Must-see nightlife in Melbourne

There's no better place for a pre- or post-Nova tipple than this neighbourhood gem. It has a distinctly Melbourne-European vibe: a marble bar and raised…

The neighbourhood bar that everyone wishes they had, where you'll rub shoulders with hospitality staff on a night off, bumble dates and likely share a…

From a team of hospitality heavyweights, Bar Liberty brings carefully selected wines (more than 300 on the list) and expertly crafted cocktails to Fitzroy…

Nestled among the CBD's high-rise buildings is this fantastic spot for a drink, with a retractable awning and efficient heating system. With a green-tiled…

Look for the festoon lights illuminating the laneway to Arlechin, a bar from the Grossi family of Melbourne hospitality fame. Sit among a glass-walled…

Sophistication is off the charts at this hidden, upstairs nook. Settle into a leather booth in the intimate setting with a few friends for conversation…

The first Market Lane speciality coffee shop and roastery hides at the back of Prahran Market. The beans here are strictly seasonal, producing cups of…

Wide Open in name translates to wide open in space at this converted-warehouse cafe-roastery, just off hectic Sydney Rd. There's plenty of elbow room at…

This sophisticated hideaway next to the Princess Theatre, entered via a blank wooden door beneath a very discreet sign, is a favoured after-work…

Part bar, part Thai restaurant, this kooky-cool venue with grand bones is one of the more enduring rites of passage of the Melbourne night. The bar is…

This dimly lit haven of urbanity has a phenomenal 900 whiskies on its list, along with 12 craft beers on tap and more by the can and bottle. Snack on…

A big player in Melbourne's third-wave coffee movement, this warehouse cafe is the original roaster for Padre Coffee and brews its premium single origins…

A Chapel St classic and nod to the area's Eastern European influences. With up to 200 vodkas available, you can try drops like clear, oak-matured, fruit…

A reimagined old boozer that’s retained its charm. Come for a pot of beer by all means, but there’s also decent wine by the glass and fancy versions of…

You've heard of exiting through the gift shop, but what about entering through the bottle shop? That's what you need to do to get to this bar, a handsome,…

Just as in a grand English garden, there are orderly bits and wild bits in this so-hot-right-now multi-purpose venue. Shuffle past the suits into the main…

Posher than your average old Carlton boozer, the Lincoln retains its 1854 historical charm with an art deco curved bar featuring 12 taps. It offers an…

Named after the year the word 'cocktail' was first used in print, 1806 is both opulent and unpretentious. Formerly a brothel, then a cabaret club, velvet…

The friendly Napier has stood on this corner since 1866. Worm your way around the central bar to the boisterous dining room for the iconic Bogan Burger…

For a peek behind the scenes at Proud Mary – producer of some of the city's best coffee – swing by Aunty Peg's roasting house. The warehouse shows off the…