Disuko Melbourne is a recently opened Japanese rooftop bar, restaurant, and lounge on Bourke Street.
From dimly lit New York-style cocktail lounges perfect for canoodling, to spirited sherry spots people are galloping to, Tyson Beckett samples the best of Melbourne’s newest bars.
Melbourne’s bar scene is fizzing.
All across the city, glasses fill with creatively crafted cocktails. Tucked in those iconic laneways, cocktail bars infuse local spirits with international influences, while high above, rooftop and multi‑mode venues offer day‑to-night socialising.
Whether you’re grabbing a drink with a mate or a date, these new Melbourne bars offer a trendsetting taste of the city’s best.
Level 3, 59-63 Bourke St.
Best for: Elevated hospitality, with a social core.
Drawing from the sights, sounds and flavours of Tokyo’s club culture in the ‘80s, a playful disco feel runs throughout Disuko’s multi-layered venue. Across a vinyl cocktail bar, an unfurling izakaya-style dining lounge, an elegant omakase counter, and a sunset-hued terracotta terrace, Disuko has a space perfect for a social dinner with skyline views, or a lively late-night session.
Order: The Shogun - A tangy tipple with green tea, lemon, yuzu syrup and ginger beer.
106 Little Lonsdale St
Best for: Discovering sherry cocktails with an Australian tinge, served up with plenty of unpretentious personality.
They don’t do reservations, food, or table service - yet people are galloping to Three Horses.
No wonder, this new bar is from the team behind Caretaker’s Cottage - the award-winning, intimate cocktail venue recognised as one of the world’s best.
From an elongated bar framing an energetic, vivid painting of wild horses, the bar serves a cocktail-centred menu focused on sherry and its Aussie counterpart, Apera. The rest of the venue also feels casual but considered. Large speakers project good-time tunes from vinyl, and they play from start to finish. Thoughtful eclectic interiors make the warm space feel grown up but lively - not unlike the fortified spirits they’re reviving.
Order: The frozen mango G&T is a crowd favourite, but for a taste of the bar’s sherry-centred ethos, ask for a Jabberwock- a martini boosted with dry sherry served with a gold horse swizzle stick.
87 Flinders Lane
Best for: Worldly cocktails and shareable savoury snacks from a global institution, hiding in plain sight within Melbourne’s laneways.
From the moment you pass the velvet veil concealing the entrance to the Melbourne outpost of New York cocktail bar Death & Co, the bar’s moody ambience envelops you. Burgundy tones, warm wood accents, and upholstered seats create a refined, cosy, late-night feel that exudes elegance without stuffiness.
Like the Manhattan original, the menu is divided into six sections - beginning with renditions of modern classics before building from light and refreshing drops into bold and spirited concoctions. My god of wine, $24, blended a light, silky pinot noir with amaro and a ripe sour cherry soda.
A menu of textural snacks complements drinks and encourages lingering in the plush booths. A terrific whipped taramasalata is served with a still-life spread of dainty crudites and a selection of lacy tempura vegetables.
Order: Telegraph – a Downunder riff on a gin martini with Four Pillars Dry Gin, pear, and Australian botanicals. Or try the dealer’s choice and bartenders will tailor drinks around what you’re eating and in the mood for.
Level 12/130 Russell St
Best for: Sundowners with sweeping city views from a 12th floor rooftop in the city’s east end.
From a prime perch atop the Hyde Melbourne Place hotel, Cleo welcomes guests with a polished brand of Mediterranean generosity. Sunny design features give the communal seating space a convivial feel - combining urban sophistication with European ease. Drinks from sommelier Matthew Jensen, previously of Vue de Monde, rework approachable classics into sun-drenched twists.
Order: Pistachio spritz - a refreshing Sicilian salute to the bold and diverse Mediterranean flavours that form the bedrock of Cleo’s menu.
90 Queens Bridge St, Southbank
Best for: Moorish European-style bistro bites with Melbourne’s relaxed neighbourhood sensibility.
Whether you’re raising a glass for a champagne brunch, settling in at a long lunch, toasting a business deal, or hankering for a late supper, Coupette aims to be the kind of timeless local spot you return to over and over.
Flack Studio’s light‑filled interiors dot travertine, timber and leather details around a curved central bar, creating an inviting atmosphere that feels both intimate and airy. A world away yet just a stroll from the city’s arts precinct.
Order: Avant Gardener Martini - a herbaceous take on the classic with olive gin, bitters, olive oil and saltbush.
DETAILS
deathandcompanymelbourne.com.au
NZ Herald Travel visited courtesy of Visit Victoria and toured bars with Hidden Secret Tours.