Victoria Bars & Nightlife

St. Kilda’s Hotel Esplanade (the Espy to locals) markets itself as a pub, but we’ve never, ever (even in Ireland) been to a five-story pub, until now. All the classic pub ingredients are here in abundance: There’s the beer (over 200 taps) and proper fish and chips. But there are also less-conventional aspects, like the Cantonese food on level one and regular ghost tours. Come for a late lunch, stay through to dinner when the live music kicks off, and chase the celebratory atmosphere that runs up and down the many floors. Images courtesy of Jackson Grant.

Fitzroy is the epicenter of Melbourne’s wine-bar scene, and Neighborhood Wine embodies the best of its casual, drop-in-and-say-hi vibe. Every minute spent in the wood-paneled, candlelit space feels like being in a warm cocoon…with wine and snacks on tap. For the solo traveler, this spot is one to bookmark: Slide onto a stool at the bar for a glass of something unusual the sommelier has kindly recommended, friendly Melburnians on either side will probably start chatting to you over platters of salumi and, inevitably, more wine. Suddenly, you’ve befriended the locals, that solo drink has turned into supper, and you stayed for a wedge of plum tart dolloped with almond cream.

Marion is one of those ridiculously inviting, vibey bars that you stop into for “one, just one,” and stay for dinner. Why? If you’ve managed to snag a coveted window seat, the people-watching is so good, you can’t leave. The wine list travels from Australia’s Yarra and Clare valleys to the best of Bordeaux. Every bottle and bite here is considered: Franciacorta by the glass in place of prosecco; complex, spicy, burnt honey instead of the usual sweet stuff; and verjus over vinegar in the salad dressing. So commandeer those window seats, settle in for a long evening of rare sips, and order the halloumi with that spicy honey and the fork-tender roast chicken. Images courtesy of Harvard Wang.

Hidden down a flight of steps, illuminated by a pink neon sign in lacy script, Juliet serves gooey, melty, cheesy things with small-batch Yarra Valley Chardonnays made by female winemakers. On Thursdays, there’s live jazz, which we love with rock oysters doused in mignonette and slurped in front of the burning fire. The most indulgent item on the menu is without question the raclette, which is brought to the table already half-melted and scraped into your pickles or German potatoes right then and there.

“A dive bar so cool it refused to allow an extremely famous pop star to hold an after-party here” is one local friend’s description of Cherry Bar. The late-night institution recently moved to a new address, one that comes with a twenty-four-hour license. Frequent rock-and-roll gigs, blues every Sunday evening, and soul on Thursdays make up the regular schedule, but if you’re in the vicinity of Little Collins and hunting for a witching-hour tipple and a boisterous crowd, this is the spot.

Truly one of the world’s great cocktail bars, Black Pearl makes many cocktails incredibly well, including the best iteration of the ultimate late-night fuel—the espresso martini—that we’ve had this year. Black Pearl sticks to what it does best: Bar snacks are few (get the sausage roll), and the booze options are many. The bartenders here are the best in the business, and if you’re overwhelmed by the depth of the list, give them a few pointers and they’ll whip up a special just for you.