The Alps Wine Shop & Bar
This properly cosy neighbourhood wine and pizza bar channels the laidback warmth of an Italian mountain lodge.
Overview
The Italian Dolomite region of the European Alps is dotted with mountain huts called rifugi, simple lodgings that serve hearty food and drink after a long day on the slopes. The Alps — Commercial Road's cosy neighbourhood wine bar — channels that same spirit, offering Melburnians an inviting rifugio of their own, whether on a lazy afternoon or a chilly evening.
Run by the team behind hatted Richmond wine bar Clover, The Alps recently unveiled a thoughtful revamp, complete with an expanded food menu and a new-look courtyard. The once snack-heavy offer has made way for a heartier — yet no less shareable — menu by new Head Chef Miller Cowie (ex-Freddy's and Zita's) and Charley Snadden-Wilson (Co-owner and Executive Chef of Clover) that's now anchored by thin-based Roman-style pizzas with sauce that reaches right to the edges. The menu will feature a mix of permanent signature pies and seasonally rotating specials.
Wine remains a core part of the experience — and on the 400-strong list, you'll find a cleverly curated selection spanning alpine producers, natural trailblazers and old-world icons. There's also a smart selection of local beers, Alpine-inspired cocktails and a strong showing of amari behind the bar, for those after something different.
Out the back, an updated courtyard is now an all-weather affair thanks to a retractable awning and heaters, making it primed for year-round catch-ups. Inside, a newly integrated open kitchen brings the action to the bar, while the venue's warmth remains intact thanks to the open fire in The Cabin, which continues to host The Alps' signature Cabin Conversations — a fortnightly dinner and conversation series led by winemakers, importers and wine journalists. Plus, Thursday nights host complimentary wine tastings, with a different producer spotlighted each week.
Images: Jack Carlin.
Information
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