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Lui Bar

525 Collins St, Melbourne, 3000
Phone
03 9691 3888
Website
luibar.com
Instagram
@theluibar

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 04 Apr 2024

By
Michael Harden

The outlook from Lui Bar in Melbourne's CBD

After a recent revamp, the bar at fine-diner Vue de Monde has reopened with a cool new aesthetic that highlights the view, and a drinks list that continues to favour local producers and ingredients.

Inside Lui Bar at Melbourne's famed Vue de Monde
Why you goThere’s something innately glamorous about viewing a city at night from a lofty height as twinkling lights turn the city into a wonderland. When that view is from Lui Bar, sibling of legendary fine-diner Vue de Monde on the 55th floor of the Rialto Tower, the glamour factor amps up even further. This is particularly the case following Lui Bar’s recent revamp by Elenberg Fraser, the architecture firm behind the original 2011 fit-out. The original large central bar has been replaced by a smaller and more elegant granite-clad circular one that allows for more seating and, even better, more window-side perches. There’s less distracting clutter in the decor, too. Lui 2.0 instead opts for a dark, glittering aesthetic that emphasises rather than competes with the vista. Add service that befits a bar attached to one of Australia’s greatest fine-diners and a snack menu from Vue de Monde executive chef Hugh Allen, and you get an experience that will delight first-time out-of-towners and the most-jaded Melburnian alike.
Why you stayLui Bar’s renovation has seen a complete refresh of its furnishings, including beautiful and extremely comfortable black-leather couches, stone tables and armchairs with Australian wool bouclé and sheepskin details, all made and designed locally. The Australian-made theme continues with the drinks list, which has some of the country’s most-lauded distillers, winemakers and brewers taking pride of place. It’s the kind of luxe loyalty we can all get behind, particularly as the local stuff is listed alongside some of the world’s best and easily holds its own. Who would have thought that drinking excellent cocktails while lounging on a luxurious (and sustainable) black-leather sofa could be a patriotic act? 
The views from Melbourne's Lui Bar are a highlight
Cocktails served at Lui Bar in Melbourne
What drink to orderWith Vue de Monde’s voluminous wine list available alongside the more-compact Lui version, there’s no shortage of choice for wine-lovers. But Lui’s cocktail list is well worth inspecting, too, not just for the quality of the drinks being shaken and stirred, but also for the Australian ingredients featured in the signature cocktails. Sunrise limes, Geraldton wax, Tasmanian wasabi leaf, macadamia nuts, quandongs and Davidson’s plums all feature in concoctions such as the zingy Native Southside, a mix of Seven Seasons Green Ant gin, Geraldton wax, finger lime and native mint) and the Golden Wattle that brings together Republic of Fremantle gin, Italy’s Strega herbal liqueur, Tasmanian wasabi leaf, desert lime and black-lime oil. They’re also among the prettiest drinks in town – a win-win situation.
What to pair it withGiven the complexity of what’s going on in the restaurant next door, you might expect some trickery with the bar snacks, but instead Lui gives the drinks the spotlight while keeping the food simple and delicious, whether you’re chasing salty or sweet. There are top-quality olives and roasted macadamia nuts alongside meatier offerings such as wagyu ribs and fried chicken, plus sweet treats like bite-sized lamingtons with raspberry gel and Vue de Monde’s famed chocolate souffle.
Snacks served up at Melbourne's Lui Bar, at Vue de Monde
Champagne and caviar at Lui Bar
Regular’s tipSecuring a table at Lui Bar is mostly on a walk-in basis and may entail a bit of a wait in the lounge area down on street level before the ear-popping express-elevator ride to level 55. But if you’re planning a get-together with a group of four or more, you can book ahead.
Make it fancyIt will come as no surprise to anyone who has dined at Vue de Monde that Lui Bar also provides multiple opportunities to splash quantities of cash. One of the best ways – and one that ties in perfectly with the glamour of the setting – is to order the caviar service as your bar snack. Here, it’s the real Oscietra deal (fish roe from sturgeons) from the brand N25 and, with condiments, it will set you back $330 for 50 grams. But hey, if you’re going to fork out for caviar anywhere, it might as well be 236 metres above Melbourne, feeling like a king of the universe.
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In partnership with Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
Authour image
Michael HardenAfter 25 years writing about wine and food, Michael Harden is getting the hang of it.
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Drinks DirectoryOutdoor areaA+ spirits listDate nightKiller cocktailsNon-alc OptionsRooftopMelbourneFancy occasionTop notch wine listGood for groupsAfter work drinksMelbourne – CBDBar
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