Bar Liberty
Wine bar · Fitzroy ·
Wine bar with small plates, local spirits, and creative cocktails
Wine bar with small plates, local spirits, and creative cocktails
"Mentioned as one of the Melbourne restaurants where chef Casey Wall worked during a 15-year stretch, part of his background that informs his upcoming bistro menu." - ByKate Kassin
"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
"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
"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
"An intimate, playful Fitzroy wine bar (look for the spray-painted sign) that showcases Australian pét-nats and skin-contact whites; opened by a former sommelier from one of the country's top restaurants, the list balances exciting newer Australian producers with European labels and shows a particular affection for wines from Jura." - Besha Rodell