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Bar Conexão

4/10-18 Arthur Street, Eltham, VIC, 3095
Phone
0451 685 833
Website
barconexao.com.au
Instagram
@barconexao.eltham

Read time 2 Mins

Posted 19 Mar 2025

By
Tomas Telegramma

Art is a feature at Bar Conexao in Melbourne's Eltham

If Eltham’s fondness for that temple of tapas, Little Drop of Poison, is anything to go by, the team’s new Euro-leaning bar – just a couple of hundred metres away – is set for success.

Bar Conexao is a sibling venue to Little Drop of Poison in Eltham
Why you goFor years, Little Drop of Poison has been raising the (tapas) bar in Eltham, with owners Geo Tapia and Deb McFadzean bringing Spanish and Latin American vibes to a little laneway space just off the main drag. Now they’ve doubled down on their love for the area, opening a second bar, Conexão (which means “connection” in Portuguese), in a similarly tucked-away location: in the Eltham Town Mall, beneath where the local farmers’ market operates. Make your way down there to find Deb’s former art studio has been completely reimagined as a neighbourhood watering hole that oozes European elegance, from the gorgeous copper bar to the cushy banquette seating and the walls adorned with eclectic artworks. While it’s similarly dark and moody when compared to its sibling only a short walk away, Bar Conexão offers a slightly different, more Eurocentric alternative for those looking for a good time in the ’burbs.
What drink to orderBar Conexão doesn’t reinvent the wheel in the cocktail department, mostly favouring – and nailing – the classics. But, in some cases, there are twists to pique your attention. A heavy hit of basil elevates the gin- and lime-based Gimlet. Fans of foam-topped sour cocktails have the cloudy Green Apple Sour tempered with cucumber. And the Very Spicy Margarita is so fiery the team had to add a regular one to the menu to appease any chilli-averse bar-goers. The wine list is both approachably sized and priced, leaning towards more boutique makers from across Australia and Europe. One highlight is a beautifullybright cabernet from Yarra Valley winemaker Jayden Ong.
Some of the cocktails on offer at Bar Conexao in Melbourne
Various dishes with white wine at Bar Conexao in Melbourne's Eltham
What to eatWhile the drinks are definitely the hero, and the snacks the sidekick, you’re still in for some delicious bites to go alongside your beverage of choice. Given there’s no dedicated kitchen here, most elements are prepared at Little Drop of Poison for a share-plates menu that’s compact enough to order in its entirety. It changes regularly, but you might find smoky paprika crisps, a collab between local chip brand Chappy’s and tapas haven Movida; rich, red tomato gazpacho chilled soup crowned with burrata and herbaceous basil oil; or caviar-topped mussels escabeche with toasty bread.
Why we love itIt hasn’t always been easy to find bars for top-quality drinking (and, just as importantly, snacking) in the suburbs. But the tide is well and truly turning in Eltham, 20 kilometres north-east of the city, where locals are lucky to have Bar Conexão and its sibling, Little Drop of Poison, as well as Naught Distilling’s hidden, gin-powered speakeasy. There’s enough excitement in this leafy suburb’s bar scene to lure non-locals from across Melbourne for a night of cocktails that compete with those in the inner city.
The setting inside Bar Conexao in Melbourne
Don’t leave withoutTake some time to admire the gallery wall of works curated (and sometimes even created) by co-owner Deb McFadzean, who’s also a talented photographer and artist. Whether it’s a striking portrait of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo or a dramatic landscape, all artworks are available to buy online through Deb’s business Still & All.
Sponsor logo
In partnership with Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
Authour image
Tomas TelegrammaTomas is a food, drinks and culture writer, and former Broadsheet Melbourne editor.
Tags
Drinks DirectoryGreat tunesMelbourneMelbourne – NorthDate nightRecently openedKiller cocktailsCasual catch-upBar
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