On Thursday, 18 April, Melbourne’s newest CBD bar, eatery and acoustic live music venue, Mill Place Merchants, will open.
Tucked away at the end of Mill Place, off Flinders Lane, the 60-seat venue, housed inside a heritage-listed 19th-century building, is set to become the city’s favourite spot for cocktails, curations, and light bites.
Entering through a monogrammed red door, patrons will find themselves in an old dressing room, filled with mannequins, rolls of fabric, and a vintage sewing machine, in a nod to the many garment workers who called the area home in the city’s once-thriving rag trade. A grand gilt-framed mirror sits at the end of the passageway, but this is no ordinary mirror, however, rather a secret entrance to the bar that lies beyond. Guests will enter a cosy yet opulent room adorned with Victorian wingback chairs, chaise longues, and leather Chesterfields.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
An extraordinary venue with smooth jazz and blues
The ambience will be further enriched with live acoustic music, setting the tone early in the evening with a repertoire of smooth jazz and blues classics. As the night unfolds, the tempo will escalate, transitioning into energetic swing tunes reminiscent of the big-band era. Later hours will feature the dulcet tones of classic crooners, serenading revellers with soulful renditions of jazz, soul, and blues, ensuring a memorable experience until the night’s end.
The building, once home to the Flemington Meat Preserving Company, has been lovingly revived, showcasing its original bluestone walls and exposed wooden beams, complemented by golden crane-patterned wallpaper and a collection of antique furniture, vintage rugs, and objets d’art, including a pianola and chess set, curated by local designers Jane Rosback and Ormes Sawyer. At the heart of the Mill Place Merchants stands a gleaming copper-topped bar, where expertly crafted original cocktails are served against a backdrop of vintage bottles, glasses, and silver trays.
Paawan Engineer, Mill Place Merchant’s Director (Cuff Melbourne, Rosewood, Beijing, Hyatt Regency, Mumbai) wanted to create a welcoming space, not only for himself but for the community and all Melbournians to enjoy.
”I wanted a space that offered genuine hospitality, with table service allowing patrons to relax and fully immerse in the experience. When guests step through the door, they will be treated like old friends, returning to their favourite venue. It’s not just about the drinks or the ambience, it’s about the people, the relationships, creating lasting memories and fostering a sense of community for everyone who walks through our doors,” shares Engineer.
An accompanying food menu
Mill Place Merchants’ accompanying food menu has been created by Chef Deepak Mishra, whose culinary expertise spans over two decades, having worked in the kitchens of numerous 5-star luxury hotels across Singapore (Parkroyal), United Arab Emirates (Fairmont Raffles Swissotel Group), and India (The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur) and in Melbourne as Director of Culinary Operations at Hotel Chadstone MGallery by Sofitel, Mishra has designed a menu that offers guests the perfect selection of small bites and larger items to share, giving traditional dishes a modern twist with the inclusion of native Australian ingredients.
Menu item highlights will include:
- Devilled Eggs – Yarra Valley salmon roe, salt and vinegar crisps
- Jamon de Serrano Coquettes – Lemon and green garlic aioli, saltbush crisps
- Classic Bikini Sandwich – Mortadella, mozzarella, bush tomato relish
- Mini Steak Onion & Ale Pies – Mustard, honey and horseradish aioli
- Whittlesea burrata bruschetta – Mount Zero extra virgin olive oil, greens, smoked chilli emulsion
- Local Smoked Salmon Gravlax – Horseradish, creme fraiche, Geraldton Wax and Rye Crisp
- Champagne Fried Chicken – Blue cheese and Bourbon dip, celery, radicchio and parmesan snow
- Locally sourced charcuterie and cheese board – Assorted cured meats, housemade terrine, cheeses, breads and condiments
The dessert list too takes the classics, giving them a local flavour, including:
- Valrhona Chocolate & Islay Single Malt Ganache – Lemon Myrtle Gel, Salt Caramel
- Traditional vanilla and rum canelé – Rum-infused Victorian pure cream
“In Mill Place Merchants, we hope guests sense the building’s rich history while experiencing the sense of the classic speakeasy bars of old. We celebrate the spirit of the past while embracing the pulse of the present, crafting an experience that is both welcomingly familiar and refreshingly new. We can’t wait to welcome guests into our hidden gem,” shares Engineer.
Mill Place Merchants will offer the perfect clandestine locale for both a pre-dinner drink or post-event nightcap, creating the perfect mood to both begin an evening or kick on into the night.
Mill Place Merchants will open on Thursday, 18 April and will operate Tuesday and Wednesday 5 pm – midnight, Thursday and Friday 4 pm – 1 am and Saturday, 5 pm – 1 am. Find out more here.
