If there’s one guarantee in this life, it's that there's always something to do in Melbourne—even when the temps start dropping offensively low. As we’ve now officially entered the winter months, it’s time to rug up and start exploring what this great city has on offer for the cosy season.
Check out our list below for ideas on how you and your friends can keep warm, dry and cultured this winter, plus the best places to eat and drink before or after.
- Friday Night Martinis And Art
- French High Tea
- Winter Staycation Sale
- Happy Hour
- Koko Tuna Cutting Ceremony
Friday Night Martinis And Art
Winter in Melbourne is synonymous with NGV Friday Nights. Every Friday night from 3 June–3 October, experience art after dark alongside a packed calendar of live musicians. Your ticket gets you unlimited gallery access to the current French Impressionism exhibition from 6pm to 10pm, and the live performance on offer that evening.
Before hitting up the gallery for some late-night 19th-century classics and French-Bostonian-inspired food, kick-start your evening with an $18 espresso Martini under the chandeliers at Atrium Bar on Southbank. You’ll be hard pressed to find a cocktail under $20 in Melbourne—and these are available at all times—so no mad dash for happy hour required.
THE DETAILS
What: $18 Espresso Martinis
When: Available at all times
Where: Atrium Bar, Velvet Bar, Sports Bar or The Pub
Cost: $18
For more information, head here.
Feel Fancy With French High Tea
Winter in Melbourne also means half your contact list is jetting off to Sicily, Greece or Paris and posting oh so generously about it on socials. Swap the doomscrolling and combat the jealousy by indulging in a touch of European luxury, minus the price tag.
From Friday to Sunday between June and August, head to TWR for an unapologetically decadent French-inspired high Tea experience. Picture this—velvety drapes, French champagne flowing and tiers upon tiers of savoury and sweet treats.
From charcoal brioche with smoked trout rillettes and horseradish crème, to raspberry-layered Tarte Tropézienne—who needs Paris when you have French finery like this at your doorstep? C’est magnifique.
With four different packages, you can opt for the basics with coffee and tea or go all out and lock in the flowing Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut NV. Whether it’s for a special occasion or just because, make sure you snap up your spot quickly.
THE DETAILS
What: French High Tea
When: Friday to Sunday from 11am, 6 June–31 August
Where: TWR, Crown Towers
Cost: $95 per person with tea and coffee, $120 per person with Pierlot Sparkling Brut Rosé, $125 per person with a glass of Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut NV, $149 per person with flowing Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut NV (90 minutes)
For more information, head here.
Heineken Happy Hour
Whether you’re heading to the G for Friday night footy, or prefer to soak up the atmosphere on the screen with mates, you can now do so with a schooner of Heineken in hand for just $9. You’d be right in thinking you haven’t found a beer that cheap in Melbourne for a while. Only available for a limited time until 31 July at Jackpot Bar, Lumia Bar, Sports Bar or The Pub (Southbank), head in from 5pm–7pm daily for a refreshing bev that won’t break the bank.
THE DETAILS
What: Heineken Happy Hour
When: Daily, 5pm–7pm, until 31 July
Where: Jackpot Bar, Lumia Bar, Sports Bar, The Pub
Cost: $9 for a schooner
For more information, head here.
Lock In A Winter Staycation
We’re big fans of the humble staycation around here, and with so much to see and do in Melbourne over the next few months, staying in the heart of the action might just be the perfect cure-all to your winter blues.
Crown Hotels are having an epic winter sale at the moment on stays up until September this year, so snap up a hotel room at Crown Towers, Metropol or Promenade and get the girls weekend out of the group chat once and for all. And with rooms from $187 per night, all that’s left for you to do is plan the weekend itinerary.
If musicals are your thing, grab tickets to Beetlejuice at The Regent Theatre for a night of Tim Burton-inspired wonderment. Or for a quintessentially Melbourne night out, you could head to the Royal Botanic Gardens for the 2025 edition of Lightscape. Wander under the stars while sipping mulled wine before heading to a booking at Gimlet for a round of late-night cheeseburgers. Or impress your friends and lock in some accommodation for this year’s Now or Never festival, happening from August 21–31.
THE DETAILS
What: Crown Melbourne Winter Sale
When: Sale ends 8 July 2025
Where: Crown Towers, Crown Metropol and Crown Promenade Melbourne
For more information, head here.
Experience A Rare Japanese Tradition At Koko
If you’re the type of person who’s always on the lookout for interesting one-off experiences, this one’s for you. The tuna cutting ceremony is a revered tradition in Japan, highlighting skill, precision and showing appreciation for the ocean’s bounty.
For two nights only, Koko at Crown is bringing a centuries-old tradition to Melbourne, where you’ll witness Chef Taichi Kasuya masterfully break down an entire bluefin tuna before your eyes—set to the powerful rhythms of traditional Taiko drumming. Then, enjoy the expertly prepared cuts as part of an incredible multi-course tasting menu.
Level up your evening with an immersive teppanyaki experience in a private dining room, with an optional beverage pairing. This includes everything on the set tasting menu, plus an additional tuna steak with all mains expertly prepared in front of your very eyes by your private chef, with theatrics to boot.
This is a highly limited experience, so reserve your seats now for an evening of tradition and artistry.
THE DETAILS
What: Koko Tuna Cutting
When: 6pm–10.30pm, 11 and 25 July
Where: Koko
Cost: $249 per person with an 8-course tasting menu, $298 per person with a teppanyaki experience in a private dining room
For more information, head here.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Crown Melbourne and proudly endorsed by Urban List. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make Urban List possible. Click here for more information on our editorial policy.
Images: Supplied.