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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.
Tucked away in the backstreets of Fitzroy North, Suze is a fun neighbourhood wine bar from two hospo veterans: Giulia Giorgetti, former restaurant manager at Marion; and Steve Harry, a man whose resumé reads like a Melbourne culinary icons list (we're talking Napier Quarter, Cumulus Inc, Auterra Wine Bar and Cutler).
The dynamic duo have done the local community a service by filling this two-storey heritage building with all the necessary ingredients needed to make a consummate Melbourne wine bar: seriously well-trained staff, an easygoing energy, and rapidly evolving food and drink choices to reward maturer palates.
The vibe
Inside is like a warm, dark blanket – cosy and artsy, courtesy of a few modern works splashed across the walls. But the most coveted slice of real estate on nice days is the terrace. With the sun on your back and a light breeze carrying the plummy perfume of a Lake Eildon pinot to your nose, there aren’t many places you’d rather be on a weekend afternoon.
A highlight here is the style of service, which is suitably attentive and sharp (those who can never decide what to drink are in good hands here!), yet friendly and relaxed. Suze is the sort of inner north shapeshifter that accommodates intimate dates, casual catch-ups and big, boozy group dinners alike.
The food
One thing the food at Suze is not is boring. Harry’s menu, perhaps a legacy of his time working for Gerard’s in Brisbane, avoids the strictly European format by leaning into Middle Eastern accents at unexpected moments. Take zucchini flowers, for example, which are emboldened with a spicy salsa verde, or a sour-dusted cube of Turkish delight flavoured with Davidson’s plum and rose geranium.
If you’ve rounded up the gang for a long lunch, start slow with a few snacks and small plates – plump Cantabrian anchovies with guindillas and blood lime, fresh oysters, gougères filled with stout and Tassie cheddar – before working your way up to the pastas and proteins.
Eggplant cotoletta, arriving in a deep turmeric-hued batter, is crisp and velvety. The handmade pastas are unmissable, too, whether you opt for the egg-yolk-yellow bottoni with saffron and goats curd, the peppery casarecce with zucchini and marjoram, or another new seasonally driven pick. Each is as dreamy as the next.
Elsewhere on the menu, thick-cut heirloom tomatoes with pickled onions exemplify Suze’s magicking of fresh produce into something a bit more special, while the rotating housemade ricotta and raw fish dishes (the latter served with a zingy wasabi sauce) remain firm fan favourites. Do order these two if you’re settling in for a more languidly paced affair.
Dessert might look like a ginger yuzu sorbet finished with a cool, bitter amaro edge, or perhaps just another drink. And there’s always the temptation for that at Suze.
The drinks
Whether you prefer natural or traditional winemaking, Australian or European producers, there’s a drop to suit every palate here. But you may like to take the opportunity to broaden your preferences; the wine list champions smaller regions and niche experimenters over the big names, so you’re likely to come across something new and intriguing.
To stand up to Suze’s bold food, each bottle bursts with personality – think West Australian retsina with anchovies, Umbrian chardonnay with creamy pasta, or a beautifully expressive Garganega blend from Venice to cut through rich, unctuous seafood.
Outside of wine, there’s a solid aperitif selection. A Davidson plum rosella flower Spritz with Dubonnet and pomegranate molasses is the perfect way to commence proceedings, and you’ll want to make room for a post-meal drink, too.
Sitting outside and soaking up the last of the day’s rays, tasting and comparing two locally produced amari from Beechworth Bitters, is peak Melbourne late-summer/early-autumn evening goals. Highly recommended as a note to finish on.
Time Out tip:
If you’re off the booze, no need to mark Suze off your list. The non-alcoholic options are just as thoughtful and well-structured as the rest of the drinks list. Try the 0 per cent Moon Blanc from Bordeaux producer Tutiac or a clever mocktail to get you in the mood.
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