The Croft Institute - Melbourne
There is definitely some weird science going on in the heart of Melbourne's China Town. Tucked away in the Croft Alley, The Croft Institute has become famous for its illusive atmosphere that makes it one of the most unique bars in Melbourne.
Set over three levels, The Croft Institute will be sure to make you want to put on your school blazers and pull up your knee socks on arrival. Filled with test tubes and old chemistry flasks, the ground level houses a laboratory. With opaque lighting and shelved science labware, this level is the perfect place to take an alcoholic detention as The Croft distills their vodka on site!
It's just not the first level where all the classroom antics occur in this very pseudo-like bar. The second and third levels of The Croft Institute would have anyone wondering if they've stepped into an australia attraction pass alternate reality. Making your way to the second floor, the institute doesn't fail to keep brewing up a spectacle as you're confronted with a 'hospital themed waiting area' and female toilets named 'The Department of Female Hygiene'.
Fit for any gym junkie, the third level of The Croft is styled like a 1930s gymnasium and it's truly where all the action takes place. Hosting some of the best international DJ's on Friday and Saturday nights, The Croft Institute plays the latest reggae, dancehall, funk and roots. So it's the perfect place to dance the night away like you once did in gym-class, except this time your toasting among friends with alcoholic test tubes. What makes this level more appealing is when you've gone to order a drink. Not only is there a rotating list of 'microbrewery', (meaning you can order your favourite beverages that haven't been watered down), but there is also grass, yes, a whole turf of real grass growing along the bar. Bizarre, yes, but I must tip my hat to The Croft for going all out with the 'sports-theme'.
Make your way down Melbourne's China Town, past the gratified walls and open restaurant kitchen doors and set yourself up for an experimental night that you won't forget. You truly haven't graduated from the Melbourne Nightlife Scene if you are yet to experience The Croft Institute.
