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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more here.
If Carnation Canteen and Gerald’s Bar had a baby, it would be Bar Carnation. It’s a natural extension of the original restaurant with a distinct focus on design and experience guided by chef-owner Audrey Shaw’s background in architecture, and a pared-back menu that lets its ingredients come into focus.
The vibe
Set within the old Gerald’s Bar on Rathdowne Street, the bar has maintained the same warm, lived-in energy and buzzy footpath seating. But gone is the shabby-chic mismatch of Gerald’s – this setting is a little more elegant, with wine bottles lining the walls and mirrors angled down to snag a selfie or lock eyes with someone across the room.
Bar Carnation has built as much of a reputation as a date-night spot as it has for its food, with a moody energy that encourages having one more drink and making the move you’ve been thinking about. Following the trajectory of neighbour Florian and sibling Carnation Canteen, the general demo is young, trendy and sometimes insufferable, but an air of old-school hospitality and canonical dishes mean an older cohort of locals are just as at home here.
The food
Those familiar with Carnation Canteen will find similarities here, while also sensing some carry-on from Gerald’s. In short: local produce, Euro sensibility and a rotating chalkboard menu.
Most dishes are oil-slicked – sexy, glossy and perfectly photo-ready, though a bit much to eat in succession. I’d personally prefer a lighter hand as I’m not of the persuasion that more oil equals more flavour.
If you overlook that, though, the tuna crudo is lovely – served in one large hot-pink slab with little more than flaky salt, cumin and half a lime to highlight its delicate nature. Less delicate are the charred greens, their stems a bit woody and the accompanying tapenade slightly deconstructed, presented as chopped black olives swimming in even more oil.
Bar Carnation doesn’t pitch itself as a pasta spot, but that’s where it shines. Al dente rigatoni Amatriciana comes in a tomato sauce that’s rich but refreshing, studded with sizable chunks of guanciale that almost eat like brisket rather than the token bites usually featured in the dish. The confit chicken quite literally falls off the bone, served with a cabbage, chopped olive, cheese and herb salad that adds depth to the relatively simple poultry. It evokes false memories of family dinners in the south of France.
And just like at Carnation Canteen, the bill comes with squares of chocolate – a thoughtful touch that nods to the old-school spots it pays tribute to.
The drinks
Wine is mostly European imports or varietals: a bit natty, a bit classic. Cocktails lean a little retro, borrowing from other bars and eras – a Mellon Collie Slipper inspired by Mietta’s, an iconic Melbourne restaurant circa the 1980s; or a boozy blend of tequila, mezcal and amaro à la Death and Co, the New York bar that recently expanded to Flinders Lane – with many made using housemade syrups.
Freezer Door Martinis come how you like them. The relatively approachable price of $20 means every neighbouring table has one on my visit, and waiters whizzed by with platters full. Otherwise, cocktails range up to $32 for the very boozy ones, while the pink and playful Future Lovers, garnished with a star-shaped orange peel, is only $19.
Time Out tip:
There are no bookings here, so come for an early dinner to snag a seat without a wait.
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