A new 10-seat bar channelling Tokyo is hiding in a suburb that might surprise you

New laneway hideaway Bar Selecta in Hawthorn blends vintage vinyl, analogue audio gear and retro design cues to transport you to another time and place – specifically a Tokyo listening bar.

Growing out of postwar coffee houses for jazz enthusiasts, listening bars went on to embody the golden age of ’80s and ’90s hi-fi. The 10-seat Selecta, opening tomorrow, is a homage to these venues, serving carefully crafted sips that share equal billing with the audio.

“Music has been a core part of my life,” says co-owner Masaki Hisaike, a sake sommelier and cocktail whizz. “Creating a music-inspired cocktail menu is the perfect way to combine that.”

Drinks like Tempo Pop, Bebop Kiss and Bittersweet FM are an obvious musical nod. Future drink specials will tie in with specific genres, perhaps referencing popular drinks of the era, artist favourites or complementary sensations, such as jazz-funk with funkier styles of sake.

Seasonal cocktails celebrate Japanese flavours. A gimlet mixes Midori, sakura (cherry blossom) and pineapple-yuzu bitters with gin, and a milk punch stars strawberry, red bean liqueur, toasty hojicha and mooncake gin made by bar director Joey Tai.

Tai brings years of bartending expertise, most recently managing Flower Drum’s bar and drinks program, to Selecta. The bar’s name refers not just to whoever’s choosing the music, but the bartenders who can shape your night.

“Cocktails, sake and whisky all play with the mood and the experience,” says Tai.

Whiskies are mostly Japanese, and sake is listed by profiles such as “Soft, Balanced and Elegant” and “Earthy, Umami-Rich and Complex”. These are joined by Japanese beers, a handful of independent Australian wines and simple bar snacks, such as crisps and nuts. In future, Japanese barbecue pop-ups are planned for the courtyard.

Music shifts from pop to reggae, disco to jazz, played from a DJ console of vintage Technics equipment that abuts a red onyx marble-topped bar. A striking ceiling of inlaid ring lights, similar to speaker cones, illuminate the space, and a wall of vinyl sits beneath a pair of studio-grade JBL L100 speakers.

Guests can book the sunroom for BYO music sessions on Sunday, making full use of a cassette deck, CD player and rare 1974 Yamaha NS-1000M Monitor speakers.

Director Michael Tan spent years tracking down each piece of Selecta’s sound system.

“Bars need to be more than a bar,” he says. “Going out for a drink isn’t enough any more.”

The fitout, from custom-made glass amber bricks to the mirrored back bar, is the work of Tan’s hospitality design and brand agency BrandWorks, which he owns with wife Eleena.

A fourth co-owner, Kelvin Low (Elysian Whisky Bar, Kura), has selected much of the whisky and sake while a fifth, Adam Ong (ex-Golden Monkey), is overseeing business strategy.

Tan was inspired by a trip to Tokyo in 2023, seeing the listening bar concept as perfectly suited to local tastes.

“Melbourne’s a city that really understands culture and service,” Tan says. “We can’t wait to share our dream.”

Open from 4pm Wednesday-Saturday; from 3pm Sunday

717 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, barselecta.co