Munich’s beer halls meet Melbourne minimalism at homegrown venture Stomping Ground. The master brewers at this gargantuan warehouse are reliving the halcyon days of the late 1800s, when Collingwood was Australia’s brewing epicentre. While away a Sunday afternoon in the beer garden – complete with retractable roof – striving to swig your way through the 30 craft beers on tap.
There’s a traffic light system menu to help curious punters pick a lighter session ale (green) from a knockout (red). The most intense malt on offer is the Stave Breaker at a whopping 9.8 per cent, with notes of roasted chocolate and whisky, while Flower Power is more of a crowd-pleasing wet-hopped brew vaunted as juicy and herbaceous. Even the food menu here revolves around beer, with each dish (think porchetta, steamed mussels and beef cheek) featuring a suggested pairing.
With a tagline that reads ‘welcome to your cool uncle’s basement’, it’s pretty clear from the get-go that Jack and Fanny’s isn’t your typical Upper East Side bar. The 70s-inspired wood panels and brickwork that adorn the walls give off some serious retro vibes, while the cosy leather couches and bar stools invite patrons to grab a couple of beers, get comfortable and settle in for the night.
The Italian-style menu is full of delicious bites, including wings, calamari, burgers and an epic cheese and charcuterie board, ready to line your belly. Oh, Jack and Fanny’s also has an indoor bocce court, the only one in Manhattan. Games are free, and after one (or many) of the 14 draft cocktails, there’s bound to be a few laughs.
Tropicana meets goth meets Polynesian noir. These are the vibes we get from San Francisco’s Last Rites, a drinking den that takes the ‘more is more’ approach. No exaggeration – it’s like a plane crash in the jungle. The bar has been built using the body of an actual aircraft. Then there are the plane seats turned into bar stools, and a parachute dangling from the roof. Veering from the aeronautical theme are three-metre-tall stone skull statues and giant banyan tree roots.
The cocktails don’t stray from the dark jungle theme, with fruity, rum-based concoctions boasting names like Valley of the Shadow and Avian Evolution filling the list. It’s kind of like being in an episode of Lost, but with tastier drinks and a better plot twist.
As the world’s highest gin, vodka and caviar bar, Lebua No.3 is already one step ahead of its competition. But this impressive claim to fame hasn’t allowed the Bangkok site to rest on its laurels. Instead Lebua No.3 continues to push the boundaries. Not only is it the only venue in Thailand to stock Plymouth Gin, the bar also offers a first from the Absolut Company: a limited-edition Absolut Elyx vodka blend made exclusively for Lebua No.3.
Then there’s a world first: the P4 digital retina-display dance floor. To top it off, international music producer Andrew Murray was called in to create a Lebua No.3 album. It’s played nightly, of course, and is best enjoyed with a martini and side dish of caviar (served on a Himalayan salt spoon, no less).
At a glance you might not think much of the Chicago Athletic Hotel, but little do you know that hidden away on its second floor is Milk Room. What was once a speakeasy during America’s infamous Prohibition has now appropriately been transformed into an unsuspecting eight-seat micro bar. Specialising in hard-to-find ingredients, Milk Bar takes it back to classic cocktails featuring rare and vintage spirits.
Adorned with stained glass windows, candles and iron light fittings, the dimly lit interior sets an intimate ambience for your evening visit. The bar also offers a finely crafted menu of share plates, so you won’t go hungry. Milk Room, however, is not for the faint of wallet, although its rare spirits served in a piece of delicious history is worth the dosh if you’re splashing out.
Singapore’s Nineteen80 Bar is throwing it back to the decade of shoulder pads, perms and fluorescent lycra. A bright neon ‘arcade’ sign draws you into this bar. Once inside you’ll find walls covered with cassette tapes and game-inspired artworks.
Space Invaders, Puzzle Bobble, Pac-Man, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter amp up the nostalgia, while you sip cocktails from an era that made them trendy. Variations and remixes of Long Island Ice Tea and Blue Lagoon, as well as signature cocktails like the strawberry Donna Summer, can be enjoyed while your favourite beats from the 80s and 90s finish the flashback.
Head down to Circular Quay, where you’ll find Salt Meats Cheese’s latest venture, Bar Ombré. And with a happy hour that features $5 beers and $10 spritzes, plus free bar snacks, it’s turning heads for all the right reasons.
Boasting million-dollar views of Sydney Harbour from its rooftop perch on the uppermost level of the Gateway Building, the bar brings a welcome slice of Europe to Circular Quay.
A colourful fit-out with plenty of lush greenery makes for an inviting setting – ideal for co-founders Edoardo Perlo and Stefano de Blasi, who are both from Northern Italy, to serve up antipasto plates loaded with cured meats, wood-baked focaccia and stretched cheese made fresh daily. Bellissimo!
Now we don’t want to sway the battle for Sydney’s hottest rooftop bar, but we think Smoke Bar, located at Barangaroo House, is a serious contender. More than just a catchy name, ‘smoke’ is actually a theme that resonates through the food and cocktail menus.
Smoked trout and smoked brisket doughnuts are just two of the smouldering highlights, but it’s the Smoky Martini that’s really worth lining up for. Speaking of, don’t expect to waltz in with your Havvies on after a Bondi sun-sesh – this is the type of establishment with table service and expects guests to dress up for the occasion.
It’s totally worth it though. Smoke proves you can still get the wow factor without a bridge or Opera House vista.
Melbourne is flooded with speakeasy bars hidden behind the city’s buildings. But the Store Room in St Kilda is one tucked-away spot we’re glad we found. Getting into this barbershop-turned-bar is part of the fun. The number two button on an old phone opens the key to the cosy, eclectic cocktail bar furnished with collectables.
Memorabilia, including surfboards, old ladders, oars, vintage mirrors and remote-controlled aeroplanes, is scattered across the walls and ceiling, while the bar is stocked with hand-blown glassware from Mexico. Carrying the Prohibition-style into its cocktail menu, Store Room offers a small wine list and an extensive range of spirits including whiskey, vodka and gin.
You might be surprised to hear there’s a craft beer revolution happening in Estonia, and it’s the Põhjala Brewery leading the frothy charge. The team behind Põhjala – several Estonians and a Scotsman – are, of course, beer enthusiasts. Their industrial-style brewery is so impressive, they also offer behind-the-scenes tours so visitors can see fermentation magic taking place. Beers are brewed and aged in oak barrels and many are infused with ingredients like bark and sap straight from Estonian forests.
There are 24 taps pouring the good stuff, ranging from IPAs to barley wine. Meanwhile, a Texas BBQ menu ensures those imbibing remain well fed at all times. Our absolute favourite feature, however, is the on-site sauna, which can be rented by the hour. Gather your mates and a few bevs then kick back while sweating it out. Cheers to that!
(
