Sister Bella

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A short train ride takes you into the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, and to a thin alley submerged in street art, legal and otherwise. Alleys such as these have long been a source of great pride throughout Melbourne, and have been attracting visitors for decades. Sister Bella, a quintessential ‘hipster’ bar, lies within one such alley.

With extremely limited signage, the journey in finding this surreptitious bar is as much an attraction as the bar itself. Completely surrounded by art, it is recommended that you take time in exploring the area, and uncover works by artists such as Junky and Baby Guerrilla.

The love for these alleys displayed by Melbournians, and the fact that people choose to explore them and discover gems such as this, again emphasises the value placed upon street art in Melbourne today. It is the art that brings patrons in to Sister Bella, the creative and lively atmosphere that it creates, and the sense of discovery experienced by its visitors.

Once again, the pub takes advantage of this, combining the mainstream and the underground to further the profile of both the institution and, perhaps inadvertently, the art form.

(P.S. The gingerbread flavoured cocktail is sublime.)