I've been in Melbourne for four years. Sister Bella (22 Drewery Place, Melbourne) was one of the first laneway bars I heard about - possibly because it had just opened - and I visited it several times in my first year or two here. Then I heard a rumour that its food licence was illegal and that it was stealing internet from Myer. I don't know where I heard that, who from, or why it influenced me, but for some reason I thought Sister Bella had closed (and no, I'm not confusing it with its former sibling, St Jerome's). And so, I haven't been back for the last two years. Until recently. Sister Bella is notoriously difficult to find. If you come to the intersection of Swanston and Lonsdale Streets, then find Drewery Place (a laneway off Lonsdale, sort of towards Melbourne Central), Sister Bella is down another (unmarked) laneway that comes off Drewery Place - right at the end, behind a gazillion bins. When you find the doorway, you will figure you're in the r...
Always trying new and old cafes, bars, restaurants, venues and events, I love wine, coffee, writing and taking photos, and am often asked for recommendations by tourists and locals alike. Here are some of my experiences as a Melbourne Patron.