Boris Portnoy will close his Russian- and Georgian-influenced wine bar Gray and Gray after service on Saturday February 22.

The 28-seat wine bar opened in the decades-old Gray & Gray Barristers & Solicitors office space in 2021, and Portnoy believes the venue has struggled to switch mindsets from it being a restaurant where you had to book, as was the case during Covid, to one where walk-ins are welcome.

Portnoy, who is also behind All Are Welcome bakeries, says that while “there were definitely people who understood,” the venue’s struggles largely boiled down to people not understanding what Gray and Gray is about.

Get the best of Broadsheet first with Today – our free newsletter. Our expert editors curate the day’s most interesting and useful stories – new restaurants, must-see exhibitions, fashion trends, travel spots and more.

SIGN UP

“I wanted to have a wine bar where people could come in and have some food that’s not Francophile or Italian,” he says. “I feel like what people are used to is feeling comfortable looking at a menu. Menus are kind of the same – there’s a crudo, there’s a tartar – we have those things on the menu right now, they’re just presented in a way that is more east of the Mediterranean ... I think it seems challenging – but it’s not that challenging.”

He says a lot of good came from the venue. “There’s zero regret about it, and I’m really proud of what it is and what it is historically … You know, there’s nothing even close to that style of cuisine [in Melbourne], which is awesome. But it’s not for everyone.”

Portnoy retains the lease, but isn’t thinking of opening something new in the space right now and is focusing his attention on his bakeries.

Gray and Gray at 188 High Street Northcote will close after service on Saturday February 22.