NOW EXPERIENCING:No 100
Drinks Directory|Takeaways|Wheelchair accessible|Outdoor area

No 100

Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
100 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, VIC, 3000
Phone
(03) 9943 5861
Website
100flinderslane.com.au
Instagram
@no.100_flinderslane

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 08 Apr 2024

By
Larissa Dubecki

Smart snacks served at No 100 in Melbourne

Evoking Beirut’s incarnation as “the Paris of the Middle East”, No 100 delivers Levantine flavours in its smart cocktails and punchy snacks, with guest appearances in its globe-trotting wine list.

The entrance to No 100 in Melbourne
Why you goA venue that can swing easily from daytimes dominated by great coffee and elevated sandwiches to a smart evening bistro and wine bar is something of a unicorn – often spoken about but rarely seen in the wild. Then there’s No 100, which has managed to make its Clark Kent double-life look easy. Sitting pretty on Flinders Lane in the thick of the trendy restaurant district (Grill Americano is a neighbour, Gimlet is just up the street and Garden State Hotel directly across the road), it’s a place that you might walk past except for the slick gold lettering on the window and the 1950s vibe pouring out the doors. Venture inside and you’ll find a hardworking sandwich counter and coffee machine, while to the right, semi-hidden behind fluted glass, a dining room where the menu runs modern Lebanese amid a smart fit-out – as stylish as a Hitchcock blonde, with timber, brass and curving midnight-blue banquettes – evoking Beirut’s mid-century incarnation as “the Paris of the Middle East”. Operated by Code Black Coffee’s Joseph Haddad, it’s a setting that inspires confidence at first sight and delivers on the promise.
Why you stayNo 100 is the kind of venue that surfs waves over the course of the day. Lunchtime heaves with people counting down their hour of freedom or taking a respite from city shopping, then the after-work drinks crowd starts descending in the late afternoon. By the time it’s dark, the more serious eaters have started filling the dining room. But whatever time you tap into this little gem, you’ll be looked after by some savvy young staff in a slick space while listening to smooth tunes. It’s a good combination.
What drink to orderCelebrate the end of the working day with a cocktail from a tight yet well-composed list. You can get your classics here in the certainty they’ll be done well (there’s a soft spot for Martinis, made any way you can throw at them), but cast off for some sophisticated Levantine sippers. The pun-tastic Beirut Not To is a delicately pretty pink Spritz made with anise-tinged arak spirit, pomegranate and sumac, while the rehabilitation of Midori continues with the Kermit’s Delight. Spruced up with white rum, mint and aniseed, it practically demands you order a salty snack on the side. The wine list has plenty to love, too. A great mid-sized collection that could be titled “where the wine world is at right now”, it puts plenty of lists triple the size to shame with its punchy collection of Sancerre, Chablis, albariño, tempranillo and nebbiolo while stretching your wine vocabulary into new territory (the Spanish red moristel, perhaps?). For any beer drinkers out there, Almaza flies the flag for Lebanon while Bridge Road’s Beechworth lager brings it back home.
Various cocktails served at Melbourne's No 100
Selection of dishes at No 100
What to pair it withHow much time do you have? If you’re on the clock, the sandwiches make a fine proposition to eat in or grab and go – perhaps a lamb shawarma wrap with tahini and pickles, or grilled halloumi with smoky baba ganoush. If you have longer, the a la carte menu is bursting with the democratic promise of a small-plates focus and the punchy accents of Aleppo pepper, garlicky toum sauce and za’atar. Snack on crisp pita chips with za’atar oil or hummus and roasted cashews with burnt butter, marvel at the velvety texture of cured kingfish basturma jazzed up with toum and paprika oil or hit the visual drama of a charry octopus tentacle with moghrabieh (pearl couscous) and the fire of harissa. Hitting dessert is also a good idea, as evidenced by the rose-, rhubarb- and pistachio-led take on the trifle, served in elegant stemware, and a caramelised tahini parfait topped with honeyed shreds of baklava.
Regular’s tipFor a small group, there’s no beating the button-cute booth in the front room. The curving banquette seats four at a pinch and is a cosy setting for a catch-up. Out on the street, a few alcoves set with candlelit tables for two are prime date-night territory in the warmer weather.
Don’t leave withoutHere’s your chance to see why Lebanese wine is on the up and up among vinophiles across the globe. Its grape-growing epicentre, the Bekaa Valley, is put under the spotlight with a range that includes a compellingly crisp “Leb-Nat” (tish-boom) made with the indigenous variety merwah, along with other exponents of the minimal-intervention ethos.
Pouring wine at No 100 in Melbourne
Sponsor logo
In partnership with Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
Authour image
Larissa DubeckiLarissa Dubecki has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in reviewing restaurants and bars.
Tags
Drinks DirectoryNon-alc OptionsRestaurantGood for groupsTakeawaysKiller cocktailsMelbourne – CBDCasual catch-upMelbourneTop notch wine listBarCafeOutdoor areaDate nightWheelchair accessible
REPORT A VENUE CLOSURE/REPORT AN ERROR
Related Articles