When Fitzroy's venerable old pub The Rose — famous for their bangin' street parties and being a top-notch place to watch the footy — shut down in December 2015, it was to the dismay of locals. Luckily it was only for a few months to undergo renovations, which has seen the pub get a new lick of paint, a welcome refresh and, most notably, a wine bar upstairs.

New owners Tim Hogan and John Tennent — who also own Port Melbourne's greatest wine bar, Harry and Frankie — have reinvigorated The Rose, but Fitzroy locals will be comforted by the fact that their natural watering hole retains the essence of the original pub. The front bar has lost the carpet, but kept the central bar and classic TV setup for watching a game and enjoying that classic Aussie pastime: a pot and a parma.

However, upstairs has seen the biggest change. It's Fitzroy version of the pair's popular wine bar, and comes complete with a separate entrance. Up here the focus moves to wine (obviously) and away from pub food to a light charcuterie. There's also a walk-in wine cellar for diners to pluck their wine of choice fresh from the shelves.