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It’s the hospo equivalent of a triple threat. Part bar, part bottle-o and part bistro, Public Wine Shop has cemented itself in Melbourne’s heart since opening during the dark days of rolling lockdowns.
It could have been our Bar of the Year, even back then. But more so now, because quite a bit has changed in the 16 months since PWS swung open its doors. The wine list has swelled from 200 to 300 bottles, still a showcase of Campbell Burton’s obsession with natural production methods and drinkability over geography. The upstairs of the homey St Georges Road shopfront now hosts masterclasses putting the spotlight on visiting importers, with the sit-down affairs focusing on regional producers (previous events have focused on a single village in the Loire Valley, and Austrian producers Weingut Schnabel. Plus: snacks).
And the recent arrival of chef Rob Brooke (previously of Hobart’s all-conquering pub Tom
McHugo’s and Carlton Wine Room) to share duties with Ali Currey-Voumard and Simon Ball
Smith means that: a) they can now open for Saturday lunch, and b) more dishes.
“There’s more flexibility to pickle and ferment things and slightly expand the menu,” says
Burton. “Plus, we love a lunch service and Saturdays have been going so well.”
It's the perfect spot for a dreamy afternoon session that can take you into the night
The food is no second-place getter here, despite the wine bar billing. That’s thanks to
Currey-Voumard, who shone brightly at Tassie’s Agrarian Kitchen and continues to ply her
stock in trade of devoutly seasonal, unfussy fare here. Get there early to grab one of 20
seats around the high wooden communal table to discover the wine-friendliness of dishes
like the signature oeufs mayonnaise – a gooey-centred egg cloaked in aioli with anchovies
and celery leaves draped artfully over the top – or to hit a red over the lamb breast with
onions and anchovies.
It's a place you want to hang out. There’s retro vinyl spinning on the turntable, and the lack of a central bar gets rid of the Berlin Wall syndrome separating customers and staff. Honeyed wood and white-bagged walls cast it as the perfect spot for a dreamy afternoon session that can take you into the night.
“The North Fitzroy village is just buzzing at the moment,” says Burton. “We’re so happy to
be here. If we open a proper retail wine shop, which is something we talk about all the time,
it has to be in this neighbourhood.”
Read our full review of Public Wine Shop here.
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