Where to head for the best neighbourhood wine bars:
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Drinks Directory|Brisbane|Family affair|Roundup

Where to head for the best neighbourhood wine bars

Read time 2 Mins

Posted 30 May 2024

By
Amelia Ball

Wine and dishes inside Maeve in Brisbane

Don’t have a welcoming little bar around the corner? Here’s where to find one. 

If you’re one of those lucky people with a wine bar on your doorstep, congrats – you’ve won the neighbourhood lottery. That’s especially true if this bar feels like your very own secret hangout and also serves up excellent drinks and snacks. For the rest of us, however, the good news is that more of these venues are popping up all over the place, and they treat everyone like a local – even if you’ve crossed town for a visit. 

Whether your idea of a great neighbourhood wine bar is somewhere to sit in a corner and sip on your favourite vino in peace, take a stool at the bar and discuss the day’s events, or be guided to try a brilliant new wine that’s bang-on for your taste, we have the place for you. This might be a cosy bolthole tucked away on a back street, or a hive of activity on a main strip, but they all offer loads of personality and make you want to settle in.  

Below, we round up some of Australia’s best neighbourhood wine bars that each reflect their surrounding locale, are big on charm, and serve up quality food and drinks. 

Jump To
01Sydney and Canberra
02Perth
03Brisbane
04Melbourne
05Adelaide
Top neighbourhood wine bars in Sydney and Canberra
Sydney
Famelia
The friendliest of neighbourhood wine bars, Famelia trades in good times, approachable and intriguing wines, and sublime snacks, making it an instant hit on vibrant Enmore Road.
Sydney
Where’s Nick Wine Bar
This humble little wine bar in Sydney’s inner west flies the flag for all things avant-garde in the wine world, pouring out-of-the-ordinary drinks with a focus on accessibility.
Sydney
Banco Manly
Natural wines, well-executed cocktails and please-all-comers share plates await at this on-trend hidey-hole that marries Melbourne’s laneway vibe with downtown New York swagger.
Canberra
Paranormal Wines
A breezy bar-cum-bottle shop where next-wave wines and sharp snacks collide to form an out-of-this world experience orchestrated by deceptively casual yet savvy staff.
Top neighbourhood wine bars in Perth
Perth
Madalena’s
A breezy neighbourhood bar by the beach, Madalena’s is a place where fun, lo-fi wines and deftly cooked seafood rule, all displaying serious chops in the food and drink departments.
Perth
The Corner Dairy
A high-energy neighbourhood bar, The Corner Dairy has a considered beer list and it dishes up some of Perth's best bar food while retaining the easy-going spirit you expect from a local.
Perth
Bar Rogue
When great restaurants open bars, punters expect great things, and Bar Rogue delivers on the promise via a drinks list that comforts and surprises, ace snacks and tight service.
Perth
Casa
Those looking for standout natural wines, timeless cocktails and booming small plates will feel right at home at Casa, a polished neighbourhood bar in Mount Hawthorn.
Top neighbourhood wine bars in Brisbane
Brisbane
La Lune Wine Co
A compact wine bar that channels the very best of France and Australia, La Lune appeals as much to wine lovers as it does to those who simply want to eat and drink well.
Brisbane
Maeve
There’s a cool, old-school European feel to Maeve, where genuine hospitality, good food and great wine meet in a handsome space near some of Brisbane’s biggest attractions.
Brisbane
South City Wine Bar
A stylish locals’ hangout that’s worth crossing town for, South City Wine Bar conjures the flavours of southern Europe in its globetrotting wine list and a menu packed with classics.
Top neighbourhood wine bars in Melbourne
Melbourne
Commis
Long-time Gerald’s Bar alumni strike out with their own spin on the focused, idiosyncratic neighbourhood bar where a tight food menu and excellent tunes meet fun, deftly-made drinks.
Melbourne
Clover
Part of the current Melbourne wine-bar boom, Clover pays equal attention to drinks, service, food and design while never forgetting the fun part of the equation.
Melbourne
Gerald’s Bar
With an exceptional wine list, an impeccable record collection and offering an irresistible welcome, this is the neighbourhood bar that every neighbourhood wishes it had.
Melbourne
Glou
This sustainability focused “wine dispensary” with all-Australian, mostly Victorian wines served from barrels proves a reduced environmental footprint can be stylish and delicious.
Melbourne
Brico
Four top guns of the wine-bar world join forces to open a near pitch-perfect example of the species in Melbourne’s inner north.
Melbourne
Neighbourhood Wine
Housed in what was once an underworld casino, Neighbourhood Wine’s mobster décor defines this much-loved local diner with its 400-label list of lo-fi wines and retro turntable tunes.
Melbourne
La Pinta
This pocket-sized gem of a tapas bar is a convincing expression of all things Spanish – with a strong foundation of great drinks and eats, and welcoming staff, it’s a fun package.
Melbourne
Lilac Wine
Laid-back clubhouse vibes, DJs and a mirror ball conspire with Lilac’s serious commitment to excellent food, wine and service to make punters want to settle in for the party.
Top neighbourhood wine bars in Melbourne and Adelaide
Melbourne
One Trick Pony
This good-looking, light-filled two-level backstreet bar, diner and bottle shop has a few tricks up its sleeve, doing all its jobs seamlessly with great casual style.
Melbourne
Shabooh Shoobah
Brunswick West locals rejoiced when they got this neighbourhood bar – a welcoming spot with wine-friendly food and a match for all comers, whether that’s fashionably funky or more old school.
Adelaide
Good Gilbert
Head to the suburbs for this low-key neighbourhood bar with a high-key wine list of local and European superstars along with a tight selection of snacks by a young-gun chef.
Adelaide
Alt Wine Bar
This lively neighbourhood wine bar serves cocktail-party energy via excellent tunes, top-notch drinks and generous tasty snacks delivered by staff who are having a good time doing it.
image credits: Top image, Maeve in Brisbane
Authour image
Amelia BallAmelia Ball is a journalist, editor and former Editorial Director of Halliday Wine Companion, who specialises in drinks, food and travel.
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Drinks DirectoryBrisbaneMeal and a bevFamily affairCasual catch-upTop notch wine listRoundupDate nightPerthMelbourneSydneyCanberraAdelaide
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