Within moments of stepping into Whitehart Bar, the newest, hip venue hidden around a corner in Melbourne’s CBD, I was confronted with a juxtaposition of vibes. In my hand was a gorgeous crafted cocktail, pink in colour, fizzy by nature and complete with a real rose petal (I mean, who doesn’t love a flower in their drink?). So it seemed like the perfect place for a girly after-work drinks sesh.
But after a lap around the bar, a visit upstairs, and a closer look at the place, I soon saw that it was so much more than fancy cocktails — it was cool. I mean, really cool.
The bar itself is actually made of old shipping containers, creating a modern and industrial vibe and a unique design. But that’s not to say that it felt like a building site.
The owners were creative enough to think outside the box (or container, in this case) and make the whole bar essentially roofless, flooding the place with fresh air and natural light. I was lucky enough to catch a beautiful Melbourne sunset on the top deck.
To inject life into the container space, the bar is decorated with beautiful wildlife like hanging vines and huge pot plants, which needed to be lifted in by a crane: a concrete jungle within the concrete jungle.
After making my way further through the gorgeous cocktail list (settling on the ‘Peggy Sour’ as my favourite), while the men made the way through the craft beer taps, I was in a great mindspace to start appreciating the beautiful artwork which decorated the rough, brick walls.
A large graffiti of a white hart (which bar owner Sabrina Santucci taught me is in fact a deer) was the artistic focal point. Fascinating wall projections were also a highlight — which all made sense when I discovered she and her husband Stephen Johnson were in fact artists themselves.
With drinks flowing, artsy clientele chatting, music playing, and the beautiful Melbourne sky doing its thing, it was pretty hard not to have a good time at Whitehart Bar. In fact, I had such a good time almost couldn’t contain myself.
– Sanna
Sanna Lory is a writer from the U.K. & Denmark. When she’s not attending events, she can be found experimenting with food in her cosy kitchen or getting her glam on in spectacular rooftop bars. Follow her on Instagram at @sannalory.
Whitehart Bar
22 Whitehart Lane
Melbourne VIC 3000
www.whitehartbar.com.au
