The 7 Best Bars for After-Work Drinks in Moonee Ponds

Whether you’re looking for a sports bar for an after-work craft beer or two, a mid-week wine bar outing with the girls, or a cocktail bar to go all out on a Friday night, you don’t need to travel into the city to find the perfect spot.

Moonee Ponds has an abundance of bars to suit every taste and cater to your every drink-related need, any day of the week! Pull up a stool at the bar or settle in with a delicious meal to accompany your beverage of choice— the bar options are aplenty in Moonee Ponds.

Our blog takes you on a pub crawl of sorts through Moonee Ponds’ best bars, where no matter the vibe you’re after, you’ll find a place that seems to be calling your name. To turn your virtual tour into a real-life night of fun, check out each of Moonee Ponds’ best bars listed below.

The Best Bars in Moonee Ponds

Looking for the best bars around? Look no further, we’ve got all your drinking and dining needs covered! Moonee Ponds has a selection of bars for every taste, from pubs, sports bars, and outdoor bars to sophisticated wine bars and cocktail bars bound to tantalise your taste buds.

Holmes Hall

When they say ‘There’s no place like Holmes’, they mean it! The aptly-named Holmes Hall, situated on Holmes Road in Moonee Ponds, is brought to you by the team behind The Ascot Lot. If that doesn’t get your taste buds excited, we don’t know what will!

Sitting on what was once a supermarket site, today Holmes Hall boasts a pub-esque feel with its craft beer store, laneway bar, and dining options fit for any occasion. Open from Wednesdays to Sundays, it’s the perfect spot for a midweek craft beer break or place to kick off Friday night drinks while filling up on delicious pub fare.

Whether you’re team ‘parmi’ or ‘parma’, you’re going to call the one you get from Holmes Hall the best one you’ve ever had! They cater for all tastes, both food-wise and drinks-wise, so you’re sure to find something satisfying of each variety. Plus, with fun themes like Tipsy Trivia Wednesdays and Steak & Shoey Thursdays, you just may find yourself crowning it as the bar where everybody knows your name in no time.

Mango Lounge Bar

When cocktails and dulcet tones are more your style, Mango Lounge Bar may just be the fit for you. The music options are just the beginning of what’s on offer at this trendy cocktail bar, where your ears are in for a treat along with the rest of you!

Located on Hall Street in Moonee Ponds, Mango Lounge Bar boasts not only cocktails and music but also beer, wine, and coffee, so there’s an option for every taste.

If you’ve had a stressful day at work and need to wind down, the live music at Mango Lounge Bar will soothe your soul. Whether it’s ‘60s and ‘70s groove, jazz, electro-funk, or deep house, the musicians who play here are always at the top of their game. Enjoy their expertise delighting your ears as you sip an appletini, nurse a craft beer, or relax with the perfect glass of wine you’ve been dreaming of all week.

Penny Young Restaurant/Bar

If you’re looking for flavoursome Italian fare to go with your craft beer, cocktail, wine, or tasty mocktail, Penny Young is right up your alley! Located on Young Street in Moonee Ponds, Penny Young is a restaurant and bar that has all your drinks and dining needs covered with its extensive selections.

This is the cocktail bar and restaurant combo sure to be your new go-to. Their beverage menu boasts everything you could ever want, from signature cocktails such as the mojito and espresso martini to p-y favourites including the strawberry smash and the famous Penny Young martini. And we haven’t even gotten to the long list of spritzes and craft beers yet! No matter what day of the workweek it is, the team at Penny Young know how to help you unwind. It’s happy hour between 3 pm and 6 pm Monday to Friday, where you can grab a house wine for $7, a pint of Furphy for $8, or a cocktail for $15. What could be better?

If you immediately thought, ‘Food!’, we get it. Penny Young does too, and their authentic Italian food is sure to hit the spot. Offering vegan and vegetarian meals as well as gluten low options and all the traditional pizza and pasta you could ever eat, there’s something for everyone at Penny Young.

Strangeloves

Strangeloves, on Mt. Alexander Road in Moonee Ponds, is the wine bar you always hoped existed but didn’t realise it did— and so close to home! Known as one of the best bars in Moonee Ponds and perhaps the greater Melbourne area in general, Strangeloves is a great spot for date night or to meet up with friends.

This gorgeous wine bar has it all, with over 500 wines to choose from in addition to whiskies, gins, beers, and a seemingly endless list of cocktails. And your stomach won’t be left out either, thanks to the menu consisting of shareable cheese platters and other tasty treats. Whatever you fancy, you can enjoy it in the stunning beer garden which even lets your furry friend join in on the fun (of hanging out, not drinking!). An outdoor bar is always a sure-fire hit whatever the weather, even as we head into the cooler months, so get on down to Strangeloves to both kick back and kick on.

The Mighty Moonee Ponds

When it comes to a pub feed in Moonee Ponds, The Mighty Moonee Ponds is the first to come to mind. Situated on Mt. Alexander Road, this well-located pub offers it all— a bistro, bottle shop, cocktail bar, and outdoor bar, all in the one spot!

Dining is just one of the activities on offer at The Mighty Moonee Ponds. Whatever you’re craving, you can grab it from 5 pm Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 12 pm Fridays (how good are those half days at work?!). Pair your delectable meal with a tasty craft beer, wine, or cocktail, and enjoy it all with friends or a date in one of Moonee Ponds’ best bars. Plus, with happy hour from 5 pm to 7 pm every day and Wednesdays boasting both trivia and $21 schnitties, it doesn’t need to be Friday to be fun!

And for the non-drinkers, we haven’t forgotten you! The Mighty Moonee Ponds has non-alcoholic drinks to go along with its beer, wine, and cocktails, so nobody is left out. When you come to The Mighty Moonee Ponds all you need to do is eat, drink, and have a good time.

Deluxe Bar and Lounge

Rooftop bar? Yes, please! If you’re keen to look out over the city lights as you sip your drink and chat the night away, Deluxe Bar and Lounge is for you. One of the best bars in Moonee Ponds overall in addition to boasting its rooftop bar, this premium experience on Mt. Alexander Road has it all.

Spread out over two levels, you can wine and dine indoors or at the outdoor bar in the breeze. Deluxe Bar and Lounge has something for everyone— it’s a rooftop bar, outdoor bar, nightclub, cocktail bar, and if you start a conversation about footy, it can be a sports bar too. All your needs are covered!

Whether you’re after a Wednesday night wine or a great outdoor bar to kick off the weekend, Deluxe Bar and Lounge is the place to be. Friday after-work drinks start at 5 pm, as does happy hour which continues until 7 pm. Grab your craft beer, cocktail, or glass of bubbles and head up to the rooftop bar to make it a night to remember!

The Valley Cellar Door

Wine. Cheese. Charcuterie. Pizza. Need we say more? When you’re looking for a gorgeous wine bar complete with delicious dining options to match the drinks on offer, you can’t go past The Valley Cellar Door on Hall Street in Moonee Ponds.

Whatever you do, make sure you leave your typical wine bar expectations at home because you’re in for an experience above and beyond anything you’ve experienced before. I mean, wine bottle list? What’s that? With roughly 500 to choose from, The Valley Cellar Door would be putting forests out of business printing that, and that’s not what they’re about! Instead, tour the wine racks and fridges that display their wide variety of options and bring it up to the bar, where the staff will take care of the rest.

Sit back and relax with a vino (or two) while you admire the stunning surroundings that give off the authentic ambience you’ve been searching for. Whether you’re into red, white, or rosé, you’re sure to find exactly what your taste buds desire!

Don’t know which drink tickles your fancy or the one that will best complement your meal? No problem at all— resident Sommelier Mark knows how to perfectly pair wine with dining. The wines range from local Victorian drops to the best South Australia has to offer, and can also take you on a trip to Italy and France’s wine regions with their large selection of delectable international wines.

Between the perfectly Instagram-able setting, the delicious dining options, and of course the seemingly endless array of Australian and international wines, The Valley Cellar Door is the wine bar for you.

Visit the Best Bars in Moonee Ponds!

Whatever the vibe you’re after, there’s a bar (or two, or three) in Moonee Ponds that seems like it was made just for you. Between sports bars, pubs, rooftop bars, cocktail bars, and all that’s in between, your new after-work local is ready and waiting for you.

VISIT THE BEST BARS IN MOONEE PONDS

About the author

Moonee Ponds Marketing Team

Moonee Ponds Marketing Team actively supports Moonee Ponds, working with local businesses and the community to balance the precinct’s historic charm with modern development. They are a valuable member of the Traders Association and work hard to promote the area’s growth. The Team’s efforts are key to maintaining Moonee Ponds’ vibrant future, grounded in its rich past and promising potential.