Or perhaps ...

1806 9663 7722, 169 Exhibition St, Melbourne

3rd Class (03) 9662 4555, Duckboard Pl, Melbourne

The Atrium (03) 9653 7744, Hotel Sofitel, 45 Collins St, Melbourne - Piano bar with a good but pricey cocktail list

Bar Lourinha 9663 7890, 37 Little Collins St, Melbourne

Baroq House (03) 8080 5680, 9-13 Drewery La, Melbourne

Bennetts Lane Jazz Club 9663 2856, 25 Bennetts la, Melbourne - This black box with a bar, simple stage and reasonable cover charges remains the place to listen to contemporary jazz.

Berlin Bar 9639 3396, 16 Corrs La, Melbourne

Blue Diamond 8601 2720, 15th floor, 123 Queen St, Melbourne

Bunker Lounge (03) 9650 5099, 407 Swanston St, Melbourne

Cabinet 9654 0915, , 11 Rainbow Aly, Melbourne

Canary Club 9663 1983, 6 Melbourne Pl, Melbourne - An offshoot of the Hairy Canary, this is a cool and compelling space in which to relax

City Wine Shop 9654 6657, 159 Spring St, Melbourne - The wine shop is a fabulous addition to the city - part bottle shop, part cafe and part wine bar in a warm 'period' atmosphere.

Cookie 9663 7660, Shop 1, 252 Swanston St, Melbourne - A beer-focused bar is an unlikely place to find some of Melbourne's most accessible and affordable Thai food.

Curve Bar (03) 9281 8317, 100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne

Double Happiness 9650 4488, 21 Liverpool St, Melbourne - An Asian themed bar it's small, has low ceilings and minimal lighting, the feeling is intimate and seductive.

Eurotrash (03) 9654 4411, 18 Corrs La, Melbourne

George's Longroom (03) 9663 7226, 162 Collins St, Melbourne

Gin Palace (03) 9654 0533, 10 Russell Place, Melbourne - High quality, but expensive cocktails are front and centre at this late night basement bar.

Golden Monkey (03) 9602 2055, , rear, 389 Lonsdale St (Enter From Hardware La), Melbourne

Hell's Kitchen 9654 5755, Level 1, 20a Centre Place, Melbourne - There's food available in this fun little bar one level up over Centre Place. Populsr for after-work drinks.

Horse Bazaar 9670 2329, 397 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne

Jwow Bar (03) 9663 5986, 243 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne

Korova Milk Bar (03) 9654 3965, 12 Bourke St, Melbourne

Kura Yakitori Bar (03) 9654 7454, , 1 Malthouse La, Melbourne

L2 (03) 9662 2909, Level 2, GPO, 350 Bourke St, Melbourne

La Di Da (03) 9670 7680, , 577 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

Lily Blacks (03) 9654 6499, 3, 12-18 Meyers Pl, Melbourne

Loop (03) 9654 0500, 23 Meyers Pl, Melbourne - Late in the evening Loop glows green like kryptonite. With the super forces of good suitably deterred, the path is clear to get down and dirty.

Lord Ivy Art Lounge (03) 9018 2227, Level 4, 145 Flinders La, Melbourne

Lounge (03) 9663 2916, Level 1, 243 Swanston St, Melbourne - A place for drinking, smoking and checking out the DJs choices. During the day it is quite different - lot sof students reading, playing pool, and eating large good value meals.

Madame Brussels 9663 2775, level 3, 59-63 Bourke St, Melbourne

Mai Tai Hawaii Cocktail Bar & Restaurant (03) 9663 2112, 234 Russell St, Melbourne

Manchuria (03) 9663 1997, level 1, 7 Waratah Pl, Melbourne

Match Bar & Grill 9654 6522, , 249 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne

Melbourne Supper Club (03) 9654 6300, Upstairs, 161 Spring St, Melbourne - This bar feels as though it has been around for ages. A perfect spot in Melbourne for those who 'live the night'.

Meyers Place 9650 8609, 20 Meyers Pl, Melbourne - One of the first of the new Melbourne bars amd still one of the best. VB longnecks and other good value drinks.

Miss Libertine (03) 9663 6855, 34 Franklin St, Melbourne

Misty Place (03) 9663 9202, 3-5 Hosier la, Melbourne - Down a bluestone alleyway, misty is a space unto itself. Friendly bar staff and a relaxed crowd make this a nice place for a drink.

Money Order Office (MOO) 9639 3020, , Basement, 318 Little Bourke St off Driver Lane, Melbourne - The situation is fabulous - a basement filled with antiques and fantasy.

Murmur (03) 9640 0395, 17 Warburton Lane, Melbourne

New Gold Mountain (03) 9650 8859, Lev 2, 21 Liverpool St, Melbourne

Order Of Melbourne (03) 9663 6707, level 2, 401 Swanston St, Melbourne

Palmz (03) 9663 3246, , Carlton Hotel, 193 Bourke St, Melbourne

Penny Blue 9639 3020, 2 Driver La, Melbourne

The Red Hummingbird (03) 9654 2266, Lvl 1, 246 Russell St, Melbourne

Red Silks (03) 9663 9922, Level 1, 200 Bourke St, Melbourne

Riverland 9662 1771, Vault 1-9, Federation Wharf, Melbourne

Rooftop Bar 9654 6645, level 7, 252 Swanston St, Melbourne

Roxanne Parlour (03) 9663 4600, 2 Coverlid Pl, Melbourne

Sahara Restaurant (03) 9663 8477, 301 Swanston St, Melbourne - A student haven with retro found-object furnishings amid a mixture of lounge room and kitchen table setups.

Section 8 (The Container Bar) 0430 291 588, 27-29 Tattersalls La, Melbourne

Self Preservation 9650 0523, 70 Bourke St, Melbourne

Siglo Bar 9654 6631, Level 2, 161 Spring St, Melbourne

Silk Road (03) 9614 4888, 425 Collins St, Melbourne

Sister Bella 03, Sniders La, Melbourne

Sweatshop 9663 6363, 113 Lonsdale St, Melbourne

The Emerald Peacock 9654 8680, 233 Lonsdale St, Melbourne

The Pond 030424362731, Queen St & Franklin St Roundabout, Melbourne

Three Below 9662 9555, 3 City Sq, Melbourne

The Toff In Town 9639 8770, 252 Swanston St, Melbourne

Transit Lounge Garden 9654 8808, Level 2, Transport Hotel, Federation Sq, Melbourne

Transport (03) 9654 8808, Federation Square, Swanston St cnr Flinders St, Melbourne - A grand architectural space of soaring concrete houses a large amount of beer.

Troika Bar (03) 9663 0221, 106 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne - Very much a bar for drinking and talking, a mostly older and unconventional crowd.

Trunk 9663 7994, , 275 Exhibition St, Melbourne

Tuscan Bar (03) 9671 3322, Level 1, 79 Bourke St, Melbourne

Von Haus 9662 2756, 1A Crossley St, Melbourne

Workshop Bar 9326 4365, Level 1, 413 Elizabeth St, Melbourne