The bar barons behind drinking institutions, Heartbreaker and The Everleigh, have launched an opulently-styled basement bar that serves Champagne and cheeseburgers until 5am. Snack-sized cocktails, from a mini martini to micro Manhattan, make it easy to commit to a second or third round. 111 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. barmargaux.com.au.

French-trained executive chef Daniel Southern has put together a menu of bistro classics, from escargot d’Bourgogne finished with Pernod butter and toasted breadcrumbs to a cheese-lidded French onion soup served in a porcelain footed bowl. You’ll also be able to get three types of steak (French cuts, of course) cooked à la perfection on a state-of-the-art Synergy grill.

It may not be the most authentique item on the menu, but the MGX cheeseburger will be the dish to order. The decadent meat stack will combine two beefy wagyu patties with melted cheese, crispy bacon, and a red wine and bone marrow Bordelaise sauce in a soft milk bun.

Just like at The Everleigh, Bar Margaux will serve half-sized martinis and Manhattans, giving you a good excuse to order another round. Follow it up with a spritz cocktail, the house specialty being a cola-coloured tipple called Black Velvet, which mixes Guinness with Champagne. Wines will be approachable and affordable with local producers like Lyons Will, Tellurian and The Wine Farm sitting alongside classic French varietals.

Café St Regis, a classic Parisian bistro, will inform the interiors, which will include white subway tiles, chequered floors and red leather U-shaped booth seating.

Bar Margaux is located at 111 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. It opens Sun-Thu 4pm – 3am and Fri – Sat 4pm – 5am. For more details or to book, head to barmargaux.com.au.