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Well how 'bout it Melbourne. We have just been named as one of the top five drinking cities worth travelling to in 2023. Punch, a James Beard Award-winning media brand focused on drinks and drinking culture, was given the unenviable task of choosing the world's top five travel-worthy drinking destinations. And boy does it feel good to be listed among such worthy company, with Buenos Aires in Argentina, Lisbon in Portugal, Madison in the United States and Osaka in Japan rounding out the rest of the list.
Punch has determined that Melbourne's must-drink cocktails are the New York Sazerac (made here with a 50:50 split of rye and brandy), the Espresso Martini (an easy drinking, much-loved favourite) and the Japanese Slipper, which is allegedly Melbourne's only true classic cocktail, having been invented in the 1980s by a French expat bartender.
Fred Siggins for Punch says that "it’s Melbourne’s cultural diversity that makes it a truly world-class drinking city. Joining long-standing Italian and Greek populations who have left their mark on the city’s dining and drinking scene, more recent waves of immigration from across Asia have spurred a late-night culture that spans everything from karaoke to soju bars".
While we know that we know how to drink, this recognition makes us more proud than ever of the impeccable bar scene in Melbourne. Whether it's rooftop bars, beer gardens, late-night bars, cocktail bars, wine bars or just the good ol' corner pub, our fair city certainly has a drinking hole to suit anyone and everyone's needs. So here's to all the bars and bar staff (and the drinkers, of course) who helped elevate Melbourne to world-class drinking status.