The Best Gin Bars in Melbourne Serving up Botanical Bevvies

If there’s one thing Melbourne knows, it’s bars. Hidden down laneways or perched on rooftops, the city drinks in style. And when it comes to gin, we’re spoiled — distilleries, speakeasies and classic cocktail institutions all pouring their take on the botanical spirit. From laneway haunts to suburban distilleries, here are the best gin bars in Melbourne worth raising a glass to.

Gimlet at Cavendish House

Andrew McConnell’s grand restaurant-bar is named after the gin cocktail for good reason. Order the house Gimlet and bask in the glow of Cavendish House’s art-deco interiors. Impeccable martinis, negronis and polished service make Gimlet a destination for anyone who likes their cocktails with a little theatre.

33 Russell Street, Melbourne 

Little Lon Distilling Co

In a tiny 19th-century cottage in the CBD, Little Lon Distilling Co. is part gin bar, part micro-distillery, and all charm. Licensed for just 20 guests, it’s intimate enough to feel like you’ve stumbled into a secret. Order a cheeky G&T in the garden or book a masterclass to tour the stills and taste small-batch gins infused with rhubarb, violette or lychee. Equal parts cosy and creative, Little Lon embodies Melbourne’s love of the unexpected.

17 Casselden Place, Melbourne

Naught Distilling

A little trip to Eltham pays off at Naught, a speakeasy-style distillery bar dripping with prohibition-era glamour. Award-winning gins are distilled on-site and poured with ceremony at the stone bar. Their cocktail list runs from martinis to a playful tiki section, making this one of Melbourne’s most atmospheric gin destinations.

Factory 2/32 Peel Street, Eltham

1806

Named for the year the word “cocktail” was first recorded, 1806 is a temple to mixology. The mood is decadent, the service sharp, and the shelves lined with spirits that demand reverence. While not exclusively about gin, few places pour a Corpse Reviver #2 quite like this: gin, orange liqueur, Lillet Blanc and absinthe in a bracing balance. For those who love their cocktails with a side of history, 1806 is an unmissable stop.

169 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

Patient Wolf Distilling Co.

Once a Brunswick local, Patient Wolf moved south to a red-brick Southbank warehouse that’s part bar, part distilling playground. Towering copper stills set the scene, while bartenders pour their thyme-infused gins, oak-aged expressions and seasonal specials. Seating just 30, it’s intimate without being insular — a space where design, flavour and craft all converge. Take a tour, join a tasting, or simply enjoy a G&T poured metres from where the spirit was born.

34-36 Market Street, Southbank

Brogan’s Way Distillery

Founded by Brogan Carr in 2019, this Richmond distillery and bar has grown from three gins to a whole family of craft spirits. Brogan’s Way invites you to taste that journey with tours, cocktail classes and gin-making workshops that are as fun as they are informative. Or simply pop by the bar for a classic G&T with cheese on the side. Passion, creativity and community spirit flow through every pour here.

61 North Street, Richmond

Four Pillars

An hour from the city lies Healesville, home to Four Pillars — Australia’s most famous gin. The distillery’s copper stills gleam behind the bar, while tasting paddles showcase everything from citrus-bright Rare Dry to creative limited releases. The bar itself is polished yet warm, buzzing with locals and weekend pilgrims. Pick up a bottle for home or linger for a cocktail — either way, a pilgrimage to Four Pillars is non-negotiable for gin lovers.

2A Old Lilydale Road, Healesville

Union Electric

Marked by a neon lightning bolt in Heffernan Lane, Union Electric is a laneway bar where gin always takes centre stage. Bartenders press fresh apple, citrus and herbs to create cocktails that highlight the spirit’s complexity, from bright and zesty to bold and aromatic. A classic G&T is given new life with Australian distills, while seasonal signatures showcase gin’s range. Upstairs, the rooftop gin garden pairs skyline views with pours that feel unmistakably Melbourne.

13 Heffernan Lane, Melbourne

Gin Palace

An institution since the ’90s, Gin Palace is a velvet-draped speakeasy that lives up to its name. Plush booths, dim light and a menu stretching into the hundreds make it easy to lose track of time. Here, gin is both the star and the supporting cast, poured neat, mixed, or shaken into cocktails both classic and wild. It’s indulgent, dramatic and one of Melbourne’s most enduring love affairs with gin.

10 Russell Place, Melbourne 

Bijou Bottle Store

Small in footprint, big in flavour, Bijou Bottle Store is a laneway treasure with Gin Palace pedigree. Directed by Ben Luzz, its interiors are rich and intimate, echoing the century-old building it inhabits. The bar doubles as a boutique bottle shop, so you can sip a Bijou Martini then take something home for later. Old-world sophistication with a modern edge, Bijou proves the best gin bars don’t need to be big to be memorable.

194 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 

Eau De Vie

Ask anyone and they’ll tell you Eau De Vie has a certain je ne sais quoi. This luxe inner-city cocktail bar pairs prohibition-era chic with a gin list to match, the kind of establishment where you know you’ll be looked after. Dark timber, moody lighting and martinis shaken with theatre create an experience that feels rare today. As one of Melbourne’s best gin bars, they know exactly how to serve a martini worth remembering.

1 Malthouse Lane, Melbourne

Loving our list of the best gin bars in Melbourne and looking to continue the fun? Find a new favourite with our edit of the best new restaurants around the city, or get a little fancy with a taste of the best French restaurants in Melbourne.