15 Best Bars in Melbourne | Condé Nast Traveler

"If every neighborhood had a Gerald’s, no one would ever again venture far from home. Jovial, relaxed, and inhabited by locals, this is the warm and welcoming wine bar you want as your second living room. With lace curtains and shelves of tchotchkes, the space—in Carlton North—isn’t going to win any design awards; then again, it has a charming European atmosphere—as if it's been airlifted out of a small Spanish or Italian village. The 200 bottles on the wine list range from the classics to the skin-contact and orange selections that seem to be getting a lot of recent attention. There are always three reds, three whites, and a sparkling open for by-the-glass pours—if you happen to get there early enough or as a bottle finishes, you get to choose the next to lose its cork. You can also order from the range of craft beers, classic cocktails, and spirits, but most people are here for the vino. To ignore the menu—which changes daily and is written on a sheet of butcher’s paper hanging behind the bar—is to do yourself a disservice." - Carrie Hutchinson