Choosing a restaurant for dinner is, for me, as much about the wine list as the food. My bill usually reflects this too! Over the past couple of months I’ve had the chance to try some of the best wine restaurants in Melbourne. It’s been great to see the restaurant scene come back to life after such long lockdowns. So my top three, in order of preference, have been…
Bellota, South Melbourne
This has one of the best set ups for any wine lover – a restaurant backed onto a wine shop and not just any wine shop either. Prince Wine Store is one of the best stocked wine shops in Melbourne with a wide selection of Australian and international wines and an impressive premium selection too. Here you can sit down peruse the food menu before popping next door through the “secret” adjoining door to select a bottle or two. $15 corkage fee added to your bill still makes this a brilliantly affordable way to try a fantastic selection of wines while someone else does the cooking and washing up!
They also have a rotating selection of wines by the glass and include some distinguished bottles to try via coravin. The food certainly lives up to expectations too with a delicious menu of Italian inspired dishes that change with the seasons.
Kisumé, Melbourne CBD
This restaurant apparently boasts the world’s largest selection of Chablis and by the size of the tome I was presented with for the wine list I wasn’t surprised! While a wine list of this size can be daunting the sommelier (Chad) was very knowledgeable and approachable recommending on taste preference and budget as required. I’d highly recommend heading to their upstairs ‘Chablis Bar’ prior to your dining reservation to peruse the wine list and have a good chat with the sommelier. They have an excellent selection by the glass so it’s an opportunity to try something new. And don’t miss their Wine Wall which has a seriously impressive collection of wines.
The food menu is Japanese/ Australian fusion, essentially Japanese based on locally sourced ingredients and whilst it is not cheap the sushi is unbelievably good. The restaurant is also known for it’s eclectic taste in artwork…I think I’ll leave that one as a surprise for your visit.
Bistrot Gitan, South Yarra
A little corner of Paris in South Yarra near the beautiful botanic gardens – a walk prior to your visit is highly recommended. This restaurant is quintessentially French in style but the menu draws on Spanish, Italian and the broader Mediterranean for inspiration. The wine list is also a journey through the Mediterranean with Spanish, Italian wines an extensive French list and of course lots of local offerings too. I was delighted to even see representation from the UK on the list!
