The Best Bars in Collingwood for a Cracking Night Out
Keep the rounds coming at the best bars in Collingwood.
Collingwood's predilection for late-night revelry is well known, and the suburb has a high density of good times bars within its borders. There’s somewhere to whet your whistle every night of the week, with the nightlife buzz dialling up as you approach the weekend.
From iconic pubs and gritty dive bars to classy cocktail bars and elegant wine saloons, these are the best bars in Collingwood for drinking in style in the 3066.
Commis
Commis is a zippy new wine bar turning heads in the 'burb's famously good drinking scene, thanks to the Gerald's Bar alums running the show.
The menu here is as playful and considered as its surroundings, from the ever-changing, hyper-local dishes streaming out of the kitchen to the exciting list of wines ranging from textural and intense, to Tom Hank's level crowd-pleasing. They're also having a lot of fun with cocktails too.
Both vibrant and comforting, Commis is striving for local connection - and for that reason alone it's the perfect bar in Collingwood to make your regular haunt.
56-58 Johnston Street, Collingwood
Panacea
Another new bar in Collingwood worth its weight in gold is Panacea, where modern wines, excellent cocktails and a lush outdoor beer garden are a tempting invitation.
Comedy gigs, gallery showings and other fun events are often in rotation, as are Scoville Sundays - hello hot wings, vegan nuggets and DJs spinning stellar tunes!
210 Johnston Street, Collingwood
Paradise Alley
It's all in the name at Paradise Alley, tucked down a leafy alley in a warehouse off Easey Street. A mini oasis of vibrant cocktails, tasty eats and friendly vibes await, where you'll come for one and stay for 10.
From Wednesday through Friday Happy Hours to free pool playing Thursdays, Recovery Sundays featuring 2-for-1 cocktails and Bloody Marys all day, to good records spinning through the weekend, it's hard to look past the charm of this unmissable Collingwood haunt. Have we mentioned the delicious eats in the resident kitchen, Nama? Think fried chicken and caviar, corn tostadas, ebi toast and filet of fish burgers. Yum.
25 Easey Street, Collingwood
The Gasometer Hotel
Regularly reaching their 350-or-so person capacity, the Gasometer’s the place to go for a proper party. Known by locals as 'The Gaso', they’ve got a retractable roof so on hot summer nights you can dance under the stars, whether from the d-floor or up on the mezzanine level.
It's also a cracking spot to join friends for a few bevvies year-round and one of the best bars in Collingwood.
484 Smith Street, Collingwood
Maha North
The Delia Group re-launched Maha Bar as Maha North, a Middle Eastern-inspired and wine-focused bar and brasserie synonymous with the Maha name.
Serving signature Middle Eastern-inspired dishes in an eclectic yet unpretentious setting, the menu champions seasonal ingredients and bold flavours.
The interior refresh delivers elegance and sultriness in spades with a sensibility that lends itself to anything from an evening spent tasting all the wines and small plates with your bestie, to a fun date night, or special occasion dinner.
86 Smith Street, Collingwood
March
Highly regarded chef Peter Gunn opened the doors to his new bar, March, late last year, situated next to his fine diner IDES on Smith Street. It's an intimate and moody space, that sits just 26 and shares a wall with IDES, but is not afraid to do its own thing.
The menu is small but considered, with an appreciation for Japanese flavours and cooking approaches acknowledged throughout. The drinks list highlights Victorian and South Australian wines by the glass, plus bountiful cocktails and sake.
90 Smith Street, Collingwood
Hope St Radio
Word to the wise - book a table for Hope St Radio. The popular Collingwood bar and radio station regularly packs up fast, as a stream of eager locals and travellers descend upon Collingwood Yards.
They're all here to enjoy the wines and small plates served with refined aplomb. The perfect spread must always include Chef Ellie Bouhadana's focaccia with whipped butter, plus oysters mignonette or their seasonal crudo dish; some goopy burrata or stracciatella to spear the focaccia into; and the potato and onion tortilla.
Paired with a unique drop from the cleverly curated wine list and the sounds of local DJs, it's a recipe for a super fun night out with friends.
35 Johnston Street, Collingwood
Beermash
Welcome to Smith Street's Beermash, where an easy drinks session with friends is always guaranteed. This cool brick-lined bar and bottle shop has 20 rotating taps for growler fills and fun bottles of craft beer and wine to sip well into the evening.
If you love craft beer, this is the best bar in Collingwood for you. You'll find it hard to resist trying every one of their specialty selections.
306 Smith Street, Collingwood
Molly Rose
Collingwood's charming neighbourhood brewery is bigger, better and more beautiful than ever, having taken over not one but two neighbouring buildings. Molly Rose's exceptional, laid-back hospitality shines from the minute you stroll through the door, whether dining in on their chef's table menu, cosying up indoors for a pint or settling in for an afternoon in the beer garden.
Expect a mostly Australian wine list, a cocktail menu from Ryan Noreiks of Caretaker’s Cottage, and a range of Molly Rose's best craft beers.
279/285 Wellington Street, Collingwood
Goldy’s Tavern
Friends, families and four-legged friends are all welcome at this legendary old-school boozer (the historic Leinster Arms Hotel), which has lovingly retained all of its unpretentious charm while nursing it into the modern age.
Goldy’s Tavern's several dining rooms, bars and outdoor areas are homey with kitschy mid-century Australian décor – floral carpets and vintage knick-knacks included. Grab a jug and a board game off the shelf, this is a local that you’ll want to linger at.
66A Gold Street, Collingwood
Above Board
We think Above Board is one of the best bars in Collingwood – but don’t just take our word for it, they’ve been named the 44th best bar in the world.
A seat at this tiny 16-seater entails deeply personalised service, much like what you’d find in the upscale bars of Tokyo or London. Expect a regularly rotating list of cocktails that take inspiration from Lambert’s years working all over the world, alongside classic drinks made to exacting standards.
306 Smith Street, Collingwood
Runner Up
Melbourne loves a rooftop bar, and few are as fun as Runner Up in Collingwood. The space holds a cosy brick bar and an open-air courtyard that shines come golden hour. T
There’s a gentle Mediterranean feel, with Italian and Australian wines pouring, cumquat and fig trees blooming and a stay-all-day vibe. Come for a limoncello spritz and stay for DJs on the weekend.
Level 2/35 Johnston Street, Collingwood
Nighthawks
Every nightlife-loving neighbourhood needs a good dive bar, and Nighthawks is Collingwood’s. Harking back to the grungy and frayed-edge Melbourne of yesteryear, the lights are low, the records spinning and the mood conspiratorial.
Sidle cheek-to-cheek in booths, catch some fresh air in the rear beer garden or even drop in for a solo tipple up at the bar. The bar’s petite dimensions don’t stop it from being one of our favourite live music venues, with weekly intimate gigs in the front room.
136 Johnston Street, Collingwood
Gum
Small in size but big in soul, Gum is a ‘70s-inspired bar injecting a shot of nostalgia into Johnston Street. Somewhere between a wine bar and a pub, it’s the place you can hit up for a quick pre-dinner drink and late nights with local DJs.
The space is effortlessly inviting with bright, throwback décor in the form of orange laminate tabletops, brown leather chairs and floral print wallpaper that looks great on the ‘gram.
173 Johnston Street, Collingwood
Glou
A sustainable wine dispensary – how inner north. Glou’s mission is honourable, reducing countless glass bottles and labels by serving vino on tap from kegs.
They’ve got 16 taps rotating through a selection of exclusively Australian drops, making Glou a great visit for those looking to expand their knowledge of local winemaking. Functioning almost like a cellar door, you’re welcome to taste before committing to a glass, and you’ll want to bring a reusable bottle to fill up with your favourites for home.
310 Smith Street, Collingwood
The Moon
Local wine bar and bottle shop The Moon has ridden the natural wine wave, adopting a minimal intervention philosophy from the moment it opened.
This sleek concrete and stone wine bar houses over 400 bottles, while an eclectic by-the-glass list jumps between organically farmed Verdicchio to local Pinot Noir produced in Gippsland.
28A Stanley Street, Collingwood
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