The sexiest date spots in Melbourne, according to Honeymoon Studios
image via cams_kiosk/instagram
WORDS BY DAISY HENRY AND Andria Kiefer
Good acoustics, low lighting and a stocked wine list.
Here at Fashion Journal, we want to unearth the hidden spots in Australia that only the locals know about. There’s no gatekeeping here – this is a breakdown of the best bits of our cities. We want the underrated date spots, favourite restaurants and bars people will always want to go back to.
This week, we’re exploring Melbourne’s date spots with Andria Kiefer, founder of bridal boutique Honeymoon Studios. Having spent more than a decade sharehouse-hopping in Melbourne’s north and working out of her label’s Northcote showroom, she’s well-placed when it comes to recommending the best romantic wine bars and pubs, and cafes for the morning after.
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“The best thing about Melbourne is it has the energy of any big global city. You can go out and drink too many martinis and all of a sudden it’s 3am and there are still people around,” Andria says. “The city is full of people making interesting things. Everyone has their own version of Melbourne and that could look so different from person to person and suburb to suburb.”
After more than a decade of dating across the north, Andria and the Honeymoon Studios team have vetted all the best spots in Melbourne. Find their curated suggestions of the perfect date below, plus some extra spots depending on your mood.
Option one: Dinner, drinks and pool
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Meet at Marion for a cocktail on the outdoor patio, tram down to Brico for a cosy, vibey little dinner and then stroll across the road to Secco and Co for pool.
Option two: Cocktails, pasta and bookshops
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Travel separately from work and meet at Caretaker’s Cottage in the city for a sexy cocktail, then go out to dinner somewhere fun like Pelligrinis for a bowl of pasta and sit at the bar. After, browse all the old and new novels in the bookshop nearby and then get ice cream from Spring Street Grocer.
Option three: Pool, Edinburgh Gardens and beers
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My best date was going to Red Triangle with *name redacted*. We snuck in vodka in an orange juice bottle, then we walked through Edi Gardens, made out and had some pints at Monty’s.
Option four: Dinner, drinks and dancing
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If I was doing a High Street Northcote date night, I’d do dinner at Gray and Gray, followed by a drink at High Note and a dance at Francesca’s.
Casual coffee spots
Standing Room, Fitzroy North
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Grab a coffee and a pastry at Standing Room and pop across the road to Edinburgh Gardens, especially in the summertime! Fitzroy North is good neutral ground, and Edi Gardens is the perfect place to find a quiet spot to chat and chill but still has enough going on to prompt conversation if you need a hand. It doesn’t feel too wholesome or too boring.
Tyler’s Milkbar, Preston
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Tyler’s Milkbar is a semi-deep northside spot located in Preston that’s a little kitschy in the best way and the food is so yum. The cinnamon scrolls are out of control. This is good for a ‘morning after’ vibe if you catch my drift. It’ll help your love interest picture your adorable future together. Definitely a place for cuteness to occur.
Winebars
Cam’s Kiosk, Abbotsford
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Cam’s Kiosk at the Convent is a classic for a reason, it’s the perfect balance of casual but nice. This is where you go to feel hot, young and cool no matter what your proximity is to those things on any given day – all very important if you ask me.
Sardinas, Reservoir
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Sardinas in Reservoir is just down the road from its sister La Pinta, serving wine on tap as well as small charcuterie and cheese boards. Put your name down for a table across the road and get a glass of vino and charcuterie while you wait for your table.
Restaurants
La Pinta, Reservoir
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Being a deeper north girlie, I rate La Pinta in Reservoir. It’s always a good time. It’s rammed and pumping. The seasonal menu is always changing, the food is unlike anywhere else and the vibes are high. For two or three people, I definitely recommend sitting up at the bar and drinking one too many glasses of wine to really get into the swing of things.
Nina’s Bar and Dining, Brunswick
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Nina’s Bar and Dining is such a great vibe. It has attentive service, fab wine and good food. The acoustics and lighting are also on point for a date night. I highly rate the shokupan.
Neighbourhood Wine, Fitzroy North
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Neighbourhood Wine is another Melbourne classic where you can’t go wrong. It always feels like entering another world when you walk up the stairs into the dining room. It’s a bit spesh and makes you feel like you’re guaranteed to have a good time.
Pool spots
Secco and Co, Fitzroy North
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Go to Secco and Co for pool and a cosy vibe (they also have a good smokers area which is a rarity in these unprecedented times). Just don’t be tempted by the dim sims on the menu. They look good but your breath will smell bad (not great for first date vibes).
Red Triangle, Fitzroy
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Red Triangle has been a Melbourne cheap date institution for years and years. Play pool, drink milkshakes and sneak in booze for an extra cheap date.
Special occasion
Bistra, Carlton
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Honestly, I just love a parmi at Goldie’s in Collingwood but if you want to go bougie, then head to Bistra in Carlton for a top-tier experience. Spill out after your fancy meal and go get a drink at Geralds Bar or ice cream somewhere on Lygon Street.
Keep up with Honeymoon Studios here.
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