Arcane Fairies Lands in the CBD with Flying Cocktails and Rockstar Chaos
Melbourne’s late-night scene has never been short on characters, but a new creature has emerged in the CBD, and this one sends your drink through the air before you even lift a finger. Arcane Fairies has landed on Lonsdale Street with a thump, sliding straight into the city’s nightlife ecosystem with glowing wings, custom-built zip lines and a menu led by a chef who has cooked for Drake, George Clooney and Richard Branson.
Arcane Fairies
Hidden under towering fairies and eerie curios, the venue feels like the after-hours fever dream of someone who has spent far too much time watching Labyrinth and listening to Guns N’ Roses. But there’s a sharpness to it too. Director Steve Thomas, known for Storyville and Pawn and Co, has engineered the entire place down to the last bolt, including the fifty-metre network of overhead zip lines that glide cocktails from the fairy chest bar to booths below. Your drink arrives by air, and yes, it’s as theatrical as it sounds.
Then there is the kitchen. Chef Jake Warhurst has cooked in Michelin-starred spots, hatted restaurants and private islands, and has a résumé so wild it reads like a world tour. After years on the road with Drake and time spent cooking for the Branson universe, he has landed in Melbourne with a late-night food brief that feels both unhinged and laser-focused. His smash burger slathered in Warface Sauce, Nashville hot chicken and folded pizzettas are built for the hour when you’ve already promised your friends you’re going home and then changed your mind entirely. His approach is simple: every dish has to hold its own, hit hard and match the energy of the room.
Warhurst calls the menu a pilgrimage for Melbourne’s late-night legends, the people who know exactly where to find noodles at 2am and have firm opinions about the best burger within stumbling distance. The venue backs him up with booth seating, a jukebox blasting rock anthems and glowing specimen jars watching from above. It’s equal parts chaos, charm and cheeky theatre.
Arcane Fairies is the kind of spot that will likely become a ritual for hospitality staff finishing a shift, club-goers still buzzing, and anyone who wants a night that feels like it could tilt either way. Drinks fly, the music refuses to behave and the fairies overhead keep watch like they know your secrets.
You’ll find it at 185 Lonsdale Street, open now, ready to feed your bad decisions.
Melbourne’s late-night scene has never been short on characters, but a new creature has emerged in the CBD, and this one sends your drink through the air before you even lift a finger. Arcane Fairies has landed on Lonsdale Street with a thump, sliding straight into the city’s nightlife ecosystem with glowing wings, custom-built zip lines and a menu led by a chef who has cooked for Drake, George Clooney and Richard Branson.