13 editor picks in Melbourne.
Melbourne's cocktail culture thrives in hidden upstairs rooms and laneway doorways, a legacy of the small-bar licensing that reshaped the city centre. Black Pearl on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy is a long-running fixture of that scene, and CBD rooms like Bar Americano on Presgrave Place and Siglo on Spring Street show the range from tiny standing bars to rooftop terraces.
13 cocktail bar places in Melbourne we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Melbourne · Cocktail Bar across every city.
Drink Seasonal bartender's choice cocktail
Black Pearl on Brunswick Street has been named among the world's best bars: serious craft cocktails in a Fitzroy corner pub built around technique above.
Drink Lychee Martini with kaffir lime
Seamstress on Lonsdale Street occupies a former garment factory with a cocktail bar on top: dim sum, Asian-influenced plates and a rooftop that fills by 9pm.
Drink Americano on tap
Bar Americano fits 10 people in a CBD laneway and does not take bookings: the Negroni standard for Melbourne and a lesson in what a small bar.
Drink Rotating craft tap list
Cookie on Swanston Street runs Melbourne's longest craft beer list alongside a Thai kitchen: live music downstairs and a crowd that arrives after midnight.
Drink Old Fashioned with Australian whisky
Siglo above Spring Street has rooftop views of Parliament House: aperitivo hours, a serious Campari selection and reliable late-night crowds on the terrace.
Drink House vermouth and soda with olive
Naked for Satan on Brunswick Street is the Fitzroy rooftop bar: pintxos, cheap vermut and a top-level terrace that draws weekend queues from midday onwards.
Drink Jungle Bird and cheap beer combos
Heartbreaker on Russell Street is Melbourne's best near-dive bar: natural wine, punk records and a room that rejects any attempt at pretension from its crowd.
Drink Single malt Scotch flight, seasonal highball
Dr Morse on Johnston Street in Abbotsford sits beneath Victoria Park station: a two-room bar with a serious whisky list from Scotland, Japan and Australia.
Drink Classic Martini with house-clarified brine
Above Board in Collingwood seats 8 at a U-shaped counter and serves rotating seasonal cocktails from a hidden room accessed via Chopper Lane.
Drink House Spritz with Aperol and prosecco
Arbory sits on a riverside platform beneath Flinders Street Station with Yarra views, an all-day menu and one of the city's best outdoor settings.
Double Happiness on Liverpool Street is Melbourne's long-favored Chinese-Australian dive: karaoke booths, cold Tsingtao and a room that fills from Wednesday.
Loop Project Space on Meyers Place is a multi-level CBD arts venue and bar: a rooftop with city views, rotating exhibitions and a decent craft beer selection.
