admin November 19, 2025
From New York’s East Village to the heart of Melbourne CBD’s Flinders Lane, Death & Co, one of the world’s most influential bars, will open the doors to its first international venue tomorrow, Friday 14 November.
Since its 2006 establishment in Manhattan’s East Village, Death & Co has opened US venues in Denver, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. Death & Co has long been synonymous with innovation and excellence in cocktail culture, recognised for redefining the modern drinking experience.
Now, the globally acclaimed bar group brings its legacy beyond the United States — with the launch of Death & Co Melbourne. Located at 87 Flinders Lane, the bar spans two intimate levels, the Ground Floor Bar and the Cellar Bar. Capturing the same soul and sophistication that have made the US venues legendary, the bar has been reinterpreted through a distinctly local lens. It’s an exciting new addition to the city’s hospitality scene, one that celebrates the art of the drink, and modern classics are crafted to stand the rest of time.
“Only a handful of hospitality venues globally have as much of a claim to a legacy as Death & Co” says Cara Devine, Death & Co Melbourne Venue Manager. “It’s undeniable that today’s cocktail landscape has been moulded, in part, by a small but impactful bar in the East Village of New York”.
“Melbourne, with its thriving food and drink scene and little laneway spots, is a natural fit. But it goes beyond the food and drinks, curiosity and connection are at the core of what Death & Co does – we’re thrilled to bring that spirit to Australia with an unmistakable local accent.”
Cocktails that define a Melbourne moment
At the heart of Death & Co Melbourne is an expertly curated drinks list that celebrates the heritage of the brand, innovation and local inspiration. Guests can explore iconic classics and new-generation creations developed across D&C venues.
Hero Death & Co Melbourne cocktails include:
- Telegraph (By Tyson Buhler, Death & Co Denver, 2018) – Four Pillars Dry Gin, highlighting Australian native Eucalyptus
- Inspired by its namesake gin Martini variation, this chilled serve combines pear, eucalyptus, pine and juniper, evoking an alpine fruit orchard in a glass.
- Sound & Fury (Tyson Buhler, Death & Co NYC, 2015) – El Jimador Blanco, Ancho Reyes, raspberry, red bell pepper, lime
- Playing off the unusual but delicious pairing of raspberry and red capsicum, this smokey-riff on the Margarita balances ancho chillies and tequila with bright bursts of raspberry and the red capsicum flavours.
- Buko Gimlet (By Matthew Belanger, Death & Co LA, 2019) Four Pillars Navy Gin, Cachaca, Coconut, Lime, Coconut, Pandan
- A refreshing spin on the classic gimlet, reimaging the Filipino dessert, buko pandan in cocktail form. Aromatic gin distilled with finger limes forms the base, layered with herbaceous cachaça, coconut liqueur, coconut water, and pandan syrup.
The cocktail menu also features Death & Co’s internationally recognised signatures, including the Naked & Famous and Oaxaca Old Fashioned, served with the precision and flair that earned the brand its place among the world’s best bars.
Guests can also let the bartenders find a cocktail to suit their mood with Dealer’s Choice. Conversation between the bartender and the guest is core to the Death & Co experience. Through a few questions, the bartender will decipher what type of cocktail the guest is in the mood for and delve into two decades of Death & Co cocktails and classics to select a drink specifically catered to them.
Elevated bar fare, designed to share
The food offering at Death & Co Melbourne can be paired perfectly with the cocktails, with highlights including:
- Gilda – A traditional pintxo cocktail snack of Gordal olive, guindilla, European anchovy, lemon twist, and pickled baby onion, the perfect salty-sweet foil to any cocktail.
- Kingfish – cured with gin botanicals, rhubarb, olive brine, the rhubarb is slow cooked, pressed and finely rolled to melt in the mouth.
- Chip & Dip – crispy & creamy, finely sliced tempura vegetables & leaves are paired with a whipped taramasalata for a salty umami hit.
- Cheeseburger – Dry-aged beef patties are complimented by smoked cheddar and provolone house-made bread & butter pickles, house dill mustard and burger sauce on Martin’s potato buns, a tribute to the ultimate comfort classic.
- Cheese
- Tête de Moine Tart – A modern take on cheese & fruit on a cracker this wonderfully sweet/savoury combination is ripe cheese curled on a cheese wheel, in a crispy handmade tart shell, with fruit preserve + pickled seasonal fruit.
- Brillat-Savarin with Apple Tarte Tatin – A soft ripened triple cream cheese, Brillat-Savarin has a cheesecake likeness, paired with a mini apple tarte tatin, salted caramel & rosemary. Fatty, crunchy, sweet & salty all at the same time.
“This is our first time bringing Death & Co beyond the U.S., so it’s a real ‘pinch me’ moment,” says David Kaplan, Founder and Co-Owner of Death & Co. “I first visited Australia when I was six, and have fallen more in love with it every trip, so opening in Melbourne and Brisbane – cities with such inspiring food, beverage, and cocktail cultures – is incredibly special. We can’t wait to share what we do, and to learn from a country that’s become a global leader in cocktail culture.”
Inside Death & Co Melbourne
Designed by Studio Y, in collaboration with Death & Co and their architectural partners, AAmp Studio, the interior of Death & Co Melbourne reflects the brand’s refined aesthetic. The entrance, always one of the most meaningful details, sets the tone. The weight of the door, the signature plaque and velvet curtains that draw guests in.
On the other side, lights dim. Plush banquettes, cosy booths, stools perched at the bar, warm tones of burgundy, woods throughout and unexpected pops of florals create a sense of mood and discovery. A highlight of the venue is the Party Pod, a curtained private space for groups of 6, with the option for chef’s selection of nibbles to get started.
Open seven days a week from 4pm to 1am, there’s seated table service across both levels and walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the evening.
Death & Co Melbourne is poised to become a destination for those who shine after dark — the next evolution in the brand’s journey, carrying its devotion to craft and community across continents.
Death & Co Melbourne
87 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
deathandcompanymelbourne.com.au
