cavernous, below-ground bar. Descend the stairs on Driver Lane for an extensive cocktail list, short-order French snacks and fancy toasties served till extra late. Or proceed to the intimate whisky cellar for a private tasting.

Lily Blacks

Bar

Lily Blacks is more than just another art deco Melbourne bar. It’s a cocktail aficionado destination, mixing precisely diluted classics as well as inventive house creations. Come early on a Friday to grab prime position before the post-work crowd files in.

Bouvardia

Bar

Up a discreet staircase in the CBD, this beautiful and boundary-pushing cocktail bar takes a scientific approach to its drinks – some of which take days to prepare. But the results are palate-awakening, not polarising.

Eau De Vie

Bar

It’s not the theatrical cocktails, world-beating whisky list or European-inspired snacks that put Eau de Vie up there among the world’s best bars. It’s the laser-like attention to detail at every turn, and the fact that someone here knows what you want to drink – even if you don’t.

GoGo Bar

Bar

Chin Chin’s classy little downstairs bar feels like a VIP area. Like upstairs, the Asian-inflected cocktails here are made with care, and the wine list favours small, independent vineyards above all others. Better still – Chin Chin’s entire menu can be enjoyed down here.

Boilermaker House

Bar

You won’t find another bar in the country like Boilermaker House. It’s devoted to the timeless pairing of whisky and beer, and with more than 700 drams on the wall and a constant rotation of beers on tap, the flavour combinations are seemingly endless here.

Union Electric Bar

Bar

Follow the sound of hip-hop to find this fun laneway cocktail bar. Fresh, modern tiki drinks await you inside, named after many of the heavy-hitters featuring on the soundtrack. If you’re hungry, you can bring in takeaway from one of the excellent neighbouring restaurants.

Double Happiness

Bar

While not as well-concealed as its sibling, New Gold Mountain, this Chinatown laneway bar still prides itself on being a drinking den for those in the know. Cheekily-named cocktails, Asian beers and dumplings await inside.

Sweatshop

Bar

The “mischievous little brother” to Seamstress upstairs is so small and dimly lit, it feels like it could be anywhere in the world. Rest assured, the bartenders know what they’re doing here – and they do it with a total lack of pretension.

Nick and Nora’s

Bar

Across five rooms and three balconies, this opulent bar channels old-world glitz and glamour with champagne towers, fancy canapés and theatrical cocktails bubbling with liquid nitrogen. To really start the party, order the pineapple punch – served inside a huge bronze swan.

Madame Brussels

Bar

This extravagant rooftop is best described as a cross between a garden party and a country club bar – on top of a skyscraper in the middle of the city. Madame Brussels is famously over-the-top, and it revels in it. Come here for big spritz jugs and a signature poached chicken sandwich.

Cherry Bar

Bar

This dimly-lit dive bar is one of Melbourne's most treasured and iconic rock’n’roll venues. Though it's moved out of its original ACDC Lane location, it's rocking just as hard as ever, with live music multiple nights a week. Expect anything from psych-rock to doom metal, sometimes followed by a DJ to close.

Pearl Chablis & Oyster Bar

Bar

In the same way as its sibling Pinchy’s is all about champagne and lobster, this swish bar champions another age-old pairing – with oyster degustations and around 500 Burgundy wines to choose from. Find it hidden in a low-key CBD arcade.

State of Grace

Bar

This palatial spot in the old Melbourne Steamship Co. building has a second, subterranean bar hidden behind a bookcase.

Trinket Bar

Bar

A Black Swan-esque ballerina guards the entrance to Trinket, a hive of boozy snacks and hefty cocktails – with another bar hiding underneath.

Glamp Cocktail Bar

Bar

A kitsch, African glamping-themed drinking spot.

Handpicked Cellar Door Melbourne

Bar

An urban cellar door that pours sustainable, organic drops from the Handpicked Wines range. Visit for tutored wine tastings with cheese and charcuterie pairings. And you can visit for the full cellar door experience any day of the week.

Barbarella Gelato and Wine Bar

Bar

Gelato and wine. Need we say more? This city gelateria is the perfect option if you find yourself in the CBD on a sweltering day. The wine is good and so's the coffee, but it's the gelato that keeps us coming back.