The Best Fine Diner Bars in Melbourne
The restaurant reservation race is real, and Melbourne hasn’t been immune. Some of our top fine diners – like Navi and Chae – have been known to book out months in advance. But you can still enjoy a fine-diner experience without the restaurant booking – and at a more accessible price. Melbourne’s fine diners are increasingly raising the bar with a separate spot to drink. And, quite often, eat fancy finger-food or a full meal. These top-tier spots, many of them right next to the restaurant, are worth a reservation in their own right.
Bar
Navi Lounge
Can’t get a booking at Navi? You can get a taste of owner Julian Hills’s degustation sans the wait (or price tag). Visit the 20-seat Navi Lounge for snacks like salt-and-vinegar fish skins, lion’s mane katsu sandos, and “ducklava” (or order the tasting menu). Plus, small-batch aperitivi poured by their maker.
Bar
Lui Bar at Vue de Monde
Lui Bar, Vue de Monde’s sibling venue is also on the 55th floor of the Rialto, on what was the observation deck. It’s complete with a circular bar made from stone, elegant cocktails and bar snacks, and – like the flagship –remarkable city views.
Bar
Apollo Inn
Stroll 50 metres from Gimlet to find this intimate 30-seat cocktail bar. In a timber-panelled room that feels of another time, you can order four types of Martini, prawn club sandwiches, and a knockout crème caramel. Plus, enjoy access to Gimlet’s 300-bottle cellar.
Bar
Enter Via Laundry Bar
Enter via the front door for this low-key bar, attached to 20-seat Indian fine diner Enter Via Laundry. Helly Raichura and her team are serving more-ish snacks from past menus and “nostalgic Indian cocktails”.
Restaurant
Cameo
This sky-high bar – adjoining Atria in The Ritz-Carlton – harks back to the days when hotel bars were at their most fashionable. Ascend to this elegant 30-seat spot for antique cocktails using 100-year-old spirits. It’s overseen by the duo behind world-class cocktail bar The Everleigh.
Bar
La Rue
The dark, moody spot is right across the courtyard from Reine, the jewel in the crown of the old Melbourne Stock Exchange. Swing by the eight-seat bar for snacks from the fine diner (think reimagined steak tartare) and excellent wines from Australia and France.
Bar
Ototo
If you can’t get in at Japanese fine diner Akaiito, follow the luminous red thread downstairs to find this izakaya-style basement bar. It serves snacks like Wagyu tataki, karaage chicken and crab xiao long bao alongside low-waste cocktails.
Bar
Auterra
This warmly lit bolthole right opposite Amaru is all about fun fine-diner snacks – sans the degustation price tag. And most of the dishes are made to be eaten without cutlery. So, raise a pancetta-topped scallop in in one hand, and a glass of champagne in the other.
Restaurant
Cutler
The flagship in Andrew McConnell’s restaurant empire is ideal for a special occasion. But a sit-down degustation-style dinner isn’t the only option. At the chic front bar, order cocktails and snacks (including a fruits de mer with oysters, tiger prawns and more) or settle in with a coal-fired O’Connor steak with bearnaise sauce.
Bar
March
If you can’t march to the beat of a full degustation at Ides next door, this moody wine bar is a great option. The intimate 18-seat spot offers a taste of ex-Attica chef Peter Gunn’s fine-diner dishes at a more accessible price. Plus, order creative cocktails and Aussie wines from the on-site cellar.
