NOW EXPERIENCING:One or Two
Thursday: 4:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Phone
No phone
Website
oneortwo.com.au
Instagram
@one.or.two.melb

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 14 Aug 2023

By
Tomas Telegramma


It’s not made for lingering, but this tucked-away laneway bar’s inventive cocktails (and interesting whiskies) will keep you coming back for more – a good time if not a long time.

Ambience at One or Two
Why you goThere’s an if-you-know-you-know quality to One or Two, which is hidden down the cobblestone CBD laneway that’s also home to Chinatown institution Supper Inn. A simple red-brick frontage, minimal signage and maybe even a completely closed blind don’t make it particularly easy to stumble across – or even find if you’re looking for it. But that suits owner Andy Chu just fine. The 24-seat “Japanese-forward” bar specialises in unique whiskies and cocktails, but just as unique is the fact it’s specifically not made for bunkering down (despite its bunker-like feel). As the name alludes to, Andy wants you to come for “one or two” drinks, pre- or post-dinner, say, then make a move (and he’s been known to move people along). Regulars get it – they flit in and out of the dimly-lit, dark wood-lined space within the half-hour. Take a leaf out of their book or risk the whole room of people turning over before you realise you’ve lingered too long. It’s not pushy, just part of the appeal – you’re in for the kind of superb but short-lived time that will lure you back. While the menu likely won’t look the same when you return for round two, you can bet on the cleverness of the cocktails and the sprightliness of the service.
What drink to orderIt has to be an original One or Two cocktail – they’re playful but well thought-out, they change every few months and they really show off the bartending skills Andy Chu has built up over more than a decade in the business (he’s worked his magic at some of Melbourne’s most highly regarded cocktail bars, including The Everleigh, Black Pearl, Above Board and Byrdi). The Momo Pop is a fancy and even-more-fun take on Passion Pop, the notoriously cheap, passionfruit-y sparkling wine many Aussies know well. One or Two’s cocktail version swaps in peaches, alongside Haku vodka, oolong tea and bubbles, making it a complete 180 from the original. If you’re feeling like whisky, try the One or Two exclusive single malt from well-known Scottish distillery Aultmore.
A cocktail served at One or Two
Bar counter at One or Two
Why we love itOne or Two is a portal to some of the country’s (and world’s) best bars. Well, sort of. You can get a taste for them without leaving Melbourne thanks to regular bartender takeovers (keep an eye on its Instagram account for updates) and the Guest Bar’s Choice menu option. Essentially, a top bar gives One or Two a few of their cocktail recipes to replicate – that might be, for instance, from sustainability focused bar Zest in Seoul, South Korea, which ranked fifth in Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2023.
Regular’s tipSit at the bar. It sounds self-explanatory, but while it can be tempting to take a seat elsewhere and let the experience centre more around your conversation than your cocktail, don’t do that here. You’ll miss the chance to do a cocktail deep-dive. One or Two is such a rarely intimate bar – just Andy and one other bartender – so getting a front-row seat means you can see everything being made, ask a tonne of questions (“what’s a clarified cocktail?”) and end up drinking more interestingly than if you just ordered off the menu. This isn’t the place for mindless cocktail consumption.
Don’t leave withoutGet Andy to explain how a raft of bright-yellow rubber duckies – a stark contrast to the dark and moody fit-out – came to call a shelf of the back bar home. It all started when a guest bartender from world-renowned Sydney cocktail bar Maybe Sammy took over One or Two for one night only. Andy can tell you the rest.
Make it fancyIf you’re so serious about whisky that you’re willing to splash out on it, One or Two has some seriously tough-to-find top-shelf bottles. Among the most expensive is a 26-year-old single-cask Scotch whisky from Glendronach – one of Scotland’s oldest licensed distilleries, in the Highland area – which will set you back $54 for a 15ml nip.
Ambience at One or Two
Drink served at One or Two
Who to takeBring as few drinking companions as possible. “One or two” also refers to the ideal number of people in your party. This spot isn’t made for big groups, and the more people you come with, the less personal your night will be. It’s a date-night doozy, or pull up to the bar solo.