Melbourne wine: 18 of the best wine bars in Melbourne’s east
FROM Richmond to Ringwood and Balwyn to The Basin — these are 18 of the best places to get your wine on in the east.
Inner East
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MELBOURNE is never short of a local watering hole. And the eastern suburbs are no exception.
While trendy wine bars have long been synonymous with the inner enclaves, there are plenty of seriously cool operators popping up well beyond the confines of Melbourne’s inner city limits.
From Richmond’s bustling Swan St precinct to Surrey Hills, Kew to Croydon, here’s our guide to the best wine bars in Melbourne’s east.
BEST WINE BARS IN THE EAST
274 Church St, Richmond
Become a wine explorer and take your tastebuds on a journey of drops from around the world. Try: A glass of Burklin-Wolf Dry riesling from Pfalz, Germany.
256 Swan St, Richmond
Fusion French/Vietnamese-inspired restaurant and tapas bar with a French-focused wine list. What’s not to love? Herald Sun reviewer Dan Stock says: “Cochin is atmospheric, flexible when it comes to food and equipped with one of the best cellars on Swan St. A real player.”
213 Swan St, Richmond
Afternoons spent swilling premium local and international wines and gorging on raclette, charcuterie and cheese in an authentic, European-inspired eatery — that’s what we Melburnians live for. Try: William Kurt Shiraz from Victoria’s Alpine region.
167 Swan St, Richmond
Simplicity is key at this stripped back Swan St wine bar and restaurant so, if you’re wanting an extensive wine list with hundreds of options, this is not the place for you. The burden of choice is real so Caddie has done the hard work for you/ The options may be few — but they’re all quality. Try: Between Five Bells, Nero d’Avloa Blend from Geelong.
Shop 2, 166 Albert St, East Melbourne
A wine bar where you can BYO food. Now that’s the kind of place we can get around.
916 Glenferrie Rd, Kew
All day eatery and wine bar, for those of us who are all about champagne breakfasts and Friday night wines. And, with a wine list of nearly 350 wines, there’s sure to be something for all the hours in between. Plus, they have a bottle-shop license so you can grab the check and a bottle to-go. Try: Hughes & Hughes “Carbonic” Pinot Noir from the Huon Valley in Tasi.
1123 Burke Rd, Kew
A takeaway wine store where you can sit in and enjoy a glass of fermented grape juice and a platter starring French double brie and bacon-wrapped duck, pistachio and date terrine. Try: A glass of Domaine La Florane 2015 Rouge from Cotes du Rhone in France.
72 Willsmere Rd, Kew
Created by husband and wife team Ben and Emma Bangay — this light and bright indoor/outdoor wine bar offers a curated list of local and international wines, bespoke cocktails, boutique beer, shared salumi boards, delicious cheese platters and pizza. Try: Start with a glass of Coppabella sparkling from the emerging Tumbarumba region in NSW, then follow it with a glass of Bass River pinot noir from Gippsland.
73 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn
Gibbo’s — as locals call it — is an unfussy, no frills wine bar with a great atmosphere, extensive selection of wines, live music and lovely cheese platters. Or, if you’re proper hungry, grab some takeout and eat it at the bar while you’re knocking back some vino.
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555/557 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn
An authentic Spanish wine bar that brings the bright flavours and exhilarating atmosphere of Barcelona to the heart of Melbourne’s inner east. Try: A glass of Spanish sparkling wine (cava). If vino tinto (red wine) is more your bag, there’s a stellar selection of Spanish reds to wrap your tastebuds around.
431B Whitehorse Rd, Balwyn
This luxe food and wine lounge is one of the latest additions to Balwyn’s bustling restaurant and shopping precinct. Kick back midweek with a wine in hand or stop by for some Sunday sips and live music sessions. Try: San Pietro pinot noir from the Mornington Peninsula.
1395 Toorak Rd, Camberwell
There’s a lot to like about the wine list at Prohibition. It’s got plenty of local wines, a bunch of interesting varietals and a curated selection of internationals, too. Try: If you want a vino that really packs a punch, go for a glass of the Round Two ‘Single Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon from the Barossa Valley in SA.
1 Theatre Place, Canterbury
If you haven’t heard of Squisito (which is Italian for delicious), it’s probably because locals in this leafy eastern enclave have been keeping the recently revamped cellar a secret. This joint means serious tapas and wine business. Get around their fresh-baked artisan breads, Mediterranean-inspired dishes and vinos to match. Try: A half-bottle of their Pieropan Soave (pronounced so-ah-ve) DOC from Veneto in Italy while you’re grazing on arancini and calamari.
141 Union Rd, Surrey Hills
The Hills opened recently and offers 250 varieties of wine by the bottle, as well as 20 different drops by the glass. Sixty per cent are Australian-made, while the rest are imported from around the globe.
Town Square Eastland, 171/175 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood
This sprawling, three-level cellar door, rooftop bar and restaurant at Eastland’s relaxed town square precinct is about as chic as it gets. Pull up a table, pop the cork and settle in for a laid-back afternoon of antipasto and wine. The charcuterie board is pretty amaze.
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381 Forest Rd, The Basin
The philosophy behind intimate eastern newcomer The Peacock Den is simple: Sip. Share. Indulge. Having spent years in high-class kitchens, owner Kate Hall has a love for fine wine and an appreciation for good food. And she knows a thing or two about both. Her vision is simply to share excellent and expertly selected wines matched with delicious food. Mission accomplished.
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499A Whitehorse Rd, Mitcham
A craft beer bar that also specialises in fine wine and specialty spirits. This winter they’ll be keeping it toasty with mulled wines and ciders. Sunday sessions at The Drop are all about live and local acoustic from 2-4pm. Think blues and jazz to chill out with on a lovely winter’s day.
48 McAdam Square, Croydon Hills
Laid back local hangout with light meals and live music. The ideal spot for a casual post-work catch up.
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