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The Rocket Society

Monday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
2 Village Avenue, Brunswick East, VIC, 3057
Phone
No phone
Website
therocketsociety.com.au
Instagram
@therocketsociety

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 17 Jun 2024

By
Michael Harden

Enjoying a dish and a glass of wine at Melbourne's Rocket Society

Rumi’s new stand-alone bar offers excellent Middle Eastern-inspired snacks, great tunes and an ever-changing wine list featuring labels from Lebanon, and southern and eastern Europe.

Why you goIt’s been more than 17 years since Joseph and Natalie Abboud opened their excellent modern Lebanese restaurant Rumi in Brunswick East. A literal moveable feast, Rumi moved to its third site in late 2023 and now occupies smart new digs in the recently opened East Brunswick Village precinct on Nicholson Street. Alongside gaining a brand-new kitchen and more room, the latest shift also allowed Rumi to open The Rocket Society, its first stand-alone bar. It’s a good-looking, all-day, light-filled watering hole with a menu that sticks with the Lebanese theme but differs entirely from what’s served next door in Rumi. Mirroring the casual bar environment, the food – think Lebanese flatbread sandwiches during the day, barbecued skewers at night and hummus all the time – is an excellent match for a drinks list embracing both classic and on-theme cocktails and a wine list that includes labels from some of Lebanon’s finest. Casual and confident, The Rocket Society already feels like it has inherited the same longevity gene as its older sibling.
A cocktail at The Rocket Society in Melbourne's Brunswick East
Why you stayThough compact in size – about 20 seats inside, mostly around a large timber communal table that migrated from Rumi’s former Lygon Street location, plus some outside perches – The Rocket Society has large windows that can swing open when the weather’s balmy to give the space an airy, spacious feel that further emphasises the casual vibe. It’s an ideal setting for dissecting the movie you’ve just seen at the neighbouring Fomo cinema over an Almaza lager, say, and excellent hummus topped with red butter chickpeas. The tunes are good, too – lively, retro and played through large vintage German speakers – and service is a standout, the type that will steer you towards adventurous and delicious things to drink without ever coming across as pushy. It’s one of those places where you might plan for a quick pit stop, but find yourself so relaxed and comfortable it seems silly not to kick back and make a night of it.
What drink to orderThere’s plenty of variety on The Rocket Society’s drink list. The wine selection embraces southern and eastern European labels alongside home-grown ones, the cocktail list is evenly divided between classics and house originals that favour mezcal, Italy’s bittersweet amaro liqueur, rum and bourbon, and the beers mostly showcase the fine work of Victorian craft brewers. But if you want to lean into Lebanon, there are good options, too, including a small selection of arak, a no-alcohol lemonade that’s fragrant with orange blossom and excellent sparkling wine, available by the glass or the bottle, from Lebanese winery Mersel. Called “Leb Nat”, it’s made with a grape variety indigenous to Lebanon called merwah and comes in both white and pink versions.
Making a cocktail at Rocket Society in Melbourne
There are four types of sandwich at Rocket Society in Melbourne
What to pair it withGiven it’s an all-day affair, The Rocket Society’s menu changes with the angle of the sun. During the day, there are four types of sandwich that include an excellent shredded-chicken number served with tahini mayo alongside snackable choices like the ever-present hummus, fries and Turkish delight. At night, the food choices expand and might include juicy skewers of lamb and sweetbreads, fried barramundi wings and super-refreshing smashed cucumber with yoghurt and mint. It means there’s a little something for everyone, all day long.
Why we love itWith its easy-going nature, there’s plenty to love here, but it’s the story behind The Rocket Society’s name that’s particularly endearing. The bar is named for both the space program that was conducted in Lebanon in the 1960s and a 2012 documentary about that program called The Lebanese Rocket Society. Check out the black-and-white photos on the walls that document some of the Rocket Society’s impressive achievements.
Regular’s tipThe Rocket Society is, like its namesake, a dynamic type of place. Change is a constant with both its food and wine lists, so it’s a great idea to have a chat with the personable and knowledgeable staff (including excellent bar manager Grace McArthur) about what’s new and interesting to eat and drink. It’s one of those places where the menu can be viewed more as a guide and you never know what might be on pour that day. For those after a little more variety than what’s on the bar’s relatively compact list, Rumi’s larger wine list is also available for The Rocket Society’s punters.
The Middle-Eastern inspired food is a draward at Rocket Society
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In partnership with Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
Authour image
Michael HardenAfter 25 years writing about wine and food, Michael Harden is getting the hang of it.
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Drinks DirectoryMelbourne – NorthKiller cocktailsMeal and a bevNon-alc OptionsBarAfter work drinksOutdoor areaCasual catch-upTop notch wine listMelbourneVego Food Options
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