Your ultimate guide to five of the hottest new cocktail bars in Melbourne’s outer east
There’s nothing quite like a good cocktail on a chilly night. New bars are opening across Melbourne’s outer east, where you’ll find white chocolate pina coladas, fairy floss martinis, and one venue serving 40 different types of rum. Here’s our guide.
Outer East
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You no longer have to go into the CBD or inner suburbs to find a top-shelf cocktail this winter.
Melbourne’s outer east is becoming a hotbed for tasty tipples, with a bunch of new bars now offering good vibes and innovative drinks menus.
A number of cafes and function spaces have also been expanded and reinvented.
Here’s the lowdown on five of the funkiest new cocktail venues.
Nestled in an industrial lot near Ringwood Lake Park, edgy function venue The Budgie Smuggler now has a public bar on weekends.
The converted warehouse has a showroom of classic cars, and at its cocktail bar you’ll find classics with unique twists, tap beers and Australian wines.
The Budgie Bar’s owners also claim they’re the only bar in the area chilling glasses with liquid nitrogen.
There’s a beer garden with a street art mural and regular DJs and live music.
“We wanted to take all of our favourite things about The Budgie Smuggler and put them into a fresh space that’s accessible to everyone,” managing director Matt Newman said.
“We are really excited to open the doors and give people a new location to enjoy themselves.”
House favourite: White chocolate pina colada
Fri-Sun, 4.30pm-late. 1/166 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood.
Want to get a drink but don’t want to leave your dog at home?
That’s not a drama at Croydon Main Street’s new haunt The Ten Saints — they have a dog-friendly beer garden out the back.
Infact, mates and owners John Wooster and James Marshall have started a monthly event, Cocktails with Canines, for dog lovers to meet and share a cocktail or two.
The duo love their rums — they have 40 different varieties behind the bar and occasionally hold tastings and masterclasses.
They’ve also just launched a new cocktail menu especially for winter.
“We both live out here and have for a little while, and we felt there wasn’t many options for cocktails and spirit offerings,” John said.
“We wanted to bring something that would rival a bar in a city. Nothing too pretentious, but just high quality offerings where everyone feels comfortable.”
House favourite: The zombie
Wed-Thurs 4pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 3pm-1am, Sun 3-10pm. 164 Main St, Croydon.
The former Envy nightclub on Croydon’s Wicklow Ave has been given a new life by a garden supplies businessman chasing his bar dream.
Lilydale’s Jim Cochrane bought the bar after it shut down last year and has reinvented it as the Twisted Cocktail Lounge.
He wanted to create a relaxing place where people could catch up for a drink without loud music drowning out conversations.
Mr Cochrane said he’d given the venue a “greener” feel with more natural light.
“It’s a completely different vibe — we’re not a nightclub and don’t intend to be one,” Mr Cochrane said.
“Our vibe is a classy cocktail venue, a nice place for a meet and greet.
“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for 15-20 years, the ducks lined up and here we are now.”
House favourite: The twisted long island
Fri-Sat 6pm-1am. Unit 2, 71 Wicklow Ave, Croydon.
Cocktails and cakes? Yep, Montano’s can make that happen.
One of Bayswater’s best cafes is continuing to evolve after they doubled their space and added a dining area with indoor gardens last year.
They’ve now got a liquor licence and bartenders and are whipping up European-inspired cocktails including spritz, camparis, sangria, mojitos and espresso martinis made with their own coffee.
Wine lovers can also enjoy a glass with their tasting boards and lunches.
“There aren’t a lot of places like ours,” co-owner Helen Montano said.
“People have been saying to us they no longer have to go to the city to get a decent cocktail and a decent platter.
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“It’s something you get in St. Kilda and Richmond, and now they can get it here and not go that far.”
There’s more in the works too — Montano’s is planning to build a Mediterranean beer garden out the back and extend its hours in the warmer months.
House favourite: Espresso martini
Mon-Sat 7am-5pm, Sun 8am-5pm. 719 Mountain Highway, Bayswater.
Croydon South residents now have their own chilled-out weekend spot with the arrival of the R Bar and Lounge.
Da Ricardo’s restaurant owner Rosette McLaughlan has reimagined its upstairs function room with the help of her family.
“I heard many people tell me that they would like somewhere they could go that could be both relaxed or full of nightlife, and somewhere close to home,” she said.
“I decided that a bar above our restaurant could be something special.”
The bar opened in February and has beer, wine and cocktails and a snack menu.
It offers happy hours every day, occasional DJs and are about to start karaoke nights.
Ms McLaughlan said the bar would “soar to new heights” in the coming months with more social events.
House favourite: Fairy Floss Martini
Fri-Sat 5pm-late, Sun midday-9pm. Level 1, 122 Bayswater Rd, Croydon South.
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