Gin Palace

Melbourne institution Gin Palace has been a mainstay in the city’s bar circuit since 1997. The moody venue is famous for its 200-strong gin menu, coveted chicken sandwich and, above all, its lush interiors. Its combination of velvet, dim lighting and plush seating brings words like opulent and luxurious to mind, softening sharp edges and making for a roomy, basement cocktail bar.

The background music stays below conversation-killing level and is simultaneously smooth and lively. Polite, uniformed waiting staff ferry drink trays from the bar to the scattering of tables and private nooks. It makes for a swanky affair, one well suited to first, or even last, drinks, thanks to an early morning close.

Gin is, quite rightly, the focus of the extensive drinks menu. A page purely for martinis is followed by a double spread devoted to the Palace’s spirited namesake. But gin-less cocktails aren’t entirely neglected and range from cooler, fruity concoctions to the perfect winter warmer: a mug of warm, spiced and buttered pear cider.