Other adventures were calling, so we haven’t done this in quite a while! Let’s catch up now on all the new and new-look bars, distilleries and other assorted boozeries that have flung open their doors over the past few months.
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Bouzy
A chic wine bar from the Entrecote team. In their own words it’s “French and fucking fabulous!” You can order lobster with a side of fries so we tend to agree.
976 High Street, Armadale
The Bar Next Door
Order Ethiopian delivery from Mesob – the ‘next door’ it this bar’s name and settle in for some Africana sounds.
211A High Street Northcote
The Whiskery
A farm shed cellar door for Bellarine Distillery, now home to Teddy & the Fox gin with whisky on its way.
Cnr Scotchmans Road and Portarlington Road, Drysdale
Bar Romantica
A pizza joint transformed into a wine bar with plenty of booth seating and free pool.
52 Lygon Street, Brunswick East
Mjolner
A Viking-inspired bar and restaurant concept (borrowed from its Sydney counterpart). Don’t steal their hammer. Just drink a toast to Valhalla in their basement cocktail bar.
106 Hardware Street, Melbourne
Natural History
A sprawling all-day steakhouse, bar and grill with taxidermied museum displays that look pretty wild. Start your visit with Champagne and caviar.
401 Collins Street, Melbourne
Saint Evie
A spray-painted, vodka-laden haven for good folk; in ode to a former generous local “Evie”. Ask the bartender about her story.
47 Barkly Street, St Kilda
Thornbury Picture House
Order cocktails and craft beer with a side of popcorn and handmade choc tops at this independent, retro-styled cinema and bar.
802 High Street, Thornbury
Whaler Bar
Instead of a big blue whale, you’ll find a little blue bar here. Order upscale chicken nuggets and pickle chips and wash it all down with a bloody mary.
71 High Street, Prahran
Caddie
A focus on the important things (ie. food + drink) is at the heart of this seasonal and local-centric wine bar downstairs (cover: Simon Shiff).
167 Swan Street, Richmond
Benjys
The combination of karaoke, veggie/vegan food and a beer garden set up the good times at this record and colour-strewn venue.
283 Lygon Street, Brunswick East
Sibling Vegan Bottle Shop
This is possibly the first vegan bottle-o exclusively peddling animal-free beer, wine and spirits. Plus they offer coffee and a mini-market of snacks.
3 Ford Road, Altona
Foxxy Dolphin
How good is the name? Find over-the-top bloody marys loaded with mac’n’cheese balls and fried chicken (yes that’s the garnish).
60 Smith Street, Collingwood
Penny Young Beer Hall
Penny Young Liquor Store has expanded to open a fully-fledged beer hall with 18 craft beers on tap.
22 Young Street, Moonee Ponds
Mary’s Secret
Popping up at Werribee Mansion for two more Fridays only, comes this 1920’s speakeasy collab with The Everleigh Bottling Co. and G.H. Mumm.
Gate 2, K Road, Werribee
NightingAle
Beer Diva Kirrily Waldhorn and home brewer Sophie Goldsmith present a fleeting beer bar – that’s only open every second Sunday – with 100% guided table service.
468 High Street, Northcote
Ines
A simply beautiful Italian designer wine bar with a mid-century modern fit-out to feed your eyes and a selection of crostini to feed your belly.
150 Chapel Street, Windsor
Lobby Coffee & Wine
Yet another new wine (and coffee and bagel) bar to wrap our tastebuds around. A no-fuss venue with the cutest little sausage dog mascot!
52 Albert Road, South Melbourne
Luton Lane Wine
Find a plethora of wine and Spanish bites at this (yes, another) wine bar for the east.
8 Luton Lane, Hawthorn
Eastern Road Bar
This “wine bar meets mini pub” has all the trappings of a traditional pub – sports on the telly, roasts on the weekend – but it’s teeny and (thankfully) lacks the beer-swilling masses!
74 Eastern Road, South Melbourne
Melbourne Cellar Door
With 600+ boutique wines by the bottle and over 100 craft beers you might never leave.
25 Dukes Walk, South Wharf
Harper Bar
Happy Hour all day every day is a go at this new bar which combines the former Queen of the South and Mother’s Ruin gin bar spaces.
201-209 High Street, Prahran
Real Fine
Bottles of wine, a few twisty cocktails and upscale bar food await you at this new local.
61 High Street, Northcote
The Pub with Two Names
Expect Modern pub fare in a space packed with lots of exuberant Bromley art/artefacts (as the artist and his wife now own it).
Corner Mair and Doveton Streets, Ballarat
Mod-Greekish bar with all the ouzo and fried saganaki you could wish for (which should be lots).
127 Chapel Street, Windsor
Also try: The George Public Bar (ex-Snakepit, St Kilda), The Wayside Inn (South Melbourne) and Morris Jones (Windsor) which have all had major overhauls / Uncle Drew (Clifton Hill) is now doing drinks by weekend night with little help from Waterslide Bar / Lulie St Tavern (Abbotsford) has found a new home / Prince Alfred Hotel (Carlton) has unveiled a new rooftop bar / Central Club Hotel (North Melbourne) boasts a new team and menu by Burger Love / Don’t miss trying out more new Melbourne bars here.
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Spotted a new venue opening soon? Let us know by sending a direct message here.