Wine bar$$$carltonTue-Thu 16:00-23:00, Fri-Mon 12:00-23:00
Carlton Wine Room on Faraday Street has the suburb's most serious wine list: old-world depth and a kitchen that holds its own beside the bottles.
Wine focus: Victorian and Australian regional, classic French and Italian back-up
Wine bar$$$cbdMon-Fri 11:30-late, Sat-Sun 17:00-late
Embla in the CBD pairs an extraordinary natural wine list with wood-oven cooking: snacks designed around whatever was poured, all day and into the evening.
Wine focus: Natural and organic, Scandinavian-influenced curation
Wine bar$$$fitzroyTue-Sun 16:00-00:00
Neighbourhood Wine in Fitzroy North fills a double-fronted terrace with Victorian producers and low-intervention pours from a thoughtful and well-priced list.
Wine focus: Victorian cellar door range and Australian small-producer
Wine bar$$$fitzroyDaily 10:00-21:00
Blackhearts and Sparrows is Melbourne's best independent bottle shop for discovering something new: natural and biodynamic wines across six Melbourne stores.
Wine focus: Curated retail with bottle-shop-meets-bar model
Wine bar$$$fitzroyMon-Thu 16:00-23:00, Fri-Sun 12:00-23:00
The Builders Arms on Gertrude Street does a double life as a local pub and a seriously chosen wine room: natural bottles, good food and a courtyard.
Wine focus: Victorian and Australian natural, craft beer backup
Wine bar$$$fitzroyTue-Sun 16:00-late
Marion on Gertrude Street is the Fitzroy neighbourhood wine bar: an ever-changing natural wine list and snacks designed around what was opened.
Wine focus: Natural and low-intervention, Victorian and European small producers