The Carlton Wine Room Has Reopened as a Slick Neighbourhood Wine Bar

Don't be fooled by the unchanged name — The Carlton Wine Room's had quite the shake-up, reopening today, Monday, February 26, with new owners, a new look and a revamped offering.

At the helm is sommelier Travis Howe (Coda, Tonka) and McConnell group alum Andrew Joy, who's had his eye on the space since his days working across the road at the former Three, One, Two (which used to be in the space where The Town Mouse is now vacating). Now, the pair's stripped things back to create the kind of wine-focused haunt that begs to put on high rotation, with fresh, simple styling, an ever-evolving menu and the easygoing feel of a tried-and-true local.

In the kitchen, John Paul Twomey (former head chef at Cutler & Co. and Gilson) is also keeping things simple with a pared-back menu of produce-driven modern Australian fare. It's a regularly changing lineup designed to work a treat alongside a glass or two of vino, from after-work snacking sessions to lazy weekend lunches. Fresh ingredients are the focus here, with a revolving pasta special showing off the best of each week's market haul. As for that wine list, it's a cracker, with a 100-bottle rotation Howe's sourced from all over the world. Throw in the option of BYO each Monday night and you've got yourself the makings of an instant neighbourhood favourite.

The latest edition of The Carlton Wine Room opens today — Monday, February 26 — at 172–174 Faraday Street, Carlton. It's open midday till 11pm Thursday to Monday and 4–11pm Wednesday. For more info, visit thecarltonwineroom.com.au.

Image: Google Street View.