The Keys is a loving interweaving of a 1950s bowling alley with a paragon Melbourne pub. It’s got a beer garden,12 neon-splashed lanes,a games arcade and three bars.

However you define it,co-owner Tom Peasnell (Dexter,Dom’s Social Club,Takeaway Pizza) has crafted the place with an eye on longevity. Outdoor tables weighing 700 kilograms are hewn from granite,lanes utilise reclaimed maple and bowling-themed leadlight panels took a year to craft.

High-quality versions of American snacks include hot wings with blue cheese,and an organic foot-long pork sausage slathered with mustard and sweet-sour relish in a crackly bun. Pub classics include chicken parm with smoky scamorza and a retro steak diane made with wagyu striploin.