Many of Melbourne’s bar and media people gathered at the new South Yarra bar The Emerson for the first Time Out Melbourne Bar Awards on Monday November 25th. Happening on The Emerson’s rooftop bar with its gorgeous view of Commercial Road (expect for the construction happening across the road), with many complimentary Rekorderlig ciders, Sail & Anchor beers, Havana rum cocktails and Tempus Two wines flowing (score!). With photographers left, right and centre covering the event, even as you enter the building, this was an evening to remember.
With many of Melbourne’s “it crowd” mingling with one another, from suave hipster guys to classy chic ladies, enjoying all the alcohol on offer, as well as partying this Monday night away to the tunes of band Dune and DJ Andrew McClelland, the Time Out folks got to announcing the awards. While all of the bars nominated are brilliant, there obviously had to be winners, and those highly commended. If you don’t know which bars were considered, take a look below, it was tough competition.
Best Pub
Winner: The Alehouse Project
Highly Commended: The Local Taphouse
Nominees: The Gem, The Grace Darling, The Standard Hotel
Best Wine Bar
Winner: Bellota Wine Bar
Highly Commended: Neighbourhood Wine
Nominees: Cumulus Up, Gerald’s Bar, Hell Of The North
Best Fitout
Winner: The Sweetwater Inn
Highly Commended: The Everleigh
Nominees: Bar Ampere, Bar Economico, Hihou
Best Entertainment
Winner: Mr Wow’s Emporium
Highly Commended: Howler
Nominees: Shebeen, The Gem, The Local Taphouse
Hot Talent
Winner: Sarah Fulford (Lily Blacks)
Nominees: Jackson Evans (Misty Bar), Lewis Halls (Black Pearl), Jack Scotti (EDV), Dar Warren (1806)
Best Small Bar
Winner: Hihou
Highly Commended: Whisky And Alement
Nominees: Los Barbudos, Bar Ampere, Bar Economico
Best Cocktail Bar
Winner: The Everleigh
Highly Commended: Black Pearl
Nominees: Bar Americano, EDV, Lily Blacks
Best Bar Food
Winner: Cumulus Up
Highly Commended: Bar Di Stasio
Nominees: The Beaufort, Hell Of The North, Hihou
Best Bartender
Winner: Evan Stanley (Black Pearl)
Highly Commended: Josh Crawford (The Rum Diary Bar)
Nominees: Tom Ambroz (Los Barbudos), Hayden Lambert (Bar Americano), Alistair Walker (The Everleigh)
Hall Of Fame
Winner: The Standard Hotel
And what was considered to be “the big three” awards…
People’s Choice
Winner: Carlton Club
Nominees:The Alehouse Project, Bar Americano, Bar Ampere, The Beaufort, Black Pearl, EDV, Los Barbudos, The Rum Diary Bar, Whisky And Alement
Best New Bar
Winner: Los Barbudos
Highly Commended: The Rum Diary Bar
Nominees: Bar Economico, Bellota, Cumulus Up
Bar Of The Year
Winner: Black Pearl
There you have it. If you live in Melbourne and looking for new bars to try out, definitely give one of these places a go (they wouldn’t have been nominated if they weren’t any good!). Though Melbourne is often considered the mecca of Australia’s bar culture, Sydney bars will soon be having their own ceremony thanks to the folks at Time Out. Sydneysiders are always trying to one up Melbournians, aren’t they?
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