The Keys
Preston's all-in-one beer garden, bar, arcade and bowling alley is the nostalgia-fuelled leisure centre you've been waiting for.
Overview
Opening in a 2000-square-metre Preston warehouse back in 2021, The Keys was an instant hit. The 'all-in-one leisure centre' complete with a reimagined vintage bowling alley, arcade, bar, bistro and beer garden is the brainchild of school friends Tom Peasnell and Jon Rowatt (part of the crew behind venues including Dexter, Takeaway Pizza, Kenny Lover and Dom's Social Club).
The Keys' main persona is a retro bowling alley reimagined for the modern-day bowler, boasting 12 maple timber bowling lanes that have been tricked out with upcycled parts from former bowling alleys, along with the latest tech and machinery.
Meanwhile, a collection of retro arcade games, pool tables and a state-of-the-art sound system will keep you more than entertained between games. The space is also home to a fireside lounge area, dance floor, dining zone, bar and a roomy beer garden with capacity for 450 punters.
Jack Lovel
Across three separate bars, a hefty 48 taps are largely championing local brewing mates, including fellow northsiders Moon Dog Brewing, Tallboy & Moose, La Sirene and Hawkers. In a fitting nod to one of history's most iconic bowling flicks, there'll also be Big Lebowski-style White Russians on the tap list.
Head Chef Peasnell is fuelling nostalgia even further with a menu of revamped classics, starring bar snacks, pub favourites and New York-style pizzas.
CHawks
Appears in:
The Best Bars in Melbourne for 2023
