Why you goThe word “institution” gets thrown around a lot these days, but Gin Palace is one bar that truly deserves the title. Stirring the perfect Martini since 1997, this basement space off a CBD laneway dives deep into the world of gin, its shelves groaning with more than 200 varieties from around the globe. But it’s more than the sum of its drinks list. Taking its cues from the gin palaces of the gold-rush era (places no respectable person would dare to tread), this drinking salon has cemented itself as part of Melbourne’s modern history. A place ahead of its time, it pioneered our love of gin and in the process influenced a whole generation of bars and bar owners. It’s a bit rowdy, it’s a bit naughty and it’s a lot of fun. There are plenty of imitators, but only one Gin Palace.
Why you stayAs Dennis Denuto would have said in The Castle, it’s the vibe. A magical combination of hard-to-find entrance, intimate nooks and shadowy crannies, the Victorian-salon charms of the brocade couches and chandeliers make Gin Palace feel like a secret you want to be in on. Arrive early and you’ll get a bit of quiet, but as people flow in from work or dinner it starts to roar in the best possible way. And if the mark of a good bar is appeal to a broad age group, this has the competition licked. After more than two decades it’s not about fashion – it’s about the perfect Melbourne bar, which everyone from Boomers to Gen Z seems to agree on.
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