Late cocktail bar

Bar Rochford

First floor, 65 London Circuit, Civic. Wine, cocktails and a serious menu; walk-ins welcome for drinks and snacks.

About Bar Rochford

Bar Rochford is an upstairs wine and cocktail bar on the first floor of the Melbourne Building on London Circuit, in a 1920s building. An early review described a central bar with green stools, booths along one wall, a communal bench by a large arched window, and 1970s-style lampshades and Deco pendants. It is a seated, sit-down bar rather than a club.

The focus is on wine, with a changing list, cocktails and share plates. Owner Nick Smith's soul, jazz and blues vinyl collection supplies the music. Visit Canberra notes bookings for tables of four or more by email or phone.

It opened around early 2016. It won Gourmet Traveller's Australia's Best Bar title in the 2018 guide, announced August 2017, and in September 2024 it took National Wine Bar of the Year and ACT Bar of the Year at the Australian Bartender Magazine awards. HerCanberra's March 2026 guide still lists it.

Written by LateOne.au, checked 13 October 2026. Sources: gourmettraveller.com.au, hercanberra.com.au, visitcanberra.com.au, hercanberra.com.au. Hours and door policies change, so check with the venue.

Area: Civic
Music: Check the program
Best nights: Tue–Sat, 5pm until late
Address: Level 1, 65 London Circuit, Canberra City (Melbourne Building)
Open since: About 2016
Rooms: Single upstairs room with central bar, booths and communal bench
Food: Share plates; menu changes often

Good to know

Tables of four or more can book by email or phone (02 6230 6222).
Hours were not found in sources; check barrochford.com.

Getting there

Light rail ends at Alinga Street, in the middle of Civic, and City Interchange (the bus station) is a short walk away. Late rideshare pick-up zones are on London Circuit, Genge Street and Alinga Street.

Last services and walking times change: use the live public transport directions or Transport Canberra on the night, and see getting home for late rides.

Official site & what’s on ↗Directions by public transport ↗Getting home

Check the venue’s own listings for tonight’s program, hours and door policy.

Map & Street View

Open in Google Maps ↗Directions ↗Street View ↗

Pin from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Street View opens the nearest street photo; entrances can be round the corner, so check the venue’s own directions.

Nearest stops

Tram or light rail: Alinga Street, about 200 m, roughly 3 min on foot

Stops are the closest by straight line; real walks can be longer. Check times with Transport Canberra ↗. From OpenStreetMap contributors.

Around Bar Rochford

Within a ten-minute walk: Highball (1 min, rooftop bar), Molly (1 min, late cocktail bar), ChiChiz Bar (2 min, lgbtqia+ bar), Smith’s Alternative (2 min, pub & live music), King O'Malley's (5 min, pub & live music) and Dissent Cafe and Bar (6 min, live music cafe-bar). Plus 4 more nearby.

Walking times are estimates from the map, not routes.