The Keys is a loving interweaving of a 1950s bowling alley with a paragon Melbourne pub. It’s got a beer garden, 12 neon-splashed lanes, a games arcade and three bars.

However you define it, co-owner Tom Peasnell (Dexter, Dom’s Social Club, Takeaway Pizza) has crafted the place with an eye on longevity. Outdoor tables weighing 700 kilograms are hewn from granite, lanes utilise reclaimed maple and bowling-themed leadlight panels took a year to craft.

High-quality versions of American snacks include hot wings with blue cheese, and an organic foot-long pork sausage slathered with mustard and sweet-sour relish in a crackly bun. Pub classics include chicken parm with smoky scamorza and a retro steak diane made with wagyu striploin.

Just be sure to wipe your fingers before sticking them in a bowling ball.