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Restaurant

Little Lon Distilling Co.

17 Casselden Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Recommended by 78 people

Updated

Find Little Lon Distilling Co.

17 Casselden Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 490 950 144
HoursMonday: Closed Tuesday: 4:00 – 8:00 PM Wednesday: 4:00 – 8:00 PM Thursday: 4:00 – 9:30 PM Friday: 4:00 – 9:30 PM Saturday: 2:00 – 10:00 PM Sunday: Closed

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About Little Lon Distilling Co.

Tucked down a cobblestone laneway, Melbourne’s last surviving single-storey red-light cottage now runs as an intimate micro-distillery. Skyscraper views fade fast inside the dimly lit brick cottage, where high wooden stools flank the working still and seating tops out around six or seven. Patrons point to house spirits steeped in local folklore—from the lychee-infused Miss Yoko to the citrus-forward Ginger Mick and the Dutchy, a malty genever-style pour with whiskey undertones. Behind the counter, the distillers pour curated flights alongside drinks like the Peking duck fat Old Fashioned, quietly sharing stories of the colorful rogues who once called this pocket home.

  • Historic cottage stillhouse: Operating inside the CBD’s last single-storey cottage, the tasting room seats roughly six to seven guests beside the working still.
  • Folklore-inspired spirits: Small-batch gins and genevers draw recipe notes and names directly from the neighborhood’s nineteenth-century characters.
Restaurant

What's On at Little Lon Distilling Co.

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Visit Little Lon Distilling Co.

Discover handcrafted spirits, rich neighborhood folklore, and rare cottage hospitality in the heart of Melbourne's CBD.

  • Working Micro-Distillery in an Intimate Heritage Cottage

    Guests can witness spirits being crafted right inside Melbourne's sole surviving single-storey red-light cottage, an intimate brick setting seating only 6 to 7 visitors indoors.

    A beautiful small space, where you can see the gins distilling right next to your table.

    Grace Mahoney

  • Small-Batch Gins Grounded in Local Folklore

    Tasting sessions introduce visitors to artisanal gins infused with fresh botanicals and named after colorful historical figures from the former Little Lon district.

    producing handcrafted gins that are genuinely exceptional.

    Anthony Gilmore

  • Hands-On Gin Masterclasses and Distillation Learning

    Dedicated masterclasses take guests through botanical distillation techniques, ingredient origins, and guided tastings alongside food pairings.

    I recommend their gin masterclass experience where you hear the history of the building and 😀 get to sample the gin!

    Gail Thornbury

  • Artisanal House-Crafted Cocktails

    Cocktails are crafted with custom homemade elements and balanced spirits, providing inventive flavor profiles like spicy margaritas and savory old fashioneds.

    Jethro, the bartender is so passionate, every cocktail has some ingredient homemade by him.

    sofia castrogiovanni

  • Immersive Historical Storytelling with Passionate Hosts

    Engaging distillers and bartenders entertain patrons with vivid anecdotes about the cottage's 19th-century occupants and local neighborhood history.

    treated to a fascinating discovery tour through Melbourne’s human story, alongside absolutely first class gin.

    Robert Fais

  • Unpretentious Hospitality in a Hidden Haven

    The tiny brickhouse creates a cozy, unpretentious retreat tucked down a cobblestone laneway amidst the city's towering high-rises.

    Great little hidden bar with a really unique vibe, excellent cocktails and staff who clearly know their stuff without being pretentious about it.

    Simon Prentice

Small-batch spirits distilled on-site and named after local historical personalities

  • Miss Yoko

    I was completely seduced by their "Miss Yoko", which is absolutely delicious, especially when paired with the recommended tonic.

    Anthony Gilmore

  • Proudfoot

    I’m very much a "London Dry" man, so their "Proudfoot” was right up my street

    Anthony Gilmore

  • The Dutchy

    I also sampled "The Dutchy", which is their take on the original Dutch Genever (the historical predecessor to gin), with a whiskey undertone, it is absolutely delicious.

    Anthony Gilmore

  • Ginger Mick

    Our favourite was the ginger mick.

    Joana Joseph

Beyond the menu

Intimate historic hospitality and micro-distillery details inside Melbourne's last standing single-storey CBD cottage

  • Archival Storytelling and Historic Photographs

    Owners and hosts recount the cottage's past as part of the 19th-century red-light district, showing photographs of former residents whose stories inspire the names of individual spirits.

  • Distillation Stills at Arm's Reach

    Patrons can sit directly beside the functioning still within the tiny cottage room to watch the gin distillation process up close while staff explain the mechanics.

  • Unreleased and Experimental Batch Samples

    Tasting sessions frequently include spontaneous extra samples and preview tastings of unreleased or experimental test-batch spirits shared directly by the makers.

  • Curated Food Platter with Masterclasses

    Attendees at the dedicated tasting sessions receive a curated food platter paired directly with their flights of small-batch spirits.

Before you head over

Practical tips for visiting Melbourne's compact heritage distillery

  • Prepare for Limited Indoor Seating

    The heritage brick cottage is extremely compact, with indoor seating accommodating only 6 to 7 guests. Plan ahead and book early if you want to sit inside by the working still.

  • Note High Stool Seating

    Indoor seating primarily consists of high wooden bar stools, which may be challenging to climb or sit on for shorter visitors or those with limited mobility.

  • Start with a Gin Flight

    Rather than ordering a single drink immediately, start with a tasting flight to explore their distinctive gins named after historical local figures before moving on to cocktails.

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