Little Prince Wine Is the New Euro-Chic Bar and Cellar Inside The Prince Hotel
The final piece of the hotel's hefty four-year refurb features a 4000-strong wine collection and an elegant underground cellar.
When St Kilda's Prince Public Bar reopened its doors in January, showing off an impressive, multi-faceted makeover, its adjoining boutique wine bar Little Prince Wine was expected to follow suit and launch fairly soon afterwards. Of course, that was before 2020 did its thing, putting plans on hold and serving up roadblocks left, right and centre. But now, this final piece of The Prince Hotel's four-year refurbishment has finally made its proper debut.
After operating as a takeaway coffee bar, grocer and wine store during lockdown 2.0, Little Prince Wine is now living its best life, as a sophisticated wine bar and cellar with a European edge. Look for the bright green awning on Acland Street and enter to find a chic space filled with custom zinc-and-timber communal tables and bottles from a 4000-strong wine collection lining the walls. Curated over the space of a decade by The Prince Hotel sommelier Laurent Rospars, it's an impressive range featuring plenty of rare and hard-to-find drops sourced from both near and far.
The snacking situation is equally grand, headlined by a deli cabinet heaving with cheese and charcuterie options. There is a menu of Euro-style small bites and drinking fare for grazing as you sip your way through the wine list. And one floor down, a moody underground cellar space is available to book out for private dinners.
Little Prince Wine's lockdown-era bottle shop and grocery offering will remain, with a range of booze, deli items, gourmet groceries and ready-to-heat meals available both for takeaway and delivery through Providoor.
Find Little Prince Wine at 2 Acland Street, St Kilda. It's open from 11am until late daily
Images: Jana Langhorst