There’s no shortage of excellent restaurants in Melbourne but the polished St. Jude’s Cellars is something of an anomaly alongside the cheap and cheerful pubs and nightspots that dominate Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Those is search of a great meal can now find respite from the strip’s underage pub crawlers and souvlaki joints in this slick wine bar and restaurant, opened in 2008 by James Langley and Laki Papadopoulos of Panama Dining Room.

The space is large without being overwhelming and has a clean, industrial feel with its polished concrete floors and monochromatic palate of black-wire bar stools and whitewashed brick walls. A central wine cellar occupies the middle of the floor and functions as a ‘walk-in wine list’, allowing you to pick from the strong Australian and international collection to accompany your meal (with the addition of $15.00 corkage) or as a retail sale.

It’s not easy to categorise the menu at St. Jude’s, but the food could be loosely described as modern Australian with European influences. Dishes are created around organic and biodynamic produce where available and there is a focus on sustainably sourced materials. Diners are encouraged to eat as a group, sharing and matching dishes, but personalised set menus can be organised for bookings of more than eight. A meal at St. Jude’s is likely to be one of the more costly dining options on Brunswick Street, but the crowd of cashed-up thirtysomethings don’t seem to mind.