Curious
One of Melbourne's most eye-catching bars, from the ceiling to the cocktails.
Overview
Some curiosity is required to locate W Melbourne's aptly named subterranean cocktail bar. Find it along the CBD's Market Street, behind a rather inconspicuous door and down a gilded, dimly lit staircase.
The award-winning space feels like a cocoon: dark timber twists overhead a moody, stony bar, and plush blue and red seats. The deliberate blend of colour, shape and texture feels like an immersive, surrealist art piece — an appropriate accompaniment to the drinks list.
The menu fluctuates, but the autumnal 2025 'Elemental Playground' focused on the base elements of fire, earth, air and water. Take After the Rain, with the cooling combo of Yuzushu, cucumber, basil, bubbles and petrichor pearls, or Honey, I Burnt the Beets with its warm flavour palette of Tiny Friday Pisco, Olmeca Altos Plata, beetroot, burnt toffee, goat's whey and tuille.
The food is at a similar level of excellence. Bar snacks and big bites are in equal quantities, but they're all seriously moreish. Go simple with guac and chips, fries or marinated olives, or step it up to a seafood tower or a lobster grilled cheese. Word to the wise: you should definitely save some room for dessert.
Pencil in a booking or try your luck with a walk-in, but you should make it happen on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, when the live vinyl DJ programming kicks in from 6pm till late.
Information
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