What defines a wine bar? Waiters that know their Semillons from their Sauvignons are a good start. And of course you need a comprehensive selection, not just from the big players (your Napa’s, Bordeaux’s and Barossa’s) but well travelled bottles from up-and-coming vintners in Macedonia, South Africa, even Chile. We reckon atmosphere plays a big part too. It can't be considered one of Melbourne's best wine bars without at least one piece of furniture upholstered in clichéd maroon leather, soft lighting and a sommelier that'll make you feel like you're all of a sudden an expert on the ol' plonk.
So where’s the best spot to get a good glass of vino in Melbourne? And where can you find Melbourne's best wine bars? Here’s your handy cheat sheet.
LILAC
CREMORNE
Centred around good vino and wood-fired cooking, Lilac is the latest neighbourhood-friendly wine haunt gracing the backstreets of Cremorne. Neatly positioned inside the rabbit warren of the inner-Melbourne suburb, Lilac is the latest venture from the Mulberry Group (Hazel, Square One Coffee, Dessous, La Cantina) and takes its moniker from the famed Jeff Buckley ballad, 'Lilac Wine'. The menu complements the 150+ wines on offer and is centered around chef Kyle Nicol's (Ex-Rascal, Supernormal) experimentation with local sourced, foraged and fermented produce.
This results in both bespoke charcuterie with several self-aged cold cuts to exemplary dishes like chicken mousse éclair with black garlic, honey and savoury mince on toast with horseradish. It's top-notch food, top-notch wine, and the amalgamation of the two make it one of Melbourne's best wine bars.
Waxflower
BRUNSWICK EAST
There are (several) solid reasons why this spot is in the spotlight, and the first is the European influence it’s bringing to Melbourne’s hospitality culture. Much of the wine list is local, but the way you explore it draws inspiration from all-arvo vino cafes which transition into bars as the sun goes down; start with a glass mid-afternoon, then dip into the share plates and pair with a bottle after a few hours.
It’s a lengthy, social affair, and one that puts emphasis on the quality of the produce—whether that be food or bev. You’ll spot that both in the drops on offer being predominantly minimal intervention, with the likes of Shobbrook’s chilled shiraz known as ‘Poolside’, while the oft-rotating food menu features a collection of communal plates that could easily build out a meal that sits within the realm of the city’s culinary elite.
The Moon
COLLINGWOOD
Since opening around six years back, The Moon has become a Collingwood mainstay for those after a decent drop—and without the pretension. It comes from the team behind The Alps, Toorak Cellars, The Hills and Milton Wine Shop, so it's safe to say they know a thing or two about what's in your glass, or in the bottle. And there's a lot of them, around 400 to select from—European and Australian—as well as at least 20 by the glass.
The Ugly Duckling
RICHMOND
The Ugly Duckling is one of the best wine bars Melbourne has to offer. Situated on Swan Street, the wine and cocktail bar is classy without being snobby. Here you’ll find classics like negronis along with more inventive creations; the comprehensive cocktail list should please most tastes. There’s also a curated wine list featuring local and imported drops, and a selection of bar snacks including marinated olives, chocolate and cheese.
Bar Liberty
FITZROY
Without a doubt one of the best wine bars in Melbourne, Bar Liberty’s vandalised hanging sign tells you all you need to know about this irreverent diner on Johnston Street. Helmed by a team whose collective experience includes Cutler & Co, Rockwell & Sons, and Attica, this Fitzroy local has it finely dialled across both the booze and food menu. The intimately-spaced restaurant has a classically minimal fit out with dark-stained wooden and white-washed walls.
The menu has a seasonal focus and incorporates contemporary dishes with an inventive flair, from torched kingfish to wood-grilled hanger steak with sauce Robert, capers, and parsley. The drinks menu is just as much as a drawcard—as expected from one of Melbourne's best wine bars—with an extensive but carefully curated wine list of natural, pet-nats, reds, whites, and even orange drops; or try their in-house bottled Negronis that go down far too easily.
Neighbourhood Wine
FITZROY NORTH
Neighbourhood Wine is one of our favourite wine bars and restaurants in Fitzroy North, and without a doubt one of Melbourne's best wine bars—it combines great local wines and a fantastic seasonal menu in one of the quaintest spaces in Melbourne. The former Fitzroy club room has been transformed into a sleek space with plenty of charm with a set menu that focuses on local produce and accommodates the wine perfectly.
You can expect a fusion of contemporary plates from hand-made tagliatelle with artichoke and Ricotta Salata, to flank steak with XO butter.
Clover
RICHMOND
Perched on a sleepier stretch of Swan Street which chef Charley Snadden-Wilson (The Moon, Etta, Embla) has affectionally dubbed 'the Paris end', Clover Vin de Cave is a neighbourhood-friendly 48-seat wine bar and diner from two of Melbourne's top hospitality talents, and it's become one of Melbourne's hot spots in 2023.
Led by Charley and wine bar-virtuoso Lyndon Kubis (The Moon, Toorak Cellars, Milton Wine Shop), together the pair have carved out their very own take on the French wine den. On the wine front, the majority of the list is a collection of Australian, French and Italian drops and the team is there to lead you through the steps, whether that be a full pairing or just a couple of bottles. 
Kirk’s Wine Bar
CBD
A staple of the CBD’s bar community, Kirk’s Wine Bar on Hardware Lane is often the answer for that lively yet laid-back yet spot for a drink while waiting for a dinner reservation, after-work knock-off or a nightcap. Led by Ian Curly of French Saloon, the quaint Euro-style bar sits on the corner of the busy city laneway is and is typically brimming with crowds who favour the expertly curated drinks and wine list which the floor staff have dialled into a tee, ready to recommend anything from a glass of Chardonnay to Gamay.
With plenty of vibe and a Parisian-style fit-out, there’s no doubt why Kirk’s makes the cut as one of the best bars in Melbourne.
Bahama Gold
BRUNSWICK EAST
All vibe. No fuss. Bahama Gold is found at the Brunswick end of Lygon Street, emanating a buzzing glow from the neon red lights cladding the interior. The casual counterpart to the neighbouring Old Palm Liquor, you'll find plenty of lo-fi wines on the list—both by the glass and bottle—ranging from a very modest $10 for a splash right through to treat-yourself-territory. There's also a sprawling courtyard out the back for those balmy, boozy afternoons on the plonk.
Marion
FITZROY
Part neighbourhood wine bar, part fine diner, and certainly a contender for the title of Melbourne's best wine bar, Marion is all the things that we’ve come to love from Andrew McConnell’s stable and long considered one fo the best restaurants in Melbourne.
The next-door neighbour to Cutler & Co, Marion has a much more accessible and laid-back feel to it. The menu is meant for sharing and consists of a range of small and large plates, kick-off with some Blackmore wagyu bresaola then dive into some mussels with Nduja with fried bread, lovage, and aioli. In terms of wine you’re spoilt for choice, the team on the floor are incredibly knowledgeable and will help you select a winner from the 20-plus page wine list that features bottles from across the world's top wine regions as well as quality Australian drops.
No.100 Flinders Lane
CBD
From the team behind the beloved speciality coffee roasters, Code Black, a brand new venue has sprung up on the ever-bustling Flinders Lane. Introducing No. 100, a wine bar, delicatessen and restaurants all rolled into one conveniently located little package. An all-day venue, No. 100 serves up everything from midday nibbles to a chef-selected menu where decision fatigue is a thing of the past.
Nighttime turns No. 100 into more of a wine bar, and the drinks menu is appropriately curated. Start off with a Laneway Aperitif, a concoction of Fino sherry, dessert wine, tonic and sage, and finish off with a Silver Fox, which has rye whiskey, Code Black coffee liqueur, hazelnut and bitters. Of course, they’re not skimping on the wines either, as well as some beers for that choice after-work knock off.
Hope St Radio
COLLINGWOOD
A community radio station that broadcasts some of the finest talents in Melbourne has now found its permanent home in Collingwood Yards, a well-known artists' precinct. Hope St Radio is now a wine bar and restaurant which has people spilling out into the courtyard with how popular it is.
Owners Pete Baxter and Jack Shaw are big fans of what they produce, both true wine aficionados and appreciators. With a big focus on wines made with minimal additives, the 60-plus selections on offer are sure.
The Alps
PRAHRAN
Over 400 wines on offer? ‘Nuff said. The Alps comes from a seriously good vintage: it was started by the guys from Toorak Cellars and Milton Wine Shop, who seem to be making it their mission to have one . You’ll find rare bottles from all over the world, a cracking bar menu with the likes of charcuterie, cheeses and nibbles, all paired to perfection, of course.
Gerald’s Bar
CARLTON
Carlton and wine go together like steak and a good Malbec, and most people agree that if you’re struck with thirst near Rathdowne St, Gerald’s—one of Melbourne's best wine bars—is where you go. It’s a warm and inviting space, cosy in winter with the wind blowing a Melbourne gale outside, and the locals love it.
There’s a degustation menu, rotating bar snacks, depending what’s in season, and a wine collection so extensive it can only be accessed by one of those Beauty and the Beast sliding ladders. For real.
City Wine Shop
CBD
Part bottle-o, part wine bar, all class–City Wine Shop is a CBD vino stalwart and hands down one of the best wine bars Melbourne has to offer. City Wine Shop is popular with the theatre crowd who drop in for a pre-show tipple, and the staff are always on hand to run you through the extensive wine list.
Funnily enough, it also knocks out an insane chicken schnitzel with coleslaw. Wash it down with a good Riesling.
Old Palm Liquor
BRUNSWICK EAST
Brought to us by the team behind Neighbourhood Wine, Old Palm Liquor is located in a relaxed former warehouse where you’ll come for a wine, stay for a bar snack and eventually never leave.
The oozing 80s aesthetic throughout provides a laid-back atmosphere perfect for knocking back a couple and indulging in their menu of snacks large and small from wood-fired flatbread with labne to smoked beef tartare with garlic scrapes and guindilla peppers.
Hampton Wine Co
HAMPTON
The wine bar that put Hampton St back on Melbourne’s foodie map. Started by the team from Jacques Reymond, Hampton Wine Co is a clean-cut, modern venue, which fits its Bayside address to a T. The wall-mounted wine racks get the mental wheels turning while the waiters walk you through a menu of smoked salmon profiteroles with tomato dust, charred cos, almond and pecorino, or a cheeky lavender meringue with honey and blueberries for dessert.
The best bit? They’re also a licensed bottle shop, so you can pick up a few ‘souvenirs’ to keep the good times going back home.
Milton Wine Shop
MALVERN
Milton Wine Shop in Malvern isn’t the intimidating, snobby kind of wine bar (although we have a soft spot for those as well); think more relaxed Thursday night drinks, tidy share plates and conversations with the locals. Owners Mark Nelson and Lyndon Kubis (of Toorak Cellars fame) have assembled a stunning 200+ wine list. A mid-week winner.
Tom Pockett Cellars
GLEN IRIS
One of those Melbourne chameleon venues that morphs from Sunday brekky hang-out to late-night bodega as the sun begins to set. It’s a winning combo, particularly in Glen Iris, which enjoys brunch and burgundy in equal measure.
Tom Pockett Cellars has a seasonal menu, but you’ll usually find hearty, wine-friendly staples like beef Carpaccio, beef cheek ragù, and even the odd Rueben sandwich. Plus you can wine in, or takeaway (it operates as a bottle shop too). Keep it in your back Pockett.
Embla
CBD
One of Melbourne’s best wine bars and best-known late-night haunts, at least if you’re a fan of moody lighting and a mouth-watering wine list. Embla is a bit of an institution. A guaranteed date night home run.
You wouldn’t expect much less from the team that brought us Carlton’s The Town Mouse, which is dearly missed. Sit kitchen-side and enjoy the energy, the sommeliers are on hand to recommend a good drop. Our pick? The Château Petit Roubié Picpoul de Pinet (a good mouthful, in more ways than one).
Agostino
CARLTON
The 50-seat wine bar, shop and cellar Agostino popped up a few years ago on the Carlton scene and has been delighting us with choice drops and delicious eats ever since. The vodka and tomato Paccheri is one of our faves—pair it with one of the zillion wines from the cellar and you’ve got yourself a tastebud party.
Image credit: supplied