Murrumbeena Wine Bar

For commuters filing out of Murrumbeena train station at knock-off time, this casual wine bar is a welcome sight. It’s housed inside a heritage building opposite; restored with a sophisticated fit-out, sharp drinks and a rotating menu of snacks that could easily substitute for a midweek dinner.

Not surprisingly, there are more than 50 Australian wines on offer here, with a focus on boutique, family-run producers. Better still, the full list can be enjoyed in the bar or taken away from the in-house bottle shop. There’s a lengthy list of cocktails, too, plus a Victorian-heavy gin range featuring selections from Boatrocker, Animus, Taka and more.

Snacks are wine-friendly, and might include jalapeno poppers, baked brie, and grazing boards crowded with cheese and charcuterie. A rotating schedule of food pop-ups give regulars something new to try, such as Lasagne Lab, La Onda Latin Mex, 458 Pizzeria and more.

The venue seats 100 across the main bar, sunny outdoor courtyard and private dining room. The former is lined with historical prints of Neerim Road, and features dark timber panelling, green brickwork and gold accents. It’s surely one of the classiest spaces on the strip, where you can pull up at a low table or one of the high stools by the front window for a casual drink. But we say slide into one of the comfy leather booths – that seat on the train will pale in comparison.