Melbourne Patron

Meyers Place is one of my favourite Melbourne laneways to hang out in, not least because it offers a variety of bars to choose from. Yes, there are several, but together they form a chilled-out sanctuary from the ritzy, pricey hotspots around the top end of Bourke Street ( Siglo/Supper Club/City Wine Shop , Longrain , Madame Brussels , Gin Palace and 1806 all come to mind). Don't get me wrong - many of these are excellent; but when you venture out midweek on a regular basis, it's nice to know you have a cluster of affordable, more relaxed options available, as well as the schmancier, special-occasion places. Also handy is how easy Meyers Place is to find, compared to many other Melbourne laneways. "It comes off Bourke Street, near the Parliament end," is a phrase I'm sure I've spouted multiple times to uninitiated friends. Failing that, I tell them to look for the Palace Theatre - it's almost directly across the road. The Bourke Street entrance to Me...

I could make a pun here about how at 99 Problems  (31 Johnston Street, Collingwood), the bar ain't one, or something equally bad. But I won't. It's a bit overdone, don't you think? The odd thing, for a place with such a punchy name, is how understated it is. Not far from the corner of Smith and Johnston Streets, in the 'hood of the illustrious Tote, 99 Problems lies among an unassuming strip of Collingwood. There are lots of unusual places nearby - ranging from African, Czech and Greek food to quirky stores spruiking bicycles, retro eyewear, and mannequins - and although many are full or on their way, there is a quiet buzz about the area, as though a parade of hipsters has just passed through, leaving behind only the ultra-committed and genuinely non-caring cool. Hiding under an awning labelled with something else, it can be easy to overlook the brown-gold lettering on the window that identifies the bar. But once you know it's opposite Jim's Greek, i...

An institution of Melbourne, Pellegrini's Espresso Bar is one of the first places you are told about when you arrive in Melbourne. It faces street-front at 66 Bourke Street - on the corner of a most artistic-looking laneway - making it relatively easy to find, unlike many of its rooftop-dwelling, laneway-hiding neighbours. Aesthetically, it has an old-school Italian charm, and claims to have imported Melbourne's first espresso machine in the 1950s. Considering that, it's very disappointing that Pellegrini's uses and makes such terrible coffee. Vittoria! Oh, the shame. I have been to Pellegrini's several times over my four years in Melbourne, but I honestly have to say this was my most disappointing visit. Sure, it's cheap - but hey, pasta's not expensive to make. Yes, it has character - but so do a lot of places in this wonderful city... and too many 'cons' does not a 'pro' make. There is a long bar/counter that runs down one side o...