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Above Board

Melbourne

New Entry

This isn’t a bar you stumble upon. You walk down Chopper Lane, a back alley covered in graffiti, and up a set of stairs at the back of a beer bar. Step inside, however, and you’re someplace else, somewhere special: there is no back bar, liquor is poured from decanters, bartending accoutrements are put away out of sight, everything in its place, through a system of drawers and shelves hidden within the bar top. Above Board is an intimate space – the bar seats just 16 people – propelled by the vision and personality of owner and bartender Hayden Lambert. The cocktails are a mix of classic preparations and signature drinks Lambert has perfected over decades of bartending. Lambert and one other bartender play door host, bartender, conversationalist, and bar back; there’s no Rotovap nor avant garde techniques, just old-fashioned hospitality and drinks made in a classical manner.

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