LOCAL CUSTOMS · MELBOURNE
How happy hour works in Melbourne
Victoria’s version: a short early discount is the ordinary legal shape, and the glass has a different name than in Sydney.
The rule
Victoria’s guidelines look badly on a happy hour that runs for many hours, repeats all night, or steps up in strength. A bounded early-evening list is the normal case. GST is in the price. Sunday surcharges are common and separate.
The custom
The CBD empties into laneway bars around 5. Fitzroy, Collingwood, and Carlton do the neighborhood hour, heavier on wine and small plates. A pot is the small beer; do not assume a Sydney schooner. Dinner is earlier than in Spain and later than a 6 p.m. American reservation. The deal often ends when the kitchen gets serious, around 7.