Loop

Do you work in the arts/graphic design/multimedia industry? If you do then you're probably already familiar with Loop. The place has become a hub for Melbourne's visual arts community and hosts an assortment of experimental films, tripped-out visuals and avant-garde events throughout the week. If dealing with all that experimental art is a bit much, you can simply work your way through the drinks menu. The cocktail list runs three pages long and all the drinks have names, like Rosemary's Baby and Herbaliser. At $16 a pop they'll have you ready to deal with design students and discussions about Helvetica in no time at all. If you'd rather pace your drinking, there's also a good selection of wines and a tapas menu. While there's limited seating outside the venue, and small alcoves facing out towards the laneway, you're far more likely to find a couch inside. The main room features a small stage for live acts and scattered seating around the edges. Towards the back you'll find a screening room for things like Youtube Tuesday and Police Academy Marathons. Actually, we lie. The graphic design crowd would suffer a collective brain aneurism if you tried to screen anything as flaky as Police Academy. But that's okay; graphic designers are people too, and they deserve a bar to call their own. If you feel like a refreshing cocktail while checking out the latest in the design, multimedia, etc, then Loop is your bar.