Montereys

Melbourne suffers a major identity problem once the warm weather hits. The cosy bars that housed you through rainy winter nights with whiskeys and bottomless glasses of pinot are just not suited to Melbourne’s hot summers. So, where to now?

A menu filled with oysters, ceviche and Maine lobster rolls has the makings of a long, leisurely, lunch waiting to happen - all you need to do is pull the trigger. The Maine Lobster roll with butter and chives is melt-in-your mouth good, and with two chunky brioche rolls crammed with creamy lobster meat and served with house-made chips and pickles it's a sizeable meal. Or if you only need a snack the kingfish ceviche with calamari and corn is bright and tangy.

The extensive drinks menu isn’t one to hurry through either. The cocktails are complex and interesting and steer well clear of the too sweet basket. The Smuggler’s Run combines strong savoury flavours like basil, lemon, and cracked pepper with fresh raspberry, and rests it all on a vodka and light rum base. You might expect it to blow your socks off but it’s a mild-mannered drink. Others on the list aren’t so tame - the Palm Beach Paloma (cucumber, jalapenos, smoky mezcal, grapefruit, lime, soda, with a grey sea salt rim) is a great pre-dinner apéritif: it’s chunky, tangy, spicy, and packs a punch.

Beer drinkers rejoice, because this is a venue with your best interests at heart.