The VICE Guide to the Best Wine Bars in Melbourne

The best wine bar Melbourne has to offer is a bar that places great emphasis on its bottle list. Some of the city’s best span everything from traditional, old-world styles and bigger players through to quaffable locally-sourced, low-intervention or natural drops. There’s always some form of food on offer too, whether it’s an easy little meat-studded snack or a larger plate of charred, seasonal veg designed for sharing. 

Gerald’s Bar is a Melbourne wine bar institution, and rightly so. The wine list covers classic and traditional styles of winemaking to biodynamic or low-intervention, funky natural wines. It’s the wet, wine-soaked dream for any sommelier in town. Much-loved for date nights, it sets the mood with candlelight and a romantic handwritten menu card of wine bar snacks with a pan-European bent.

386 Rathdowne St, Carlton North

Chef and owner Almay Jordaan’s beloved Old Palm Liquor is a classic for date nights. But next door is Bahama Gold, an exceptional Brunswick wine bar. The music always lends itself to the cool, laidback and effortless vibe, the mainly low-intervention wine list is co-owner Simon Denman’s pride and joy, born from their cellar of around 1,000 bottles. They do unreal pizzas on the weekend. And they have the best bagged chips ever.

133B Lygon St, Brunswick East

Embla is arguably one of Melbourne's best wine bars, or at least its most iconic. You must taste head chef Dave Verheul's small and often fermented or fire-licked plates of food, but also take advantage of the renowned and massive wine list. It's a moody and dimly lit yet charged with energy in the heart of the CBD. Go for dessert and a glass of Champagne.

122 Russell St, Melbourne

Carlton Wine Room is another iconic wine bar situated in the leafy streets of Carlton. The PDR upstairs is a haven for anyone looking to host a private wine dinner, but for regular punters like me, there's exceptional bistro-style fare on offer, along with one of the city's best wine lists that offers everything from traditional to natty drops. 

172-174 Faraday St, Carlton

A gorgeous wine bar and restaurant in the gorgeous Abbotsford Convent. So stupidly romantic but perfect for a big group too. Just gorgeous inside and out with the coolest staff in Melbourne and a truly excellent wine list.

1 St Heliers St, Abbotsford VIC

There's something simple about Public Wine Shop in Fitzroy North that makes it so attractive. It might be the large communal table that sits in the heart of it, the fact that they accept no bookings and welcome casual walk-ins, the unfussy, daily-changing plates of food that champion the best of Victoria's produce, or the natural-leaning wine list that promises something for everyone without trying too hard. Whatever it is, it just works.

179 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North

If you're looking to live la dolce vita, look no further than Kirk's Wine Bar, CBD. This is the optimal spot for people watching outside while perched on a bistro chair, sampling a spritz or a lo-fi or classic wine from their extensive list. There's swish wine bar food too that's whisked down from its sister venue upstairs French Saloon.

46 Hardware Ln, Melbourne 

If you’re on the hunt for an Italian wine bar or a French wine bar, go to City Wine Shop. Much like Kirk’s Wine Bar – both are co-owned by Con Christopolous who holds the monopoly on European wine bars including Melbourne Supper Club, Siglo, Angel Music Bar and Butcher’s Diner on this side of the CBD – this is a prime spot for people watching from bistro chairs when you’re seated outside. Inside, it’s much moodier with wooden panelled interiors, but it’s just as chic. There’s corkage on offer for around $20 a bottle, and the large wine list insists on classic pours and big players, though there is also a decent offering of natural wines from across the world, too. The food here is pan-European in style and has the potential to break the bank depending on who’s asking, but it’s all perfect wine food. 

159 Spring St, Melbourne 

Hope St Radio is a community radio station first and foremost, and its wine bar extension in Collingwood Yards brings this to life. There's always a local roster of DJs that curate a live soundtrack to your evening along with a list of bright, natty wines and matching seasonal plates of food, plus former chef Ellie Bouhadana's classic stacks of fluffy focaccia. 

35 Johnston St, Collingwood

Bar Liberty keeps things classy yet approachable in Fitzroy. The Fitzroy wine bar by the Rockwell and Sons and Capitano team, serves juicy, natty biodynamic and/or low intervention wines along with a seasonal menu of shared plates with a nod to Polish cuisine, courtesy of chef Zackary Furst.

234 Johnston St, Fitzroy

Clover is a nice, boozy little departure from the otherwise office-studded pocket of Richmond it resides in. The wine bar by Lyndon Kubis (also of The Moon and a handful of wine shops) boasts a natural, European-leaning wine list along with eats charred over the wood-fired hearth by chef Charley Snaddon-Wilson. It’s an airy, light-filled space with high and low tables, making it perfect for any situation or setting you find yourself in. 

193 Swan St, Richmond

It would be amiss not to mention any of Nathan Toleman, head of the Mulberry Group’s venues. Their portfolio holds the beautiful Hazel, Dessous, Liminal and more but Lilac Wine Bar is their less-polished yet equally glittering wine bar that deserves due credit. The wine list features over 150 organic and biodynamic locally and internationally sourced wines, and the menu on offer totes French bistro-style dishes that are cooked over fire complemented by chef Kyle Nicol’s ferments and pickles. 

31 Stephenson St, Cremorne

The Milton Wine Shop team crosses over with The Moon and Clover crew, and this bottle shop and little wine bar in Malvern promises natural wines from across Australia and internationally. Very cosy and cute.

1427 Malvern Rd, Malvern

Beloved by chefs and sommeliers alike, this buzzy wine bar in Reservoir always amasses a line come night time and welcomes walk-ins with open arms. This is the spot for seasonal Spanish-inspired tapas sprawled across a blackboard, complemented best by sloshing one of their exceptional natural wines around your glass. Some of the best food and the most affordable wine in Melbourne.

791 High St, Reservoir

If you love Champagne, Auterra in Armadale's High Street is a must. At Auterra, sister venue to fine-diner Amaru down the street, you can get Champagne by the glass or bottle, with an extended wine list that includes classic producers and styles of winemaking. It's the perfect spot for a quick drink, snack or elongated wine dinner upstairs in their private dining room.

1160 High St, Armadale

Pull up a pew outside of Footscray's wine bar and bottle-o Mr West in the arcade, or upstairs among the myriad beers on tap, and pick a funky natural wine from the fridge to share. Better yet, order a gargantuan pizza from neighbouring Slice Shop to savour alongside it. 

106 Nicholson Street Mall, Footscray

Spots like Albert's, a cosy neighbourhood wine bar, are a most welcome reprieve from Armadale's otherwise high-end reputation. There's delicious shared plates of food, the crab toast (a play on prawn toast) is a must, indoor and outdoor seating, plus a solid yet succinct wine list. The list in question highlights both local and European wines (from across Italy and France) catered to any budget.

17 Morey St, Armadale

Entering the glittering, boozy confines of this wine bar is to witness the dazzling pearl that is unearthed within the oyster that is Chinatown's Midcity Centre. Pearl Chablis and Oyster Bar’s extensive list is a must for any lover of French wine, namely from the Chablis region. A very fun late night wine bar.

L1 Shop 108/200 Bourke St, Melbourne

The Rec, as its affectionately known, has a fond place in the heart of anyone in Melbourne's wine industry. Not only do they offer exceptional gastropub food, they also offer BYO for wine and a sophisticated bottle-o that promises more traditional styles of wine.

162-170 Queens Parade, Fitzroy North

South Melbourne isn't home to some of the greatest sandwiches, courtesy of Hector's Deli and Juniper, but one of Melbourne's greatest wine lists too. Prince Wine Store houses over 3500 bottles and its extension, Bellota Wine Bar in South Melbourne, allows customers to sample any of its tipples from across the globe along with smaller snacks in the way of charcuterie, through to unmissable larger meals in a pan-European style under the helm of chef Nicky Reimer.

181 Bank St, South Melbourne

Rushani Epa is a food writer and the editor of Colournary Magazine.