Bar Liberty

The Verdict

What do you get when you take Casey Wall (Cutler & Co, Rockwell & Sons), the 2015 Sommelier of the Year, Banjo Harris Plane, and two of his ex-Attica alumni... and create a sleek but modest Fitzroy wine bar? Exciting, delicious brilliance, that's what.

We popped into Bar Liberty on opening night to find their bar name casually spray-painted over the previous signage—but that's where the northside nonchalance ends. This is no cool kid hangout joint: this is the place for those who want their noteworthy Chenin Blanc paired with a challenging and incredibly distinctive bar menu that wouldn't look out of place on Attica's chef's table.

We tried the GLT, a riff on the BLT, with bacon swapped out for crispy chicken skin. It's a humble presentation (a white sliced bread sandwich... and that's it), but it betrays the next-level deliciousness within. A simple dish of raw beef, pickled cherries and straw-like crispy fries was gamey, rich, and tasty.

We'll be back very soon for the grilled prawns and macadamia; cured scallops, fermented buttermilk and cavolo nero; xo pippes with fried gluten sticks—and of course to explore that extensive wine offering.

Image Credit: Jenna Fahey White