The Best Bars to Hit When You're Looking to Cosy Up with a Cocktail in the CBD

The Dexter boys have done it again with the opening of two more levels above their BBQ meat restaurant Cheek. New cocktail bar and rooftop Peaches is a pastel pink fantasy land. It’s intimate and flirty with a whimsical scattering of glowing peach-like light bulbs. At the centre of the room are two white terrazzo table tops surrounded by a neat row of circular moss green stools. Semi-private booths in soft shades of blush and oversized monstera clippings line the side of the room. Already, you find yourself boogying to the bar as you step over (or through?) the specks of light shimmering from the gigantic disco ball at the corner of the room. The cocktail menu is divided into four music-themed genres: 90s pop, funk, metal and disco. A favourite of ours is taken from first section — where all the “guilty pleasure” cocktails live. Aptly named ‘It’s Britney Bitch’, it’s packed with a delicious blend of Brookie’s Slow Gin, dry vermouth, raspberry and basil. The bar is open till 1am Monday to Thursday, and till 3am on Friday and Saturday. And if you want some fresh air, just pop up to the 80-person rooftop.

Twelve months after State of Grace served its last drinks on Collins Street, shutting up shop along with its secret cellar bar Fall From Grace, the city hot-spot has made a triumphant return. Resurrected in style — and this time sporting a new King Street address — the well-loved venue has made one hell of a comeback. Here, old-world decor meets contemporary flair with a touch of the experimental. Mirrors, marble and chandeliers abound through both the European-style restaurant at street level and the hidden drinking den tucked below. Like the original, the latter is accessed through a bookshelf, though it’s swapped the soaring ceilings for an intimate den, scattered with lounges and vintage knick-knacks. Behind the bar, classic cocktails sit alongside clever signatures, like the Little Hell ($19) — a blend of gin, Campari, apple and blood orange with a hint of rosemary — a Charged Negroni ($24), with dark rum and coffee, and the Saving Grace ($19), a salted caramel-spiked espresso martini.

When you hear that the team behind 1806 and The Everleigh have teamed up on a new city bar, you probably imagine something fairly sophisticated. Boy, are you in for a surprise. Heartbreaker is an American-style dive bar through and through. We’re talking red neon signs, black leather booths, a pool table and a jukebox full of 70s rock ‘n’ roll. Plus, you can grab pizza by the slice or pie from the cute little Connie’s Pizza window. Refreshment options include local and American craft beers along with a selection of whisky, mezcal and tequila — but the real standouts are their pre-batched bottled cocktails. Chose from a Negroni, a Martini, a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned. If you can’t decide, take them all home with you – their ‘Liquor to Go’ bottle shop is open until 11pm.

Although we were sad to say goodbye to our favourite inner city wine bar Von Haus, it’s with happy cocktail-fed smiles that we can say it’s reincarnation, Romeo Lane, is just as good. The small bar still looks much the same, and manages to nail intimacy without pretension — which is what we loved about Von Haus anyway. The focus here is on creating incredible cocktails. The bar team does all the classics very well, but you’ll probably get sucked into trying one of its weekly specials, like a celery-infused Tom Collins or a negroni whipped with OJ in a Nutribullet. A small menu of European bar snacks and cheese is on-hand, too.

An oversized jewellery box of grown-up delights, Trinket is a glamorous two-level space, full of art deco styling and old-world charm. Through the hidden entrance, you’ll discover a fireplace and lounge primed for cocktail sessions, while another secret basement bar awaits downstairs. In keeping with the vibe, both the food menu and cocktail lineup have a dark edge. The bar has reimagined classic creations such as the sherry cobbler — made here with pineapple, almond syrup, absinthe spray and a smoked rosemary garnish — and a piña colada daiquiri, featuring pineapple-infused white rum, lime, pineapple and coconut syrup. In the kitchen, Head Chef Telina Menzies is delivering a menu of bites designed to be enjoyed with a cocktail in hand. Food is on offer until the bar closes, seven days a week, with DJs and live acts setting the tone every Friday and Saturday night.

If you’re a fan of rooftop bars or barbecue (or, better yet, both), prepare to have your day made. The Fancy Hank’s crew is now serving icy cold drinks at Good Heavens, the aptly named rooftop bar that sits above the smoked meat haven. It’s a slice of Palm Springs in the CBD — think brightly-coloured 80s-inspired cocktails, including twists on period-appropriate favourites like the Poco Loco (aka Good Heavens’ take on the piña colada) and Big Pharma (which is a spiced rum espresso martini). Of course, it wouldn’t be a Fancy Hank’s venture without barbecue snacks, with the bar menu offering a more casual take on the meals served downstairs. Hank’s sandwiches (brisket, pulled pork, buffalo cauliflower and fried eggplant) make it upstairs along with wings and lots of sides.

After a hefty three-month makeover, Bomba‘s rooftop space now boasts a fresh fit-out, a gin-inflected drinks list and a standout new Spanish jaffle. The rooftop is sporting an all-weather retractable roof and a second terrace. Refitted by Ola Architecture Studio, the bar is complete with a central copper bar, lots of high tables and a projector screening 70s Spanish flicks onto the building opposite. The reimagined drinks list shows lots of love for gin, featuring a careful selection of Australian and Spanish distilleries and a gin-centric lineup of house cocktails — like the Dewy Dilligence, crafted on dill gin, fino sherry, beetroot and apple cordial, and lemon. There’s also a range of tap cocktails, including a classic sangria and a spiced wintery blend of Melbourne Moonshine Apple Pie, brandy and pear, dubbed All Things Nice. Meanwhile, the food situation leans to the snacky, featuring a tapas menu of old favourites and new creations, a covetable selection of Spanish cheeses and a Catalan toastie.

1806 is Melbourne’s old world gem where cocktail is king. Think 1920s prohibition theatricality to envisage a boozy sanctuary home to approximately 60 cocktails. Red velvet chairs accent the dark wooden decor and from anywhere you sit you’ll see strapping bartenders, waistcoat included, shaking and stirring for your viewing pleasure. There’s a mezzanine level, too, for those wanting an aerial view. With capable staff, table service and an unassuming entrance, 1806 is a small bar drenched in classic Melburnian charm. 1806, the year that the cocktail was first defined in print, is a fitting name for a bar where cocktails take centre stage. Fast forward to present day, and the extensive menu is categorised into eras from 1650 to the present. We’ve the classics — whisky toddy, mint julep, old fashioned, negroni — as well as contemporaries like a mai tais, cosmos and a Russian spring punch.  While cocktails can take their time when the bar is at capacity every Friday and Saturday night, they are well worth the wait. Book ahead if you know you’ll be heading their way.

Love craft beer, but also have a soft spot for a good whisky? Does the idea of drinking them together excite or intrigue you? If so, this is your happy place. The cocktail experts behind Eau de Vie specialise in boilermakers — an American beer cocktail consisting of a shot of whisky and a beer chaser — to Boilermaker House. But the staff won’t encourage you to shot your whisky — instead, you’re encouraged to take your time to discover the flavours that you don’t find from sipping just one. As such, we recommend you try the Boilermaker Sour, which puts an IPA with scotch, lemon and passionfruit into one cocktail. The bar also has an excellent selection of cured meats and cheeses from all over the globe, along with a full dinner menu.

This underground venue gets its inspiration from the Deep South — and blues, whisky and rum form the bar’s identity. It‘s the product of owner Hamish Goonetilleke‘s love for New Orleans and, more specifically, the bars there. The space, located in the vault of the GPO’s Money Order Office, is designed by Melbourne design agency Studio Equator. When you’re ordering a beverage, be prepared to read — the drinks list is long and descriptive. Spirits? There‘s a strong 650 of them. There are also cocktails, including the stellar basil and orange smash — with Makers Mark bourbon, orange, basil, lime and cracked pepper — and the inventive vodka, watermelon, lime and jalapeño concoction. The bar also serves a full French bistro-style menu for dinner and late-night charcuterie and cheese till 3am.

Bar Americano is only big enough to fit in ten people, standing up. And even that is a bit of a squeeze. So you’ll want to be ok with minimal personal space if you’re going to head down the end of Presgrave Place to this old-world hole in the wall. An homage to Harry’s Bar in Venice, Bar Americano’s bartenders don white lab coats and only make the classics. Off a short, ever-changing list — the place is too small to stock every ingredient at once — you might sip a negroni, a sbagliato or an aviation.

With a killer cocktail list and a crazy whisky offering, this place manages to please everyone. Once a place people had to seek out, the bar is now noticeable from the line that lingers out the front. The bar staff love a theatrical trick. Here you might find cocktails served in boots or zabaglione freeze-dried with dry ice on top of an espresso martini — they’re always good. Pick a booth and hide away from the world, or take a seat at the bar and enjoy some banter. Cocktail degustations are also available with matched food if you want to try a little of everything.

Renowned for its martinis, late-night snacks and popularity with both insomniacs and Melbourne’s hospitality crowd, Gin Palace is a great location to knock back with a martini after a long shift. The bar stocks over 200 gins, so you’d be remiss not to try at least a few — order a generously garnished gin and tonic or a negroni. Rich, luxurious and flush with cushioned surfaces and secretive enclaves, it’s open till 3am, so you can take over a cosy corner with a date or group of mates.

Union Electric has secured its spot as a firm favourite among cocktail bars in Melbourne’s CBD for years now. At heart of this no-frills Chinatown venue remains a dedication to Aussie producers and an undying love for Bill Murray, which is to say that the bar doesn’t take itself too seriously — though the extensive cocktail offering is certainly high-end. Concoctions range from the Lola (Bombay Sapphire, curacao, coconut cream and ginger) and the Golden Bay Breeze (Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac, chardonnay and apricot and bay syrup) to the U.L.B. (mezcal, vermouth, agave nectar, lemon and bitters). There are also classic tiki drinks — including daiquiris, zombies, mai tais and piña coladas ($19–20) — plus a menu of highballs and spirits mixed with fresh apple juice. Plus, there’s a new rooftop gin garden if you’d rather sit up above the crowds.

Siglo has the tendency to take itself too seriously, but all is forgiven for the tranquility to be found on the leafy terrace. Perched above Spring Street, the view of Parliament House glittering as the sun sets is a glorious setting for some classic cocktails. Think negronis, Aperol spritzes and Amaretto sours. If you’re lucky enough to acquire the wooden bench-shaped booths on the balcony, the view is uninterrupted and table service is on hand. Entry is to be found by the back steps of The European.

A black unmarked door with a doorbell is the only clue you get when you arrive at the Flinders Lane bar. Like its sister restaurant downstairs Hihou is taking inspiration from Japan in atmosphere and offering. Buzz the doorbell, wait to be escorted upstairs by the man in a suit and take a seat in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. When it comes to the cocktails, plum wine, shochu and whiskey are used to create some unique tipples. Make sure you order the one and only Hihou hot dog — it’s a thing of legend around these parts.

Have you ever wanted to have the choice between 200 different bitters? If your answer is yes, then Lily Blacks is your bar. Tucked into Meyers Place off the top end of Bourke Street, this little gem is a favourite with the hospo crowd due to its nightly closing time of 3am — and it sure knows how to put on a good time. Along with the bitters shelf, the bar staff pull from a big back bar of spirits. Go for bitter, dry, fruity, rich, sour, strong or sweet. If you’re after the latter , try Lily’s decadent Fig Jam cocktail with lavender butter rum, vermouth, cream and figgy pudding bitters.