Lane’s Edge

A beautiful curly haired man served me an amazing two birds golden ale. Not sure what I like looking at more, the luscious locks of the man behind the bar or the beer.

This is a cramped little bar near/​in the asian district of Melbourne. The outdoor area is nice and the food was better than expected. We had calamari and wedges. Wedges were a new thing to me (American), they are basically hand cut fries (hot chips) but they are served with sour cream (which is more like cream cheese) and sweet hot chili sauce. This was the best take on fries that I have ever tried. They were delish! The calamari was what they call crumbled (lightly fried). They were long pieces of calamari and were really the best calamari I have ever had.
I wouldn’t sit here all night drinking, but as a stop of snack and drink place, this is your spot.

The love child of Bali and Brunswick street, found in a Melbourne CBD lane-​way.
Food is fantastic, large portions and relatively cheap price. The ambiance of the outside seating area is also fantastic.
Service was great by the friendly waitress. This place loses a star because you can smoke in the outdoor area, and because the guy who works behind the bar and takes your money who has a way ‘too cool for school’ attitude. When I went to pay he said 2 words after finishing what he was doing… «settle up». He took my money, and with an emotionless expressionless face handed back the change and just stared at me. Usually there is some form of ‘hope you had a good evening’, ‘was everything ok’, ‘thank you’, ‘have a good night’. You know, regular customer service? I felt the awkwardness, and slowly edged for the door.
So I’d love to smash Lanes Edge with 1 – 2 stars because of said douche-​bag. But the truth is, the restaurant is awesome and I’ll be back again for sure.

The Lane’s Edge burger… and outstanding burger at an outstanding price. The drinks are also very reasonably price for a city bar.

$ 9n long necks. I need say nothing more but Im at work so… This bar has a Smith Street feel, with outdoor seating on Bourke St (best place to eyeball the hot-​ugly guy you keep seeing around the foyer of your building), indoor seating which is only good for a party of 3max, and cool undercover seating out the back with a kind of Hawaiian jungle lair feel. Good place to get loose and stay lazy because they take table orders. Frickin love it esp as its the opposite feel of the other places along Myers Place

I have actually returned home just now from having some celebratory drinks here at Lane’s Edge.
I’ve always strolled past the venue when i would hop off the 96 Tram and always thought it looked tacky and cheap but after a recommendation from a friend, i found the place to be funky and chic.
The venue has a very small entrance and once you venture through a very small hallway, you will be lead to a large outdoor courtyard. The drinks and meals are cheap, 5 bucks for a Pure Blonde to be exact!
It feels like the entire venue is lit up by christmas lights, it’s that dark and broody guy you always had a crush on, it’s quite special.
The outdoor area was adored by the smokers in our group, you can light one up at the table and enjoy a meal and drink!
Quick Tip — If you feel nibbly while drinking, get the ‘Wedges’, Holy Moly are they spectacular wedges!

Lanes Edge is a small indoor/​outdoor bar that has a bit of a summery teakie vibe, due to the prevalence of bamboo fencing and coloured fairy lights. It’s hardly swanky, but it does have a fun, summery feel to it in it’s covered outdoor courtyard section (which is a nicer area to hang out in than the indoor bar.
It’s a fairly standard bar in terms of drinks available, but it does sell wine by the bottle, which cuts down on cost when you’re sharing with friends.
Located on the corner of Myers Place, which has several decent bars, Lanes Edge is a good place to start the night, before moving down the road to the other bars on offer.

My friend turned to me within five minutes of us sitting down at Lanes Edge and whispered «you know, the service is actually too good.» It was. It was overwhelming. No need for a drinks menu, when the host can reel off everything available in the bar. No need for an allergy friendly menu, either, because everything can be altered to order to suit your diet. No need for a table, they’ll just find you a space to sit. No need for a jumper, there are toasty warm heaters, nor a garden, because they’ve constructed a picturesque setting in an alleyway. Oh, and it’s budget friendly and the food is fantastic.
It really is too good.

It’s all about the Asian/​Bali/​Contiki inspired outdoor bar. It’s very «Melbourne» and very chic, as it extends down an alleyway. I do like how it’s hidden behind a black curtain and inside the little bar and random tables and stools are cool to have a wine or even a tea like I did the last time I was there.
The waitress was really nice and we were kind of annoying moving seats all the time, slowly upgrading to the best table.
Wasn’t too expensive and the music was cool old classics like «Tiny Dancer», which was nice to bop to while sipping on my tea… am I lame? Anyway, for those types of nights I find Lane’s Edge a really cool place to hang out and not feel like I’m peer pressured by the people around me to drink alcohol where I was able to thoroughly enjoy my tea!

With Meyers Place only meters away down the laneway, Lane’s Edge isn’t the best choice for a cosy small-​bar experience in the top end of the city.
The inside feels more like a service area than a bar, but outside, the semi-​enclosed and vine-​framed beer garden is a great place for a pit-​stop with a book if you need an arvo break (with a cheeky Coopers). That’s a big part of the appeal here: unlike Meyers Place or Lily Blacks, Lane’s Edge is open during the day and you can usually find a seat in the beer garden in the daylight hours.
The garden is also a rarity in the CBD (or, really, anywhere in Melbourne): an undercover area where you can smoke. If it’s busy, it does get noisy and a little claustrophobic, but that’s usually after 5pm anyway, in which case you should move further down the lane.

I’m not usually a fan of inner-​city pubs, but Lane’s Edge is my one exception. It has all the awesome bits of a secret laneway pub, but is located right in the heart of the city on Melbourne’s main street.
The back courtyard area — which is also covered so your safe from the rain — is perfect for summer nights with a jug and a parma. Fairy lights and fake ivy cover the walls, creating a secluded, you-​might-​be-​in-​your-​own-​backyard feeling and the staff are extremely attentive and will ensure you never have to get up from your seat.
One of the most relaxing bars in the city!