We found Jason- post busy dinner... as we headed out for a kid free wine! Jason was knowledgeable…read moreand charming. Wines on point! Serious choice- all small batch. Also a good selection of craft beers available. Live music on Fridays and Sundays! A special find! Highlight of our Melbourne jaunt. Well worth investigating!

Nice crew, and the simple eggs on toast well cooked and tasty!…read more Ambience feels great, might need to come back here for a vino or two one evening.

Well lucky me... looks what opened a short stumble from home!!…read more Milton is based in a cosy little shop. The first thing you see is the large communal table surrounded by walls covered in all sorts of delicious looking bottles. There's a couple of window seats and clever little tables along the side. But, walk past the main bar and there's a small little room that can host a couple of small groups with an open fire. Keep walking down the hall and there's a lovely outdoor area, which is going to be excellent in summer. Milton is already warmer than my apartment and has access to delicious wine so I may as well just move in. Find me here a lot.

Quite nice interior design but the wines simply were not great for $15-$17 a glass…read more They have 20 wines by the glass out of hundreds of bottles. We ordered 2 different reds and were not impressed with either.

This place has always intrigued me. It's tucked away in a mini stretch of stores right near a…read morecorner of a tight intersection of two busy roads, but due to the end of the tram line, for some reason, you couldn't be blamed for missing it. Anyway, I've noticed it before, and have wanted to try it for a while. Many reviews say the service is very friendly and food is great, but a bit overpriced. I can now give my own opinion on this. Yes, the service is good. The food all came out within good time, and the wait staff were friendly (though I don't love staff touching my back when they fill up my water or something. It's my personal space, and I don't love it though it happened several times during the course of the meal). One thing they do which surprisingly a lot of places don't, is they wait for all at the table to be finished with their meal before clearing away the plates. I like that. It's good service and polite and diners don't feel rushed. The entree was heaven. I ordered the fried buffalo mozzarella sandwich. It was light and cheesy and beautifully presented. Everyone else ordered different items, but they all loved what they got, and were also presented well. They were out of a couple of items, which I don't think is good for a restaurant of this caliber, but I guess these things happen. For main, I got the spinach and ricotta gnocchi in a four cheese sauce and WOW. It was so good. Soooo good. I don't really think they needed to even wash my plate, as it was completely mopped up by the time they came for it. Dessert, though not needed, was the chocolate mousse tart, raspberry compote and a spiced mascarpone. As you can see, it was beautifully presented and plated and I didn't want to really start into it. For my liking, the compote was a bit too tangy, but everything else was lovely. So ... value. Yes, it is a little pricey. It definitely is. But this isn't the kind of place you come to often on a casual night. It's more like a bit of a treat. I mean, I ordered a coke, and it came in a can, but one of the mini cans, and it was $4. The mains were maybe a bit high, but then again the quality is great. Overall, I really would recommend trying it here. There's a great selection of beautiful wines, and a good choice of meals on the menu. Parking isn't too hard, and there's beautiful ambience and a lovely interior design. I will come back again for a birthday or something for sure.

My first time dining at Riserva and it was an amazing night out. Great food, service and atmosphere…read moreI will definitely be back again very soon!

It's rare to find a sophisticated bar outside of the CBD these days, and it's even rarer to find…read moreone that won't break your weekly drinking budget in one night. Hawker Beer and Wine Bar is located in the suburb of Highett just 30mins from Melbourne CBD. The bar is named after Harry Hawker, a local of the area. Harry George Hawker, was an Australian aviation pioneer. He was the chief test pilot for Sopwith and was also involved in the design of many of their aircraft. After World War One he co-founded Hawker Aircraft, the firm that would later be responsible for a long series of successful military aircraft. The bar itself is small and is directly across the road from the Highett train station, which seems to have some type of train passing through every 15mins. The fit-out is minimalistic, with large windows that give you a great view of the comings and goings in the area. What is great about this bar is the large cocktail list. With mostly original cocktails with a few traditional with a modern twist. The service is friendly and attentive, and I get the feeling if I lived in the area this would be my local. Apart from the great cocktails it has a good selection of beers and wines. It also had a pretty awesome snack menu, being provided by Typhoon, the Vietnamese restaurant next door. If you live in the area chances are you have either visited Hawker or know of it. If you haven't been do yourself a favour and pay them a visit, it won't disappoint.

This is another one of those really cool cafes that I sort of stumbled across as I was wandering…read morearound the place one day. It is sort of one of those places that has taken up residence in an old warehouse, and these places can actually be pretty cool. Well, that is the case with this place, and they also service a pretty decent cup of coffee as well. However, despite it being on a side street, and the middle of the week, this place certainly does attract the crowds.

Really nice brunch place south side in the Gardenvale area. We had an awesome lunch here of bloody…read moreMary's, eggs, smashed avocado, calamari and a breakfast bun. All was really good, service was great, and the space is really nice too. I'd definitely return if looking to meet someone south side for a nice casual breakfast/brunch/lunch.

YUM! What a beautiful place! Tasty food, generous portions,…read moreyummy chai and excellent vegan and gluten free options. A relief to find in a place where the only other option is a mainstream 'bakery'. I

I came here as a +1 for a friend, a Melbourne-based food blogger, who was invited by the owner…read more Being a visitor from New York, I didn't know what to expect since I am unfamiliar with all of the restaurants just yet. Being an invite, my friend had a nice introductory chat with the owner first (I just listened on since, again, I was the +1), so we got a feel for what his background was for the cafe, and the mindset and direction he wanted to take it. I was struck by his genuine nature in wanting people to have a nice, quality experience, above all, but also that he communicates with other cafes to try not to offer the same things in order to make it as unique as possible for the customer. We ordered the Scotch Pancakes, Nanban Chicken and the King Truffle. The first thing I tried was the King Truffle, and it was beyond flavorful and well-cooked. The mushrooms were not overdone and were perfectly seasoned, as we even discussed that it was just on the edge of being "too salty," but the ingredients married well together to make that saltiness just right, while the presentation was spot on. The Nanban Chicken was equally well-done, with the chicken being moist and well-seasoned, while the black rice added a nice texture and the chili gave a nice pop to the sweetness. The presentation was fabulous as well. With the Scotch Pancakes, here is where we were a tad disappointed, and especially in being told this dish was a huge favorite. While the presentation delivered perfectly, unfortunately, the execution left us wanting more. We agreed that it wasn't a complete failure, as it still was pleasant enough, but the pancakes were found to be dry and lacking flavor. I would have loved if the syrup/sauce was able to soak up into the pancake, but perhaps it was the thickness of the pancake or the slight over cooked surface; however, we felt we were biting into dry dough and there wasn't enough on top to add the flavor we needed to get through it. The mascarpone on top was flavorful and definitely helped to add what was missing, but it was still lacking, and perhaps even adding more berries could do this dish justice. Nonetheless, I am quick to say that perhaps this dish simply had an "off moment," as you don't become a fan favorite and remain as one of the few items to go unchanged from the cafe's inception without good reviews. I would definitely try this again for a second chance, however, the first two dishes made up for where this one lacked, and given that, again, I think this was simply an off moment. Can't be perfect all the time, after all!! If you are looking for a great brunch stop, I would definitely recommend this place, and do try the pancakes even, as we might have simply missed out this day. This rating should read more as 4.5 than simply a 4. Well done, overall.

This new hidden cocktail bar is already one of my favourites. Entering through a side door down a…read morelaneway, and climbing the stairs, opening the door as if to a house and being greeted so politely. The choice of the cocktail bad, whiskey and cigar room or the rooftop, delights me and caters or all your needs. The cocktails are strong, creative and use spirits and aperitifs in the most unique ways to deliver the most perfect cocktail. There are so many liqueurs, sprints and aperitifs that you wouldn't have even heard of. All the food sounds Devine, and the chocolate truffles are a slice of heaven. Cannot recommend highly enough.

Having recently taken the plunge into the world of wine, I stumbled along this venue by lack and…read morehaven't ever been disappointed amazing service, great knowledge from the staff. I have visited here many times bring friends who have all waljed away raving. The reason i was initially hooked however, was being new to the industry i walked in not know where to look and found great advice here with no pretenious attitudes just very welcoming and most of all an endless selection of amazing wines. Constantly being introduced to some unique and amazing wines

Fantastic little wine bar , very friendly service , great wine selection and a great spot for an…read moreafterwork drink for locals who can walk home come the bar. Tastefully decorated and has a great feel to it.

Visiting pubs is cool, but visiting themed bars is even better. I ended up here one day when I was…read morenot working and had just been to the cinema in Brighton, so I was making my way home and decided to visit some places that I hadn't normally visited - and this was one of those places. The name really does suit the place, or more so the place really does fit the name. There are a few rooms about with some lovely, and quite comfortable, chairs. In fact, it is the rooms that really give this place it's charm, including the outdoor area out the back. Okay, it was pretty quiet when I visited, but that also adds to the charm.

I don't know why I allow this quaint little bar slip out of my mind so often when I think of places…read moreto go out for a nice quiet drink with a couple of people or hold a small function. Antique Bar has a beautiful sophistication in the air and fine cocktails, wine and beer in the glasses. The décor will take you back to an age where everyone wore a suite just to go to the corner store. I think I have just talked myself into where I will be going tonight for a couple of quiet drinks.

This is the place you want to know from inside out. It just…read morelooks like any other shops in the neighborhood until you walk in and discover the hidden backyard garden. That's the wow moment when you don't want to sit outside neither are fond of the dim-light inside space. They offer good selections of wine and beer. Backyard offers the atmosphere for a fresh and delightful conversation with your friends meanwhile it he inside space provides a bit of magic for romance. It's a good place to drop-by without being too ambitious.

A much needed wine bar in Hawthorn - more please! With three spaces including a small but homely…read moreoutdoor space it appeals to a slightly more mature clientele than the local uni hotels. A rotating selection of wines by the glass and considerably more by the bottle, the team is more than happy for you to take a sip before you buy and pass on their recommendations. I haven't ventured further that the paprika spiced fries when it comes to food but they have a share plate concept with loads of seasonal tastes. Open Tuesday and Sunday and they welcome functions any day of the week!