Café Lounge is just off Oxford Street and hidden enough to keep out the boozed-up hordes. Behind the wooden doors is your home away from home, with pre-loved sofas and armchairs for those who fancy a quiet tête-à-tête, and tables for larger groups.
Menu-wise, it’s all about craft beers and thin-crust pizzas. Local favourites Young Henrys and Murray's are on tap ($5); bottle-wise, Melbourne micro Two Birds’ Golden Ale and Vic-brewed Doss Blockos Pale Lager are among the offerings, alongside $5 tinnies of Weidmann lager.
The pizza menu is a cluster of ingredients that runs the gamut from a creative combo of roast duck, water chestnut, baby beetroot and fried leek (called the ‘Duck’s Nuts’) to a prawn, banana and chilli sambal mess (‘Me So Prawny’).
The less adventurous can try the ‘Buffalo Soldier’ (a gratifyingly fresh serve of cherry tomato, basil and buffalo mozzarella) or ‘The Nightshade’ (eggplant, basil, pecorino).
Fridays and Saturdays usually see Lounge packed to the rafters, but head along any other night between 5-7pm for a wallet-friendly happy hour that covers most parts of the menu, including $7 pizza.
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Time Out Awards
Time Out Awards2010Best Small Bar