Bar Liberty

"We’re kind of underselling Bar Liberty by calling it a wine bar. Sure, there’s a list loaded with lo-fi, biodynamic wines sourced directly from independent producers, presented by well-drilled staff who know how to find you The One. But there’s also a ripper beer selection, a decent assemblage of mezcal and grappa, and imaginative cocktails built with mostly local liquor. The Martini uses olive-leaf gin from the Yarra Valley wine region, and a Japanese Slipper is stained blue with Melbourne-made curaçao. Appetizers like gruyere-filled pierogi and smoky kabanosy skewers draw on the chef’s Polish heritage, as does the excellent value $80 Sunday lunch set menu. Servers with zero pretense and a room with many intimate nooks make this the perfect date spot, and in warm months an astroturfed courtyard opens up so you can slosh about in the sun." - Ellen Fraser

"In all honesty, we’re kind of underselling Bar Liberty by calling it a wine bar. Sure, there’s a list loaded with interesting and exciting natural wines, but there’s also sake, pastis, and vermouth. And lurid blue cocktails. And a delightfully rascally vibe in the dining room, where you’ll eat salty, snackable things like miso king prawns or grilled mortadella with pickles. This is a perfect date night spot, even more so in summer when the astroturfed courtyard opens up. Just look for the graffiti-covered sign out front." - ellen fraser

"Melbourne loves a wine bar, but the rapscallion owners of Bar Liberty (who are also behind excellent bakery Falco and Italian-American restaurant Capitano) have been known to call their establishment an “alcohol bar” because they serve way more than their favorite wines. Look for the locally distilled aperitif Okar (like Aperol, but better), sour beers, and a solid lineup of bourbons and ryes. Food is equally important, and locals keep coming back for brilliant dishes like the pickled cucumbers with smoked eel dip and the lamb backstrap with saltbush." - Audrey Bourget, Sharlee Gibb

"Another place to explore exciting Australian pét-nats and skin-contact whites is Bar Liberty in Fitzroy—look for the spray-painted sign." - Besha Rodell

"These first couple of nights, we've seen a lot of regulars who supported us before, and through COVID-19 with takeaway," says Michael Bascetta, co-owner of Bar Liberty and Capitano." - Eater Staff