Overview
Whether you're a vino novice or an expert on all things pinot, it's always a joy to expand your beverage-based horizons by trying something new. And with a boom in new Australian wine producers and the rise of all things natty, there's plenty to try right now. Newtown's latest small bar Famelia is here to help — offering its guests plenty of ways to sample interesting and inventive wines.
The brainchild of Amelia Birch (Book Kitchen, Your P.S.), Famelia has officially opened in a storied Enmore Road building directly across the road from another beloved purveyor of booze, P&V Liquor + Wine Merchants. The long and skinny exposed-brick space has long been home to top-notch bottles, housing Cittavino for over a decade before Birch and the crew took over.
The menu here is kept short and simple, with a rotating list of 12 different wines. Each time you head in, expect to find that week's batch of handpicked favourites on offer by the glass. If you're looking to share a bottle, you can also browse the full selection from the bottle shop and enjoy it at retail price (plus $15 corkage).
Those looking to sample their way through the menu are in luck. Famelia offers a three-glass wine flight featuring a trio of 75-millilitre pours that you get to pick from the by-the-glass menu. Start your night with a taster of a Clare Valley riesling, a Mornington Peninsular pinot noir and a sparkling wine from Orange all for $27.
The fun doesn't stop there. A couple of seasonal selections round out the wine offerings if you want to drop a little extra cash on your chosen glass. The cocktail list is far from thrown together, with yuzushu and pét-nat spritzes, plus mandarin margaritas. And if you're feeling snacky, there are plenty of dips, cheeses and deli meats to taste your way through — including vegan macadamia feta, truffle and squid-ink salami, weekly desserts and Birch's secret family egg dip.
"I love entertaining my friends and family at home, and hope Famelia will be an extension of that — familiar, delicious, fun," says Birch.
Open Wednesday–Sunday, the bar can host 25 wine lovers inside and an additional eight-to-ten out on Enmore Road. While you can only head in for a flight and a plate of salami five days a week, the bottle shop is up and running daily from midday until 9pm.
When it comes to takeaway bottles, you'll find wines ranging from $25–200. You can also try before you buy at the bottle shop, with a range of wines open to taste if you're on the hunt for that perfect thing to bring to your dinner party or to pair with tonight's spag bol.
Famelia is now open at 55 Enmore Road, Newtown. The bar is open 12pm–late Wednesday–Saturday and 2–9pm Sunday, while the bottle shop is open 12–9pm Monday–Sunday.
Images: Philippa Enid.