Gone are the days when a trip to the movies involved little more than a choc top, a jumbo-sized Coke, and a couple hours of screen time. Now cinemas come with all sorts of added extras, from decent booze on offer at the Candy Bar, to on-site cocktail bars for wining and dining before and/or after the credits.

The latest treat for Melbourne moviegoers comes in the form of the Astor Theatre's new neighbouring cafe and bar, Overlook. In true film nerd-style, yes, it is named after the eerie hotel from Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, whose dramatic art deco styling somewhat mirrors that of the historic, 80-year-old St Kilda cinema.

But with its dapper fitout and walls of movie memorabilia, the Astor's Overlook is guaranteed to be a whole lot more approachable than the film version (and with much less attempted REDRUM). Rather, it looks like a pretty inviting spot for sipping pre-movie vino or dissecting plotlines over a post-film feed. The drinks list has a boutique wine, craft beer, or signature cocktail to complement any kind of feature, while the food is a collaboration with culinary favourites like Milk The Cow, DOC, and Doughboys.

Overlook is now open right next to the Astor Theatre on Chapel Street, St Kilda. It's open early till late each night of the week. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

Published on February 21, 2017 by Libby Curran