best-wine-bars

It’s been almost four decades since Australia’s first wine-focused bar opened in the Melbourne seaside suburb of St Kilda. Today, Dog’s Bar is no longer an outlier, the format spreading across the country.

What constitutes a wine bar has changed since then, too. Once, it was simply a place where you could get a glass of wine, with or without food. Now, with pubs and cocktail bars boasting impressive by-the-glass lists, restaurants offering bar seating and service, and the proliferation of drink-in bottle-shops, the lines have blurred.

Still, to meet the definition, there are a handful of non-negotiable characteristics. Firstly, wine and, crucially, wine service, needs to be the venue’s primary focus. There should be an extensive and interesting range, both by-the-glass and bottle, and knowledgeable staff to navigate it. If food is offered, the sense should be that it has been designed to match the wines, and not the other way around – as is the case at Melbourne’s iconic Embla. 

Here are some of our favourite wine bars from across Australia. 

Melbourne: Embla 

While the strength of its food offering almost places this CBD stalwart in the restaurant category, there is no question that Embla is one of Melbourne, and indeed the country’s, greatest places to drink. A decade on and 

For over 10 years now, it 

Honourable mentions: Marion, Circl,

Sydney: Where’s Nick

Founded in 2017 by brothers Julian and Dominic Abouzeid, and run by Bridget Raffal, who came on board as partner in 2020, Where’s Nick ticks all the wine-bar boxes: an interesting, thoughtful 450-bottle-strong list, with around 35 options by-the-glass; excellent service (Bridget was previously the head somm at three-hatted restaurant Sixpenny); a cosy interior; and a menu designed around the wines they pour, which are largely from small, independent producers with ethical and sustainable farming philosophies. Also check out Claret Club, which Bridget and fellow-somm Harry Hunter (formerly of Rockpool, Bentley Group and Dinner by Heston) opened in Darlinghurst in late 2025. 

Where’s Nick, 236 Marrickville Road, Marrickville, NSW 2204
https://wheresnick.com.au/ 
Honourable mentions: 

Canberra: Rizla

Rizla isn’t just a wine bar – it’s a riesling bar. Opened by sommelier Andy Day in late 2019, in the inner-city suburb of Braddon, it offers around 70 different bottles and more than 10 by-the-glass; a list which changes daily and is largely dominated by local producers, with a handful of key German, Austrian, French and Kiwi examples. Food is substantial but directly inspired by the wine list, which does also include a small selection of other grape varieties if riesling isn’t your thing.

Rizla, 146/22 Lonsdale Street, Braddon ACT 2612

Honourable mentions: 

Adelaide: Jennie

Although it’s hard to top East End Cellars, which has stood as a beacon of fine wine in the city for almost 20 years, Jennie is a more-than-worthy competitor. Around 200 bottles, both international and local, are on the list, and are mostly displayed on the wall so you can 

Honourable mentions: East End Cellars, Leigh Street Wine Room 

Brisbane: Agnes (Wine bar & terrace) or Maeve

Perth: Beaconsfield Wine Bar, Besk, Vincent

Hobart: Institut Polaire