Named after the year the word 'cocktail' was first used in print, 1806 is both opulent and unpretentious. Formerly a brothel, then a cabaret club, velvet curtains still hang behind the bar. The cocktail menu doubles as a timeline, from the punch era starting in 1650, to the birth of commercial ice and the rise of the movie star.

Bar nibbles and cheese platters are available. Enquire within for cocktail masterclasses and whisky 'experiences'.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Melbourne attractions

1. Chinese Museum

0.08 MILES

The fascinating and often fraught history of Chinese people in Australia is showcased in this wonderful little museum in the heart of Chinatown. Start on…

2. Tolarno Galleries

0.12 MILES

Tolarno was an integral player in Melbourne’s most famous midcentury artistic marriage: that between Georges and Mirka Mora. The gallery was once…

3. Chinatown

0.14 MILES

For more than 150 years this section of central Melbourne, now flanked by five traditional arches, has been the focal point for the city's Chinese…

4. Parliament House

0.19 MILES

The grand steps of Victoria’s parliament (1856) are often dotted with tulle-wearing brides smiling for the camera as well as placard-holding protesters…

5. West Space

0.2 MILES

One of Melbourne’s oldest nonprofit, artist-run galleries, West Space has a varied exhibition schedule featuring young and emerging artists. Expect a…

6. Old Treasury Building

0.25 MILES

The fine neoclassical architecture of the Old Treasury Building (1862), designed by 19-year old JJ Clarke, is a telling mix of hubris and functionality…

7. Collins Street

0.27 MILES

The eastern end of Collins St is lined with plane trees, grand buildings and luxe boutiques (hence its ‘Paris End’ moniker). Ornate arcades also lead off…

8. State Library of Victoria

0.29 MILES

This grand neoclassical building has been at the forefront of Melbourne's literary scene since 1856. When its central La Trobe Reading Room was completed…