After a few quiet years, Melbourne's late-night cocktail scene is making a much-needed comeback. First, Gin Palace returned after a classy glow-up with its generous closing hour of 3am. Now, another legendary after-dark watering hole is sashaying back into the fold. It's none other than Guy Grossi's Arlechin, which has been closed since March 2022 due to staffing shortages.
The Grossi family are not ones to give up – even through all the lockdown-driven closures – and so the city's beloved European-style cocktail bar is reopening its doors. Tucked away snugly on Mornane Place in the heart of Melbourne's CBD, Arlechin is designed to transport its patrons to Italy with elegant pastas, share plates, Euro wines and a snazzy selection of cocktails.
A 40-seater, it's intimate but not so small that you'll feel like you're drinking in a shoebox. The aesthetic is giving European wine cellar, thanks to a curved cork roof and charming table tealights that entice you in via the non-descript entrance. Leading the charge behind the bar is Russell Branford, the maestro from Daylesford's Lake House. Branford has teamed up with the Grossi crew to concoct a spellbinding drinks menu for Arlechin's next chapter, featuring the intriguing Puttanesca Martinez to the playful A Little Bit of Fancy.
