Top 5 Interesting Venues in Melbourne

I recently discovered some really interesting venues in Melbourne. They weren't the easiest to find as there aren't that many unique one-of-a-kind venues around. In the grand scheme of things, it isn't just about being unique or interesting but to be able to find a niche in what you do and do it really well. Perhaps this is what makes these places so special. Enjoy.

1. City Tiler
115 Bay Street Port Melbourne (03) 9696 0444

Tile shop by day, bar by night. What an awesome concept! Who would've thought a concept like that could exist in a quaint little joint called 'The City Tiler'. Tucked away (in an old courthouse) behind solid iron gates and luscious greens resides a gem of a venue with rustic wooden interiors, a cosy fireplace, a long bar trailing towards the end of the venue, moose heads, gothic paintings, mood lighting and candles; but most importantly the sweet, zesty vodka-infused sangrias fully packed with fresh fruity flavours.  Come here on a friday night and enjoy the melodic tunes of a young, talented live jazz and swing band. Young executives, happy locals and revellers danced animatedly in front of the long bar whilst I inquisitively peered into the drawers located next to my table only to find heavy granite tiles neatly stacked in the drawers! You can imagine what a surprise it was for me. City Tiler serves a small menu of spanish tapas including the punchy and piquant chorizo sausages, spiced chicken wings and lusciously baked meatballs. This is by far the best kept (soon-not-to-be secret) interesting venue in Melbourne. 

 

2. Ponyfish Island
Underneath the Yarra Pedestrian Bridge (on the island!), Southbank

From the creators of St Jerome's Laneway Bar comes Ponyfish Island. Located on an island on the Yarra River under the Yarra Pedestrian Bridge is a bar like no other. Only accessible by a single staircase, this hidden gem could be easily missed as a pontoon of sorts. As you make your way into the venue, it feels strangely familiar and not unlike "Section 8" container bar in the city.  Milk crates, hanging plants, makeshift tables and chairs and boxes line the eclectic bar. Sitting on high wooden chairs under the bridge, you can hear the clomping of footsteps above your head as people walk across the bridge. Looking into the river, watch the boats go by as you sip the flavoursome cinnamon and star anise infused home-brewed mulled wine ladled from a huge black clay pot. Laid back 80s and 90s music blaring off the speakers sets the mood for a casual, unpretentious and relaxed atmosphere. Intriguing, quaint and charming, Ponyfish scores full marks for "interesting" and satisfies the curious bar crawlers "hungry for something new".

 3. Cafe Rosamond
 Rear 191A Smith St (Cnr Charles St) Fitzroy 03 9419 2270

Themed as "Dessert Evenings at Rosamond", Rosamond Cafe packs up a full house every Thursday Evening from 7pm - 11pm for their 3-course dessert degustation.  Would you wait an hour in line for this experience? Well, I did and with no regrets. Where else in Melbourne could you experience such a treat? Set up by Chef Pierre Francois Roelofs, whose training included internships under Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck in London, his delicate, intricately assembled desserts are one thing but the experience in itself is another. Make sure you get there at 6pm to queue up to get a place for the first seating at 7pm. There are only 5 tables within the venue with space for only 20 people at one time so make sure you get there on time to avoid disappointment. There are only 2 seatings (7pm and 8.30pm) so by about 7.30pm, they had "sold out" and had to turn people away. 

So, as you can imagine, we felt very privileged and extremely lucky to get into the first seating. We started with green tea to cleanse our palate (this place is unlicenced). And then moved onto our Bomb Alaska test-tubes - delights of alcohol-infused sponge set on fire - an explosion of flavours as you skull the shot. This followed with the first course - my personal fave - beetroot raspberry chocolate. A delectable mix of chocolate, sweet and sour flavours with the beetroot chips and chards of beetroot meringue wafers that melt in your mouth. A most intriguing blend of textures from soft with the chocolate and raspberry, to crunchy with the beetroot chips and a yin and yang of sweet and sour with the tang of berry infused with the sweetness of chocolate. It was orgasmic and we wanted to savour every morsel slowly. The second course was a wonderful surprise! Hot pop corn crumble and caramel soup! It was warm, with sweet caramel and salty crunchy pop corn and reminded me of a soup version of the Daim (crunchy caramel candy) bars. The third course was macadamia marmalade with golden syrup and semolina. It was elegantly assembled in a row at the side of a plate and resembled a pretty yellow caterpillar. There were bits of honey comb and herbs on the top as an added surprise. The perfect balance of flavours and textures made for a complete end to our Rosamond experience. Highly recommended. The menu changes every week so be bowled over each week. This could perhaps become my new weekly ritual.

 4. St Edmonds
Rear 154 Greville St Prahran (03) 9525 0473

An eclectic hidden gem best describes St Edmonds Cafe. From the outside looking in, St Edmonds appears to be deceivingly closed but stepping into the cafe, it couldn't be further away from the truth as it was buzzing inside with a flurry of people hungry for a good feed. Unpretentious and friendly wait staff greeted and ushered us into a booth inside. Once seated inside, you'll be amazed by the surrounding array of vintage reminiscent of the retro kitchens with vintage weighing scales, rustic old model trucks, hanging plants in denim bags and elements of an old garage and graffiti still at play.  And of course they would keep elements of it, given its history as an old converted garage. Choose from the breaky or lunch specials and menus listed on the chalk boards and in the cardboard menus placed in cute paper pockets. An interesting menu - included the fresh chilli spanner crab fluffy omelette with roti packed with aewsome flavours, a 5-hour braised deer pie, roti pizza, lamb burger and so forth! Perhaps the most grabbing element about the venue is the exterior graffiti which adds a colourful grungy character to the venue. 

 5. Innocent Bystander / White Rabbit Brewery
336 Maroondah Highway Healesville (03) 5962 6111

Imagine a modern winery located right in the heart of Healesville township. Intriguing. Add to that a boutique beer brewery located just behind it and you have a winning formula. A massive sun-trapped balcony overlooks into the village as you enjoy tastings of the proudly onsite-brewed Giant Steps and Innocent Bystander wines. The popular array of gourmet thin-crust wood-fired pizzas, freshly baked breads and sweet desserts are just some reasons why both the locals and tourists flock to this interesting venue. Mostly I enjoyed the wine tasting followed by more beer tasting after at the White Rabbit Brewery. This boutique beer has been gaining popularity in recent times and it is little wonder why when you savour the smoothness and richness of the white and dark ales created by seriously passionate beer brewers. Oh and of course the famous pip squeak ciders for those who prefer a more effervescent beverage option. Keep plenty of space in the boot for your packs of beer and wine.