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This post was sponsored by The Mill House. Click here to read The City Lane’s policy on sponsored content.
MELBOURNE | The Mill House is located in a heritage building in Melbourne’s CBD dating back to 1851. The building has been through many incarnations over the years (the name comes from the fact that the building originally housed a grain mill, sorry Simpsons fans) but for a little over a year now the basement level has been occupied by The Mill House. We first visited when the bar launched, and have been back a few times since for drinks, with the venue becoming one of our reliable “go-to” spots for a drink in the CBD. We like it because it’s a really cool space that gets the important things right. It’s big enough to fit 400 people, but there are plenty of small nooks and booths to create some more intimate spaces. It’s got a bit of a speakeasy vibe with lots of exposed timber, restored stone walls an prohibition era themed American flourishes.
This American influence finds its way to the drinks menu. The Mill House is the only bar that we know of in Melbourne with a focus on moonshine – the Freedom Blueberry from Tennessee is delicious, as is our favourite, the Whipper Snapper Crazy Uncle from Perth. The beer menu has something for everyone, with beers like Asahi and White Rabbit Dark Ale sharing the taps (there are 12 beers on rotation) and bottle list with independent craft brewers like Young Henry’s and Two Birds. For those in the mood for a wine, the short wine list features a range of wines from around the world. The cocktails here are on point too, just know that the cocktail menu does veer towards the sweeter end of the scale. Our favourite is the “Spicy Pedro”, a Caipirinha featuring house infused chili Cachaça, lime juice and sugar.
As a bonus, if you visit on Thursdays you can get two cocktails for the price of one. And there’s always the option of a growler of beer or a jug of sangria for the table.
The food at The Mill House also has an American influence, but when we say American we don’t just mean the USA. Head chef Augustin Ortega hails from Peru and the influences of his homeland appear at various times on the menu. We’d spoken to Ortega late last year about his food and had been meaning to visit for a while but had never gotten around to it – whenever we’d visit it was for a drink or two pre or post eating. There are pizzas, fried chicken and burgers on offer, so those looking for solid pub grub are well catered to but when we visited it was Ortega’s Pervian dishes that we really wanted to try.
The Kingfish ceviche contains coriander, chili, onions, tiger milk & toasted corn is delicious. Pervuvian aji amarillo is the chilli used in the sauce and it really gives each bite a kick, while the corn adds a nice textural point of difference. Even the fried chicken, which is one of the most popular dishes on the menu, has a Peruvian influence with the use of a Pisco syrup and a very tasty Peruvian green chilli hot sauce. Another standout is the perfectly cooked octopus, with green chilli sauce and puffed grains, while the croquettes are one of those things that always hits the spot.
All up, The Mill House is a great casual spot for a drink, and there’s usually a DJ or live music on too, but you should definitely consider it for the food as well. Our advice? Grab a few friends, book one of the booths ahead of time and settle in for a night of drinks, food and tunes.
The Mill House
277-279 Flinders Lane
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9662 4002
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://themillhouse.com.au/
Open
Mon – Wed: 12:00pm to 12:00am
Thu – Sun: 12:00pm to 3:00am