NOW EXPERIENCING:Pat Nourse’s pick of new Melbourne bars
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Pat Nourse’s pick of new Melbourne bars

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Posted 02 Mar 2023

By
Pat Nourse

The long-time restaurant critic and Creative Director of Melbourne Food & Wine Festival always knows where to go. 

Pat Nourse is the creative director of Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. He’s a restaurant critic, travel writer, one-time cocktail judge, contributor to the Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails, and heads the voting for Australia for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. The tl;dr here is that he spends a lot of time chasing down the best snacks and drinks in the land, and loves sharing his finds. Ahead of this year’s festival, we asked Pat for the lowdown on his pick of Melbourne’s newest watering holes.

 

Oh man. Choosing between bars in Melbourne is tough. Even just among the new ones. Maybe it’s better if we break it down by mood. Or flavour. Or just the places I like to drink on my street. I mean, how can we talk about drinks in Melbourne without talking cocktails at The Everleigh (RIP), Above Board, Byrdi or Black Pearl? What of the snacks alongside the preposterously good wines at Embla, Etta, Marion and Bar Liberty? What about getting out of town and into something amazing at Bar Merenda?

What about Piña Coladas in the open air at midnight at Union Electric? Knock-offs at City Wine Shop? The greatest beers at Mr West? The buzziest of all buzzes at France-Soir? The nightly natural wine and wild snack rave that is Hope St Radio? The transformative holistic spiritual experience that is Gerald’s Bar?

Food and drinks at Jayda, Melbourne
But no, let’s confine ourselves to the new. How about we start with the places that are top-mind just because they feature in the feast of delight that is the next Melbourne Food & Wine Festival? The fellas from Caretaker’s Cottage (pictured left) are behind the drinks list for The Festival Bar that’s popping up at Fed Square the weekend of 31 March (alongside the equally formidable snack stylings of hummus boss Tom Sarafian). I’ll be at Fed Square all day every day that weekend, eating Celebrity Sausage, drinking Slurpee cocktails, and romping around Baker’s Dozen, so the presence of a dash of the genius behind what I think is unquestionably the most singular new cocktail bar in the country is a mighty cheering thought. Where else can you get a Martini that cold next to a pint of Guinness poured with that much enthusiasm? The guys are also hosting the smooth sake and sounds of Ante, one of my favourite new Sydney venues, for a barbecue back at the bar on Lonsdale Street on 26 March. That’s going to be quite the afternoon.

I’m also loving Good Measure. It’s right in the thick of things on Lygon Street and, while it’s not Italian, there’s something reminiscent of the old country in the way it transitions from coffee in the day to very, very good cocktails by evening. Last time I was there I had a Smoked Plantain Highball. Entirely unexpected and completely delicious. So good.

Public Wine Shop isn’t new-new, but the arrival of chef Ali Currey-Voumard and her remarkably concise menu (hello oeuf mayonnaise) turned it from a bottle shop full of low-sulphur allure into a fully-fledged eating and drinking hotspot. If you want to expand your wine horizons, this is the place to do it. (Also: open Mondays.) 

The vinyl at Public is a highlight, but whoa, baby, if you want to talk audiophile madness, the Music Room on level one of Her is something else. The room! The sound! The Martinis! I’d suggest you just go there to admire the decor alone, but hey, the tunes are compelling, and you might as well get yourself a cordial or two while you’re at it. Admiring is thirsty work, after all. 

Society? I’d even go there just to fondle that stemware one more time. You might know it as a super-fancy restaurant (with a super-fancy wine list) but you can also get a taste of the magic (including some snacks) just rocking up at the bar. Serai? Have you ever seen a better combination of wood-fired Filipino food and vins naturels? This is full-flavoured, delicious eating that begs for great drinks to go with it. Also: the cocktails are as tasty as they are hilarious. Ube Wan Kenobi for the win.

I’m a big fan of chef and restaurateur Shane Delia’s work, and his latest, a bar called Jayda, right next to his flagship restaurant Maha, is great fun. They call it “Maha’s thirsty neighbour”; I call it a delight. There’s olive oil in the Martinis (see above), Aleppo pepper spices up the Margs, and the secret ingredient in the Summer Sour is orange blossom water: big yes to all those things. The “after-service sandwich” – the lamb shoulder from Maha with a spiced jus – could be your new best friend. Tell them Pat sent you.
Melbourne Food & Wine Festival runs 24 March to 2 April, melbournefoodandwine.com.au; you can follow Pat’s larger adventures on the ’gram at @patnourse.
Pat's new favourites
Melbourne
Caretaker’s Cottage
A masterclass in attention to detail, this tiny bar in a heritage blue-stone cottage brings the quality good times, from drinks and snacks to service and comfort.
Melbourne
Good Measure
A progressive cocktail spot on Lygon Street with a throwback aesthetic and inventive drinks – think Cherry Ripe Old Fashioneds and Triple-Chilli Margaritas – in a league of their own.
Melbourne
Public Wine Shop
Smart, compact, hospitable, interesting and, importantly, serving the tasty goods, this is the poster child for the modern neighbourhood wine bar and bottle shop mash-up.
Melbourne
Serai
Great flavours and good times are delivered in equal measure at this modern Filipino diner, whether you’re talking the addictive snacks, bold wines or delicious cocktail concoctions.
Melbourne
Her Bar
The ground-level bistro-bar of the multilevel eating and drinking fun park called Her does sophisticated and fun in equal measure with one eye firmly on quality.
Melbourne
The Lounge Bar at Society
Unashamedly upmarket, the glamorous Society restaurant’s bar is all turbo-charged luxury, from signature caviar Martinis to vintage spirits and vintage Champagne by the glass.
Pat's old favourites
Melbourne
Black Pearl
House-crafted cocktails and super service have long made the Pearl one of Australia’s most influential bar addresses.
Melbourne
Etta
A finely tuned, beautifully serviced neighbourhood hangout where the drinks menu packs a lot into a small space, Etta calls for a return visit before you’ve even finished the first.
Melbourne
Marion Wine Bar
A perfectly formed wine bar with one of the best lists going, backed by serious smarts in the food department. The staff are switched on and the mood is fun – it’s a place you want to be.
Melbourne
Bar Liberty
Effortlessly cool, this Fitzroy institution lives up to the suburb’s boho reputation. The attitude is loose, but the food and drinks are tight and crisp.
Regional VIC
Bar Merenda
A European-style, hyper-regional bar delivering a considered range of wines and snack-like dishes composed of ingredients from their garden and district producers – local focus and local favourite.
Melbourne
Union Electric
Old school hip-hop, boozy, fruity drinks and raucous good times: you bring the union, and they’ll make sure it’s electric.
Melbourne
City Wine Shop
A landmark not just for Melbourne, but for great drinking, great shopping and great explorations of wine of every kind. If you don’t happen to have a cellar at home, this is the next best thing.
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.
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In partnership with Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
image credits: Jae Jun Kim
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Pat NoursePat Nourse is a writer, critic and editor with a passion for great bars.
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