Aster

Once home to Ferdydurke, this heritage space is now Aster, a cocktail and wine bar on Melbourne’s skinniest street. Like the former tenant, Aster is all about cocktails. Signatures include the Spicy Coco Marg (coconut tequila, pineapple shrub) and the Japanese Skipper (pandan, local rum, Marionette orange curacao).

Aster’s tight food menu includes cheese, charcuterie and bar snacks – perhaps fire-roasted peppers with smoked tomato and goat’s cheese, or a poached prawn roll with pickled celery and burnt butter aioli.

When you arrive at Aster, walk up a flight of stairs that opens up to a loft with an original fireplace and glass brick window sills. While Ferdyduke’s beloved dance floor is no longer, the bar staff won’t discourage you from having a boogie to the DJs spinning on weekends.