The Ten Best New Summer Bars in Melbourne

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 its 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. And while the shift has changed to creating incredible cocktails, there’s still a European wine list to choose from. Open from noon, this is a great spot to escape from the steamy city streets any time of the day.

With a no-bookings policy, restaurants have started to open their own transition venues to manage their overflow. Yes Melbourne, that’s where we’re at right now. It’s hard to tell if it’s genius or exploitation of the desperately hungry, but that’s exactly why Prahran’s Charlie Dumpling have opened their takeaway offshoot a few doors down just a few doors down — and inside that venue lies a hidden door to Ba Charlie. It’s the perfect place to sit on a cocktail or a shot of sake while you wait for a table at the main restaurant, but, we think, cut your losses and just enjoy the great food selection at the bar. Two words: cheeseburger dumplings.

One of the leaders of Lygon Street’s current renaissance (Milk the Cow and Pidapipo have joined since), Heartattack and Vine have finally given the strip what it sorely needed: a cool bar where you can get a drink without a bowl of pasta. The small bar draws on the Italian culture that surrounds it, serving up a traditional chicchetti menu and an impressive selection of wine and vermouth. The best part though, is the four bench tables out the front, which allow you to soak in all the best bits of Lygon without being heckled. So if you’re catching a $9 film at Nova on a Monday night, spend your spare change on some meatballs a glass of Vermut Negre.

The freshest bar on this list, Magic Mountain is all but a week into service. Just in time for the best parts of summer, this two-level monolith comes from the guys from Cookie, The Toff and Boney, which is right next door. The menu here follows Cookie’s suit, with an Australian-Thai fusion that packs a lot of sass (figuratively) and spice (literally). Upstairs is where you want to be. With a big bar forming the centrepiece of the space, tables run around the walls and the Little Collins Street-facing windows let in lots of light and air. Plus, there’s a small balcony for summertime sips right up until 3am.

We hear it’s hard to get a seat at Botherambo. Since their opening at the end of last year, the people keep rolling in. And it’s no surprise, really — this is crowd pleasing Thai food taken to the next level by ex-Bangpop chef Kam McManamey. But Botherambo isn’t strictly a seated restaurant; a standing bar takes up half of the space. There’s no need to commit to a wait for a table when you can order some Thai fish cakes and a fresh coconut and rum cocktail comfortably from the bar on the other side of the room.

Picklebacks, chess, a record player and a sun-drenched beer garden — these guys are no rookies. They know what’s up. The Rooks Return has, since opening in November, proven its place in a suburb where drinking houses are more common than actual houses. This is a local bar that’s everything you need it to be and, with the beer garden, more. Perfect for summer boozing, it’s open from 1pm on weekends, and the good times roll until late.

Last summer, we wouldn’t have sent you to the Saint Hotel on any night, regardless of season. But since it’s undergone a complete makeover, changed its name to the St Hotel and added a tight Thai menu to its dining room (courtesy of chef Sean Judd, who has worked in the kitchens of Longrain and Chin Chin), we’ve reconsidered. The restaurant is casual, light, airy, and — this is the best part — nothing is over $25. This is carried through in the Supper Club upstairs, where floor to ceiling windows give you a great view over Fitzroy Street from a safe (air conditioned) distance.

If you spend your days in the office daydreaming about sipping spiked shakes in a tacky Florida trailer park, then you’re in luck. When the clock strikes five, head up to the corner of Bourke and Exhibition to the Grand Trailer Park Taverna, which has recently set up camp in the old level one Happy Palace site. Upstairs, the kitsch Chinese knick-knacks have been replaced with trailer park paraphernalia — including caravan booths, picnic tables and lots of greasy, trailer park food. Summer nights are begging for you to sit out on the balcony with a mac and cheese burger and a bourbon salted caramel shake. No one judges at the trailer park.

Balmy nights aren’t meant to be spent in air-conditioned bars. But finding an outside spot in the city can be hard — especially when the rooftop bars are full and the only places with outdoor seating lie on Degraves Street. On-street seating is surprisingly hard to come by, but you’ll find some perfectly perched tables at Doc Martin’s. Located toward the calm top end of Collins Street, the bar forms part of the Collins Quarter quartet and is an ideal spot to drop into for an aperitif or digestif. But be warned, it’s easy to get comfortable. In that case, simply ask for the cocktail menu, order some jamon croquettes and settle in.

PSA: the Marquis of Lorne has a rooftop. And while that is a reason to visit in itself, it really is just another delightful surprise when you visit this newly reopened Fitzroy pub. After being out of action for a year, the venue has been revived by some hospo heavyweights, and they’ve introduced a killer pub food menu, a great beer list and a fresh friendly vibe. And even if you don’t get a seat on the roof, the three levels are bright (no old-style pub dankness here) and there are a few tables down at street level too. An essential pit-stop on you ride home from work.