The after-work drink is almost a sacred tradition. It’s a time for celebrating and commiserating, for forging bonds with workmates, or just putting some distance between you and the keyboard.

Whether you prefer a quiet beer in a sunny beer garden or you’re looking to segue into dinner, here’s a clutch of post-work favourites in and around Melbourne’s CBD. Ones where – for a limited time – you can even open the account with a complimentary beer or two.

Fancy Hank’s and Good Heavens
Once that sweetly scented smoke hits your nose, you know you’ve made it. American-style barbeque joint Fancy Hanks is all about slow-cooked meats, such as their 22-hour smoked brisket, ribs and sausages, but the drinks list is impressive in its own right. There are 12 taps of craft beer, an inventive cocktail list with three variations on the Old Fashioned, or you can lean into the American theme and order a pickleback. An alternative when the weather is fine is Good Heavens, just upstairs. Here, the vibe is more Miami and Palm Springs, in a venue that features 18 beer taps, and a cocktail list littered with old favourites such as a Pina Colada and Singapore Sling, as well as new favourites like a Spicy Margarita.

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Natural History Public Bar
There’s nothing quite like sipping a beer amid a menagerie of taxidermied creatures at Natural History Bar to take your mind off the day’s events. The museum-like interior is a perfect backdrop for late-afternoon refreshment, with a focus on fruity cocktails and natural wine, plus a dead cheap (pardon the pun) happy hour ($7 wine and spirits) from 5.30pm.

Pure South Kitchen
With a menu that focuses on King Island and Tassie produce, riverside diner Pure South is a place for after-work drinks that are sure to turn into dinner. You’ll find King Island grass-fed steaks, Bruny Island cheeses and St Helen’s oysters all backed by a wine list from – you guessed it – premium Tasmanian producers. Cocktails are house originals that star Apple Isle distilleries such as Hellyers Road and Lark Distillery.

Hightail Bar
With its hanging plants and jungle murals, Hightail Bar is an oasis amid the glittering waterside sprawl of Docklands. Located on the ground floor of a Collins Street office building, it’s a hideaway to which 950 after-hours workers regularly escape to celebrate the clock hitting 5pm. There are 64 taps of beer, a 5pm to 7pm happy hour with $10 pints, and an easy-going menu of pub classics.

The Mint
The Royal Mint building is a little more happening these days than it used to be, with its grounds transformed into The Mint Bar and Restaurant. The huge, leafy beer garden is the ideal spot to grab an after-hours spritz in the late-afternoon sun, while the cosy fireplaces will tide you over in the event of some classic Melbourne weather.

*This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Peroni and Asahi. Receive a complimentary Peroni or Asahi at participating venues thanks to the After Work Drinks Club, running until December 16, 2022. See details.