Curious, at the base of the W Hotel, has a new cocktail menu designed by UK mixologist Matt Whiley.
It was loosely inspired by Alice in Wonderland, so the fact that there’s a lot going on at the W’s underground cocktail bar is kind of the point. An undulating ceiling of big timber beams emulates the rabbit hole, which the door person will whisk you down through a voluptuous velvet curtain.
If you want to soak up the surrounds, there’s a good vibe to bunker down for a midweek cocktail. But to find Curious at its most chock-a-block, book a table for Friday or Saturday night and watch as it gets boisterous, edging into club territory, with tables splurging on champagne magnums. Those after a quiet weekend nightcap won’t find it here.
Cocktails are as theatrical as the space (peppermint air, anyone?) and play on Melbourne’s stereotypical north-south rivalry (will it be one inspired by the Fitzroy Garage Party or the lavender-laden Too Right It’s Toorak?).
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