Cocktail bars we also love...

Above Board

Maestro Hayden Lambert is king of his 12-seat domain, dispensing drinks of precision and flair. Order off-menu. Òlvl 1/306 Smith St, Collingwood 3066. aboveboardbar.com.

Bad Frankie

Many things make Bad Frankie good, not least wittily named cocktails made with an all-aussie booze cabinet. Oh, and jaffles. Ò141 Greeves St, Fitzroy 3065. 03 9078 3866. badfrankie.com.

Bar Americano

The pint-sized laneway-off-a-laneway bar never wavers in its commitment to treat the classics with respect and dignity. Ò20 Presgrave Pl, Melbourne 3000. baramericano.com.

Beneath Driver Lane

Getting boozed in an old bank vault is fun, especially with seven pages of cocktails and nitro-chilled Martinis. Òbasement, 3 Driver Ln, Melbourne 3000. driverlanebar.com.

Byrdi

This newcomer serves drinks like you’ve never tasted before made with seasonal ingredients and advanced techniques. Òella, Cnr Latrobe & Elizabeth Sts, Melbourne 3000. byrdi.com.au.

Eau De Vie

Think quality booze, genius-level mixing skills, and food cooked with cocktails in mind. Ò1 Malthouse Ln, Melbourne 3000. 03 8393 9367. eaudevie.com.au.

The Everleigh

Yes, it’s still the gold standard for speakeasystyle drinking in this town. Òlvl 1/150-156 Gertrude St, Fitzroy 3065. 03 9416 2229. theeverleigh.com.

The Attic

The upstairs bar at Black Pearl combines the Pearl’s cocktail mastery with the civilised additions of bookings and table service. Òlvl 1, 304 Brunswick St, Fitzroy 3065. 03 9417 0455. blackpearlbar.com.au.

Union Electric

It shouldn’t be possible to have this much fun while also making drinks this good and full of fresh fruit and veg, but apparently, it is. Ò13 Heffernan Ln, Melbourne 3000. 0450 186 466.unionelectric.com.au.